The Journal.

Episode: "The Witch Economy Is Booming"

Hosts: Jessica Mendoza (A), Ryan Knutson
Guests: Javi Lieber (C, WSJ Reporter), Tatiana Fernandez (D, Spell buyer), Carissa Perez (B, Practicing witch)
Date: October 31, 2025

Overview: Booming "Witch Economy"

This episode explores the surprising rise of the modern "witch economy"—a multimillion-dollar industry thriving online, where real-life witches sell spells, charms, and forms of magical services over platforms like Etsy. Hosts and guests break down why so many people are turning to spells for everything from love to jobs, how the business operates in gray zones online, and what this says about our economic and cultural moment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Mainstreaming of Witchcraft

• Pop Culture Roots: The episode opens with references to beloved witchy figures from Harry Potter and Hocus Pocus to Macbeth's witches, illustrating how witch lore is deeply embedded in culture.

  • “There is a witch for every personality... For the most part, witches are known to be scary, nightmarish. And this has had some very real consequences.” (A, 00:16)

• Witchcraft's Return: Modern witches have gone mainstream with services online.

  • “Witchcraft is back... you don't need to go into the deep, dark woods or to Hogwarts to find one. Just like everyone else, they're online.” (A, 01:04)

• Huge Online Marketplace: Witches’ services—spells, charms—are offered to thousands online, especially on Etsy and social media.

  • “If you go onto Etsy, you will just find like thousands and thousands of witches… selling all sorts of spells, enchantments, good luck charms, etc., for all sorts of prices.” (C, 02:16)

2. Who Buys Spells, and Why?

• Driven by Desperation: Many customers are facing tough times—unemployment, failed job searches, romantic anxieties.

  • Tatiana Fernandez, a social media worker laid off in 2025, shares: “It was tough putting out so many applications... after two months or so is like, when I started kind of getting really antsy and anxious about it.” (D, 04:36)

• Experimenting with Magic: For Tatiana, spending $4.95 on an Etsy spell was about seeking any extra help on her job search.

  • “I was like, you know what? It's five dollars. I can spare the five bucks. I know I'm broke, but not that broke yet.” (D, 05:09)

• The Mechanics of a Modern Spell: The process often mixes classic new-age advice (affirmations, meditation) with ritual.

  • “A lot of the people that I interviewed… were equating witchcraft with this concept of manifesting. You envision a positive outcome… and then you just, like, march to it.” (C, 06:51)

• Alleged Results: Tatiana claims that, like magic, her job prospects improved exactly when the witch said they would.

  • "He told me, he's like, be patient. It takes about two weeks to kick in. And like literally two weeks after I started getting requests to interview.” (D, 09:52)

3. How Witch Businesses Operate Online

• Etsy's Murky Policies: While Etsy doesn’t technically allow sales of “metaphysical services,” spells abound through creative workarounds—physical photos, poems, small gifts, and careful language.

  • “Etsy has… house rules… They don't allow spellcasting or something that will advertise a metaphysical outcome… So how do all these thousands of witches...get away with that?...they all tell their customers that they can never promise an outcome.” (C, 07:51–08:20)

• No Guarantees, No Refunds: Spells come with no warranties. At best, a witch might agree to recast if unsatisfied.

  • “No refunds, no exchanges.” (C, 08:58)

• Untraceable Market Size: No official figures exist, as major platforms ban these services on paper.

  • “Getting an exact figure on this would be a little bit of magic.” (C, 09:15)

4. Meet a Modern Witch: Carissa Perez

• A New Kind of Witch: Carissa describes herself as a self-taught practitioner, using her childhood exposure to paganism and personal study.

  • “It says Bay Area Witch spellwork products, readings... so that people can find me.” (B, 11:35)

• Inside the Practice: Carissa performs spells with candles, herbs, crystals, and ritual, in a professionalized, almost businesslike way.

  • “Basil is really good for luck. Stinging nettle... for cleansing, banishing. Roses—good for love, self-love.” (B, 11:58)
  • “With the candle, I always like to have the person’s name on there written.” (B, 12:57)

• Lucrative Side Hustle: She makes up to $3,000 per month—enough to live alone for the first time.

  • “She can make up to $3,000 a month on witchcraft. And that's helped her afford to live by herself for the first time.” (A, 12:09)

• Memorable Quote:

  • “Their energy flows like water. Clear, calm, and irresistible. They are a mirror of beauty and enchantment.” (B, 13:36 – reading spell)

• Addressing Criticism:

  • “Everyone has their own opinions, own religions, and I respect that… But I am a witch, and this is just what I practice. And... that's not like the most important thing to me here. It's what I do for my clients.” (B, 14:28)

5. Skepticism & the Cultural Context

• Skeptics Abound: Not all are convinced—some call it a scam, others “devil’s work.”

  • “If you can order a spell through a website, there’s an issue going on because I’m abracadabra, not impressed.” (B, 15:08)

• Reporter’s Perspective:

  • “I'm a religious person, so I don't believe in witchcraft. But… if somebody wants to put their belief in another being… I shouldn't judge.” (C, 15:22)

• Magic vs. the Market:

  • “I feel like it points to desperation...if the job market or the dating apps or the rising rents are not working...then maybe, you know, why not swing the other way and try something just completely abstract.” (C, 15:49)

• Internet Influence: Social media trends, influencers, and algorithms accelerate the spread.

  • “I think the algorithms are totally responsible for fueling a lot of this. When your favorite influencer is posting on TikTok that they are hiring a witch… it sort of fuels the fire and becomes trendy.” (C, 16:46)

• Enduring Appeal:

  • “Witchcraft is centuries old. It's always been here, and I feel like it will probably never disappear.” (C, 17:16)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Viral Witch Trends:

  • "Etsywitch has become a viral trend. These online witches are making their magical services available to anyone willing to pay for them." (A, 01:59)

• On the Spell-buying Experience:

  • “No refunds, no exchanges.” (C, 08:58)

• On Earning a Living as a Witch:

  • “I am a witch, and this is just what I practice. And I've financially belonged. And, you know, it's funny enough because that's not like the most important thing to me here... but it definitely has brought me to where I am now, and that's what I'm very grateful of.” (B, 14:28)

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Time | Segment | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:06–01:59 | Pop culture witches; witchcraft goes mainstream, online | | 03:45–10:40 | Tatiana's story: buying a spell for her job search | | 11:35–14:53 | Inside a witch's business: Carissa's practice and spellwork | | 15:01–17:45 | Skepticism, social trends, and the economic context |

Takeaways

• Witchcraft is now a mainstream, internet-based business, much of it operating in a regulatory gray zone.
• Young, often desperate consumers are seeking spells as both hope and a form of self-empowerment.
• Many practitioners earn significant income, and social media trends fuel the market’s growth.
• This movement is both a reflection of previous cultural fascinations and a commentary on the anxieties of today’s economy.
• Despite skepticism (or because of it), the witch economy shows no sign of vanishing anytime soon.