Purchasing rugs in Istanbul and Kusadasi

[hawkdad1]

We are crusing on Celebrity Solstice on Oct. 19th. Interested in purchasing rugs on our stops in Istanbul and/or Kusadasi. Love specific advice on where to go or stores that you've had positive experience in your dealings including shipping to U.S.

[Born4Travlin]

We are crusing on Celebrity Solstice on Oct. 19th. Interested in purchasing rugs on our stops in Istanbul and/or Kusadasi. Love specific advice on where to go or stores that you've had positive experience in your dealings including shipping to U.S.

 

If you are taking a tour to Ephesus, then almost all tour guides stop at the leather and carpet stores. They are absolutely beautiful, but you will not find deals that you think you might find. They are very expensive, but beautiful. They expect you to negotiate so good luck and hope you find something you like. :):):)

[cruisemom42]

Here is a post with a great deal of information on buying rugs in Turkey:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=970788&highlight=rug

 

It seems the government-sponsored stores and ship-recommended stores are perhaps the safest bets, but also the most expensive.

 

Anywhere else, you take your chances and I would highly recommend educating yourself about rugs before you go if you intend to invest a substantial amount.

[katz]

I bought a rug in a tiny "store" in the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul. It was quite a procedure. I wish that I could remember the name of the store, if it even had one. Once we walked into the small, stinky, dark room, the owner starting throwing down rugs. I already had in my mind what size I wanted and how much I was willing to spend.

 

We had been told aboard our ship how to go about buying a rug. I found one that I liked, but didn't get too excited about it. I made an offer, which of course, was too low for the men. We talked for a while. They told me about their families and how much they loved Americans, etc. I ended up leaving the store and walking back past the store a while later. The men came out and were ready to deal. We went back and forth, and I made it clear that I would only pay the amount I had previously stated. They hemmed and hawed and finally agreed. I know that I paid too much, but I got the price I was willing to pay. We sealed the deal with a cup of tea. It was a fun experience and I love my rug, even thought when I clean it, it smells like a barnyard.

 

It was small enough that we could carry it ourselves in a cloth satchel that we were given.

[DEL67]

DD and I each bought a rug is Kusadasi at the end of August. It was great to see all the choices (and I think that we just scratched the surface) and I think we got a good deal considering that they are handmade. Regardless they will be good and useful momentos of our rip.

 

The Turkish governments pays to ship them home so we did not have to carry them. They have you put your initials on the back to ensure you know you got the correct rug.

 

Our rugs arrived yesterday and they are even nicer than I remembered.

Edited October 4, 2009 by DEL67

[TLCOhio]

We are crusing on Celebrity Solstice on Oct. 19th. Interested in purchasing rugs on our stops in Istanbul and/or Kusadasi. Love specific advice on where to go or stores that you've had positive experience in your dealings including shipping to U.S.

 

In addition to what has been shared, I would strongly urge bringing your specifics on sizes that will work and are needed for your home or office use. In these showroom areas, sizing can be hard to judge and/or remember. Second, bring some color samples for the fabrics that are in your existing room or area where you are planning to use that carpet. Do NOT just look and hope to remember, maybe! The good news is that the carpet options are huge and many. The bad news is that they can provide so many different types of rugs to look at and consider that it can be overwhelming and confusing. Huge selections in Kusadasi, Istanbul and Bodrum that we saw and enjoyed. It is all so nice and charming, but not cheap. My wife and I had a "debate" on which color would work right and best for our one location in our master suite sitting area. We compromised! We bought two! They were shipped and arrived fine. (My color choice was the one that did work best, by the way.) The other one was used and worked well, also. These shops for carpet in Turkey are fascinating, but you need to be prepared on the sizes and colors that will work best back home. When we returned home and compared to local stores here for similar size and quality, what we got from Turkey was comparable in pricing. Not totally over-priced, not a great bargain or super value. The Turkish advantage is in selection AND the stories you can share on where and how you bought that oriental carpet.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[chipmaster]

We are crusing on Celebrity Solstice on Oct. 19th. Interested in purchasing rugs on our stops in Istanbul and/or Kusadasi. Love specific advice on where to go or stores that you've had positive experience in your dealings including shipping to U.S.

 

Welcome to CC,

 

It is an odd first post to ask about rug purchase. Yes in both Turkish ports you can find many many places to buy rugs.

 

If you are looking for a smaller and not soo expensive souvenior on almost any tour you'll find the ALL guides more than happy to take you to a "rug" store. There you'll have oh to many rugs to consider. :eek:

 

If you are wanting to buy a "real" rug do lots and lots of research and visit several rugs stores at home. It is very easy to get overwhelmed and taken if you buying and than shipping an expensive rug home. Unless that is going to be the "event" of the day I'd say your day would likely be more memorable visiting the sites and taking in the ports as both stops have so much cultural stuff and leave the "rug" purchase to your second visit.

