You’ve probably noticed that Amazon have not only cornered online bookselling. They’ve got tarot decks all wrapped up too.
The bastards.
If you’re not aware of what a filthy company Amazon are, here are lots of reasons not to shop with them. And here are some more. From worker exploitation to dirty tactics to shaft independent booksellers, not to mention the tax-dodging, they’re just one of those companies it’s better to avoid if you can.
Here are lots of other lovely places where you can buy tarot decks online!
Little Red Tarot Shop
That’s right, there’s a lovely tarot shop right here on this very website! I stock a wide range of independently-published, beautiful tarot decks that I buy direct from the artists. I bring together the very best indie tarot decks I can find and curate a truly magical collection for folks who want something a little special.
Other online tarot stores:
Hive
A genuine alternative to Amazon, Hive is an online network of UK independent bookstores selling together, plus every purchase means an additional donation to a high-street store of your choice. Prices are great, delivery is free, Hive pay their taxes, and you can find pretty much any of the mass-market tarot decks here.
Some favourites: The Shadowscapes Tarot | The Wildwood Tarot | The Dreaming Way Tarot | The Ostara Tarot
Llewellyn
Llewellyn is the world’s oldest publisher of ‘mind-body-spirit’ books and cards.
US Games Systems
Publishers of the Rider Waite Smith tarot, and the Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative Set, among many, many others.
Etsy
There are so many self-published decks here on Etsy, browsing is really fun!
Your local metaphysical shop
For example…
- Treadwells | London’s favourite esoteric bookshop founded by feminist Christina Oakley Harrington, Treadwells has an unusual range of ‘classical’ decks, herbs, oils and other magickal resources. Read a lovely Guardian article about Treadwells here.
- Cataland (New York City)
- Watkins Bookstore (London)
- Earth Spirit (Hebden Bridge)
Don’t forget that many independent esoteric/bookstores don’t have an online presence, but are well worth seeking out! When I lived in Todmorden I had a choice of Earth Spirit in Hebden Bridge, Spooks in Haworth and Friendly Dragon in Halifax…all friendly, lovely places to spend some time flicking through tarot books and browsing decks in person.
Go direct to the artist!
If you tend to go directly to Amazon when you’re searching for a specific tarot deck, try Googling the artist’s name first to see if you can buy from them directly. That way they’ll get to keep more of what you pay, and your cards will be coming to you from somewhere a little cosier and prettier than the Amazon warehouse.
You could try…
- Marie White for the Mary-el Tarot
- Anna Klaffinger for the Anna K Tarot
- Jen Kruch for the Frau Grand Duchess Tarot
- Amy Von Harrington for her tarot deck
Where do you buy your tarot decks?
Online or on the street, share your tips in the comments!
I’m a 30-something writer, artist, tarot reader, and perpetual explorer of the space between thought, feeling, and action.
I believe that spirituality and ritual are for everybody. I’m about the journey, in all of its messy, non-linear, chaotic iterations. I am excited by anticapitalist business and living with my whole entire self present. I use tarot cards to bring forth hidden truth, and ritual to affirm my commitment, over and over, to my ever-shifting path.
Great post! Supporting independent retailers is so important.
In Boston, I highly recommend Seven Stars in Central Square. So many decks, so many books.
If anyone interested in buying a Hawaiian Tarot Deck directly from the artist, please contact her at: http://www.myhawaiiantarot.com
Lovely post. I’m buying a lot from eBay at the moment. There is a great mix of sellers selling used, new and hard to find decks. I’ve bought directly from artists and smaller publishers. I’ve also bought from Watkins in London as it had Robert Place’s Sevenfold Mystery in stock. I’m also ashamed to say I made it my mission to buy Wild Unknown when I was in New York and popped into an East Village boutique. It’s fun hunting down decks.
You want Clouds in Walkden (£4 day return from Victoria), on the second floor of the shopping arcade. An odd place to put an esoteric shop indeed. It’s more for incense and fluffy things than the sort of stuff you’re looking for but it might be worth talking to the staff, as they seem very nice.
http://www.cloudsonline.co.uk/visit-our-store-12-w.asp
(I am not affiliated with etc, I just sometimes visit the area).
