FAQ 
How do Pre-orders work?
We only put the most in-demand decks in pre-order mode. If you purchase something else with your pre-order, it will be shipped together with the pre-ordered item. If you need the other item(s) earlier, please get in touch with us and we will see if we can work something out.
Why has the price of a crystal changed or gone up?
Crystals are unique and natural commodities. Supply and demand continually fluctuates on the global market. Some varieties occur frequently in nature while others are quite rare. Our prices are a reflection of the market price we have paid a supplier.
How many pieces of each item are available?
Many of our items are limited edition, one-of-a-kind or handmade. All have limited availability.
I received my item but it looks different than on the website.
Crystals and handmade items are inherently unique. If the item listed is one-of-a-kind we will specify on our website. If not, please allow for some natural variation from piece to piece.
Is your shipping material eco-friendly?
Yes! Environmental responsibility is one of our cornerstone values. We avoid using plastic like it’s our job. Kismet boxes are made from recycled cardboard and sealed with paper tape or a special transparent polylactic tape, both of which are biodegradable. The super-protective ‘wood wool’ packing material is designed for shipping delicate items and is made from 100% natural wood and is compost safe, can be used as a BBQ starter, insulation, or can simply be put in your bio trash! Our postcards and most of our stickers are also recycled and biodegradeble. If you do find a piece of plastic or bubble wrap in our packages it has either been recycled or was already included with the product.
Where do you source your crystals and other products?
We’re like magpies who love shiny and magical things. We know not all that glitters is gold which is why we choose to buy from and support independent artists, artisans and ethical crystal suppliers.
What do you mean by ethical crystals?
At Kismet Berlin, we are only interested in building long term partnerships with crystal suppliers who show an outstanding degree of transparency. All of our crystals are sourced from small scale, non-exploitative and often family run mines. We have relationships with both miners themselves as well as with small wholesale distributors who have a reliable and trustworthy supply chain. We will not buy from wholesalers who do not explicitly share information about their relationships or buying practices. Ethically traded crystals come from artisanal mines which means the money is going directly back into a local community instead of the pockets of big business. Hand mined crystals are often the sole source of income in areas where no other sources of income are available. While mining inherently disturbs the environment, we never buy crystals from destructive large-scale rock pulping commercial mines. Artisanal mines account for less than .01% worldwide of the mining industry’s total output.
What’s the deal with VAT and Customs?
We know, it’s a not so thrilling but necessary topic!
Germany: The current German sales tax rate is 19% and is applied to all of our orders within Germany.
European Union: As of July 1 2021, cross-border VAT e-commerce is changing. European online businesses will now charge a VAT rate corresponding to a buyer’s shipping country. Prices should be adjusted accordingly on the site depending on where you are located and/or the shipping address you enter at checkout. VAT rates can range depending on your country anywhere from 17 – 27%.
Norway, Switzerland, Singapore, Japan: We charge 0% VAT on these orders. Please be aware though that you could be charged a customs rate of 7% in Switzerland and 25% in Norway when it arrives in your country.
United Kingdom : Oh my…Unfortunately due to the very weird rules that have been applied due to Brexit, we have had to suspend our orders heading to the UK. As we are a small business, we currently don’t have the means to deal with the necessary bureaucracy and accounting involved with this process.