 

Enjoy.

Edited October 5, 2009 by chipmaster

[yearbook]

In reference to the comment about waiting for your second trip to buy a rug, we saw all the sights in Istanbul and still had time to buy a rug. Our guide took us to the Center at night just before returning to the ship. No problem.

[chipmaster]

In reference to the comment about waiting for your second trip to buy a rug, we saw all the sights in Istanbul and still had time to buy a rug. Our guide took us to the Center at night just before returning to the ship. No problem.

 

One can "have" time. If one is buying a rug for the color, weave, workmanship and spending say more than a few hundred $ it will hopefully be an event to be enjoyed for the rug as well as the experience. I can't imagine having purchased any of the rugs in our home in less than a couple hours if I had done it in Turkey, even with pre research. Couldn't imagine squeezing that into our day in Port. IMHO, or at least for me and the wife it would have been a 1/2 day affair or whats the point. A rug isn't a trinket that goes on some curio, NO?

[ladysail2]

One can "have" time. If one is buying a rug for the color, weave, workmanship and spending say more than a few hundred $ it will hopefully be an event to be enjoyed for the rug as well as the experience. I can't imagine having purchased any of the rugs in our home in less than a couple hours if I had done it in Turkey, even with pre research. Couldn't imagine squeezing that into our day in Port. IMHO, or at least for me and the wife it would have been a 1/2 day affair or whats the point. A rug isn't a trinket that goes on some curio, NO?

 

True enough, a rug isn't a trinket. Some people know exactly what they like and want and can make up their mind fairly quickly. I bought a lovely bedside rug in Morocco last year....they tried to sell me bigger, more expensive rugs...and yes, they were beautiful but not what I wanted....I stuck to my guns and bought my bedside rug...with haggling of course. They expect it...so I gave it to them. I love my rug and it took about 45 minutes.

[TLCOhio]

True enough, a rug isn't a trinket. Some people know exactly what they like and want and can make up their mind fairly quickly. I bought a lovely bedside rug in Morocco last year....they tried to sell me bigger, more expensive rugs...and yes, they were beautiful but not what I wanted....I stuck to my guns and bought my bedside rug...with haggling of course. They expect it...so I gave it to them. I love my rug and it took about 45 minutes.

 

Agree strongly with our Canada neighbor. You need to know what you are seeking and needing (and can afford). Tell them what you are wanting to see. They have amazing selections. If you just want to look and learn, great, tell them that and enjoy the experience. It is all very interesting and can be very informative, but you need to be ready to say NO and tell them why.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[chipmaster]

Agree strongly with our Canada neighbor. You need to know what you are seeking and needing (and can afford). Tell them what you are wanting to see. They have amazing selections. If you just want to look and learn, great, tell them that and enjoy the experience. It is all very interesting and can be very informative, but you need to be ready to say NO and tell them why.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

If I was only so lucky to get in and out of shopping for these things so fast :rolleyes: Even when we know what we think we want the DW finds that part of the fun is always having a look at all of the options :eek: In the end I have to agree we learned a lot but always try the patience of the little ones

[TLCOhio]

If I was only so lucky to get in and out of shopping for these things so fast :rolleyes: Even when we know what we think we want the DW finds that part of the fun is always having a look at all of the options :eek: In the end I have to agree we learned a lot but always try the patience of the little ones

 

Understand that "wife versus husband" difference in shopping style and ways of making these choices. That's why in Istanbul we ended up buy not one, but two carpets. It was the same rug design, but with different colors. My color choice was the one that worked best for the exact place where we sought it. The other worked in another location.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[Mtn2Sea]

During 3 of our 4 stops in Kusadasi, we purchased a rug. The first time we took a ship excursion and bought a runner at the end of the tour. Love the carpet, but paid too much. We were given a cloth bag to haul it back - this was before the airlines started restricting baggage so much. On the third trip, we were in an out-of-the-way jewelry store, when my DW asked about an "honest" carpet dealer. The guy walked us quite a way back to a store near the bazaar area, where he introduced us to Ramsey. We bought a rug that was much bigger than the first and the same exact pattern as the runner at almost half the price. Because of the size, we arranged for it to be shipped. We were told approx. 6-8 weeks. One day we found a note on our front door (don't know how long it was there, since we rarely use that door). It was an attempted delivery notice, which indicated we owed approx. $20. No phone number or return delievery date was listed. I spent an entire day trying to track it down, but finally gave up when I was told I had to have a shipping number that was not on the notice - other numbers, but the people on the phone never recognized any of them. I finally was told I needed to call the shipper in Turkey to get the number. When my wife got through to Ramsey, she was told the rug had been returned to him. He stated he would deliver the rug to us at our home through his "door to door" service. He indicated he would have it to us around Thanksgiving (we were on our cruise in September). Needless to say, we were a little concerned about everything. I eventually received a call from Ramsey, who said he was about 400 miles away and would arrive in our city the next day. I told him to call me and we could arrange to meet at a convenient location. The next day, my DW called to say Ramsey was at the house. She asked that I come home from work because she was concerned he would be trying to sell her another rug. I left work and, when I drove up to the house, Ramsey and his companion were going through the back of a Ryder truck looking for our rug. He saw me, came over and gave me a big bear hug like I was a long lost friend. He brought the rug into the house. We offered to take them to lunch, but they were intent on getting to North Carolina to make their next delivery. Never attempted to sell us another rug, other than saying if we were ever dissatisified with the rug to contact him to arrange a swap. Six months later we were back in Kusadasi and looked him up. Again, it was like I was a long lost friend. He served us tea and chatted. We bought our third Turkish rug, not because he brought up the idea, but because we asked to see more rugs. This time we bought a small rug that we carried back ourselves, but would have felt comfortable taking up his offer to deliver it with his "door to door" service. Apparently, Ramsey, along with many of the other store owners, come to the states to deliver rugs during their off season.