Thanks!! I’ll try to get over to Walkden at some point. Interesting there’s nothing in the city centre though…
I also get decks direct from Lo Scarabeo: loscarabeo.com, and from TarotBg.eu, and http://www.tarotchest.co.uk sometimes have some interesting decks you don’t see everywhere. Alida store is also good for European decks: http://www.raretarots.com/ 🙂
Bri at The Hoodwitch mentioned Varja earlier this week, too – a metaphysical store in Seattle.
Here’s their website: http://thevajra.com/tarotcards.php
And Bri’s post: http://www.thehoodwitch.com/blog/2015/2/15/and-interview-with-the-vajra-seattle-wa
My local tarot shop closed in 2006, and even though it was 35 minutes away I bought there. Since then it’s Amazon.ca or Etsy. There is one other shop but it is just over an hour away and I don’t drive. I used to mail order from them, but they aren’t set up for packaging properly via mail. Essentially there are no local shops here.
I bought two of Nakisha’s decks from Etsy.
I was looking at a deck that was $50 from the artist plus $22 shipping. It’s a rather conventional card deck for that price. I’m not interested when things go over $30-$40. Shipping here in Canada is astronomical, particularly from publishers.
I understand that Amazon takes a huge cut, but they have free shipping–makes a big difference. For the cost of shipping from other places I can buy a full deck.
Hey JJ,
Yeah…I’m sorry if this comes across as snobbish. I do totally appreciate that Amazon makes tarot affordable. But they’re such a shitty company I really wanted to provide some alternatives cos many of us *could* actually shop elsewhere, we just automatically go to Amazon!
Not snobbish at all Beth, it’s very practical to offer alternatives.
Jessica Shanahan is trying to sell her Tarot of the Absurd at Amazon because she wasn’t selling as many online, even through Etsy. Amazon for some reason stuck her in Toys and Games, perhaps because you have to pay a larger premium to be put in the Books category–it was some mystifying bafflegab in any case. It’s a shame as that is a great deck.
Another Canadian here.
I bought Hezicos Tarot from England (I think she’s in England? The UK at any rate). It was a bit over $50 (including shipping). Like JJ $50 is my max, but I’m willing to slide a few dollars over if it’s only a few dollars. I don’t buy decks very often, and I needed one that I could show in public.
I agree about Amazon being a terrible company. I was a bit surprised to see how few booksellers here have cards, when I went out looking. Of course, I did manage to find a shop with a monthly tarot meet up so not all was lost. And that’s another advantage to going out and exploring the streets, too. You might learn something!
If you’re in London, check out the Astrology Shop in Neal Street, in the Covent Garden area. As well as astrology stuff they have a huge selection of Tarot decks, with sample packs to look through. Very friendly people too.
Another great place to shop is the Tarot Marketplace facebook group. Its all decks all the time. Many independently published and offered direct from the artist. There are decks available there that you will not find anyplace else. Also its great for buying and selling used decks. Trades are welcome, too. https://www.facebook.com/groups/Tarotmarketplace/
You can also connect through the website http://www.tarotmarketplace.com
Thanks for sharing this Jill – the tarot marketplace sounds amazing! I tried to access it but sadly you have to be a member of Facebook to participate 🙁 Still, great news for FB users.
Loved this post, if you’re still looking for a good shop closer to you the can I suggest the crystal poppy in bury? They sell all sorts of cool stuff (not 100% sure on tarot though)
Where is Spooks shop?????? Looks like my type of shop!! I’m travelling now and want to go.there
Haha! It’s a lovely little shop in Haworth, West Yorkshire. (It’s the town where the Bronte sisters lived, surrounded by bleak wuthering moors…)
So refreshing to see support for the independents. Thank you x
Can you introduce me someplaces to buy Tarot deck, crystal, rune …. in Bristol?
Hey there! Thanks for creating this page! So good to see grassroots support out there!
We are ‘The Moon Deck’ – an intuitive oracle set to stoke the powers of intention and ritual.
The Moon Deck is inspired by tarot while falling more into the lines of a healing affirmation deck – complete with 44 cards, a guidebook filled with corresponding rituals and messages, and all housed in a handmade wood box.
We’d love to get the word out about this deeply loving and healing deck of cards. Feel free to skim our page. You can order from our website and we also do wholesale!
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xo
Aarona
I have a used set of Tarot of the Spirit cards and yes its a full deck of 78 along with matching book by Pamela Eakins, PH.D Cards have been stored in a glass angel box and wrapped in red velvet for last 12 yrs
I also have a set of The Angel Oracle cards & book by Ambika Waiters.
I would like to sell them both & am open to offers.
I just found another set called Healing with the Fairies by Doreen Virtue
There are so many beautiful Tarot cards! I’ve never learned Tarot, but I read the Lenormand deck and don’t mix the two. Just my preference. I’m looking to either make, or purchase, a funny/hilarious divination deck of cards for readings. Does anyone have tips, or know of an artist that has this request available?
I want to buy tarot card
If you live in East Anglia, UK, there’s Inanna’s Festival. The woman running it has been running it for nearly 30 years, and it stocks all sorts of witchy stuff with a wonderful selection of Tarot. She has facebook and a website. http://www.inannasfestival.com/
It’s kind of pathetic how u knock Amazon as Your main method of self promoting some sales for yourself. AND it’s so fucking scandalous how you kind of lead people into thinking this is a link to purchase tarot cards from various sites YET once you get on this (your) site, you immediately mention how little red tarot is one of those sites, that we’re already there .. with a big SHOP NOW clicker n it makes u think you’re exploring or at least have the option to explore these different stores yet ITS ONLY YOUR STORE…so if u don’t fall for the SHOP NOW..n continue scrolling down, you do mention the other stores …my point is, u set it all up to where, people can very ignorantly only explore your card selections n slandering someone’s name especially in this business is just wrong n pathetic. It’s very greedy n ugly. Just saying.
Thanks for this really weird and rude feedback Alexandra. I gotta admit, I’m struggling to understand what you’re so upset about here. Let me try and work it out…
This post is called “Places you can buy tarot decks that aren’t bloody Amazon” and that’s exactly what it contains. You say it’s “ONLY MY STORE” …and then go on to mention all the other stores I’ve linked to. It sounds like you clicked hoping for links to various stores that weren’t Amazon, got really upset that the first one I mentioned was my own shop (as in, my livelihood), then saw that the post does indeed contain what you were looking for…yet still felt the need to have a go. Weird.
This is not my main method of promoting my business, it’s just one single post I wrote years ago. The main ways I advertise my shop via SEO-ing the products themselves and via my newsletter.
(That said, I don’t think it’s “pathetic” to advertise my own shop on this very site …that feels like kind of an obvious thing to do?)
Also: I will never apologise for knocking Amazon, they’re a categorically awful company and I will do all I can to encourage people to find alternatives, be that my shop or any other. Those are my politics and they are clear from the outset – you didn’t have to keep reading if that bothered you. If you wanna talk about what’s “fucking scandalous”, I’d suggest you stop wasting your time having a go at indie shop owners (that’s what I would call “pathetic”, tbh) and instead take a look at Amazon’s track record re taxes and treatment of workers. Being this offended on behalf of Amazon just seems a bit sad to me.
Hmm, I’m still no wiser in understanding your problem. I guess you just wanted to have a go at me. Well, thanks so much for stopping by.
Thanks guys, for sharing this conductive collected data at one place.
In the Repubblica di San Marino there is a lovely shop with loads of tarot decks, Alida Store. Also online 🙂
Hey! Great blog. Thanks for suggesting other outlets to buy cards! As a publisher of my own deck, your guidance is much appreciated! Check out my Oz Oracle Cards for sale on my website! Thanks! Love and Light to all.
https://www.peytonpugmire.com/oz-cards
This is great! I love the post and being an independant creator, having just finished my first deck, there is a lot of useful info here….please do feel free to check out my deck, The Tarot of Enchanted Dreams at http://www.yasmeenwestwood.com
Thanks xx