[argys mom]

We just received the rug we purchased in Kusadasi in OCT. Fabulous! My husband signed the back, and our beautiful rug is now on our floor. The best advice I read in Cruise Critic is to take color swatches. You think you know your colors, but the selection is so great you can become confused. Bargain with a great attitude and you will get a lovely treasure! Oh, and take a picture before they roll it up! (It helps with the anticipation)

[TLCOhio]

We just received the rug we purchased in Kusadasi in OCT. Fabulous! My husband signed the back, and our beautiful rug is now on our floor. The best advice I read in Cruise Critic is to take color swatches. You think you know your colors, but the selection is so great you can become confused. Bargain with a great attitude and you will get a lovely treasure! Oh, and take a picture before they roll it up! (It helps with the anticipation)

 

Glad that things worked out well and that you took along those color swatches. Smart idea to sign the back of your rug and take pictures. The selections are large and amazing. It can get confusing. Nice to hear you're happy. You'll always be able to have the fun of sharing with people where you bought the rug and how. Below is a visual of how the carpet demonstrations can work out. Interesting!!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

Carpet demo was interesting and educational:

 

[stinesheri]

TLCOhio,

 

Your photos of Turkey are amazing. With respect to this one, do you remember an approximate cost of the small size rug in the foreground, and was it indicative of others in that size, quality? Having a photo help gets an idea of scale when one posts 'small'.

 

Thanks again!

[TLCOhio]

TLCOhio, Your photos of Turkey are amazing. With respect to this one, do you remember an approximate cost of the small size rug in the foreground, and was it indicative of others in that size, quality? Having a photo help gets an idea of scale when one posts 'small'. Thanks again!

 

THANKS for your kind comments on the pictures! It's nice to have these pictures as memory "re-freshers" and to be able to share these experiences.

 

On prices, my memory is not that fresh and detailed, sorry. The quick answer is that it would "VARY". As they explained during these "demonstrations" (leading to a sales "opportunity"), there are many, many factors impacting quality and pricing. You can buy "cheaper", but in many cases, those rugs don't have the look and detail you get with the "better" carpets. The key advantage with these shops in Turkey is that they have a huge, huge selection of different designs and types. You are not likely to get cheap, cheap super-great bargains. It is more about finding a unique design that fits your personal interests, plus providing a "story" on where and how you bought it. For that size in the foreground, you would probably be looking at the $1000-2000 range, as a rough recollection. If you are interested, do your advance "homework", checking out your local stores before the trip, bringing size specifics, color/fabric samples, etc. If you want something in a certain price range, tell them. They will bring you items to fit those lower ranges, BUT, don't expect those to be the really "nice ones" you will also see. The "better ones" involve more labor and time to make. You can see that quality.

 

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[cruisemom42]

THANKS for your kind comments on the pictures! It's nice to have these pictures as memory "re-freshers" and to be able to share these experiences.

 

On prices, my memory is not that fresh and detailed, sorry. The quick answer is that it would "VARY". As they explained during these "demonstrations" (leading to a sales "opportunity"), there are many, many factors impacting quality and pricing. You can buy "cheaper", but in many cases, those rugs don't have the look and detail you get with the "better" carpets. The key advantage with these shops in Turkey is that they have a huge, huge selection of different designs and types. You are not likely to get cheap, cheap super-great bargains. It is more about finding a unique design that fits your personal interests, plus providing a "story" on where and how you bought it. For that size in the foreground, you would probably be looking at the $1000-2000 range, as a rough recollection. If you are interested, do your advance "homework", checking out your local stores before the trip, bringing size specifics, color/fabric samples, etc. If you want something in a certain price range, tell them. They will bring you items to fit those lower ranges, BUT, don't expect those to be the really "nice ones" you will also see. The "better ones" involve more labor and time to make. You can see that quality.

 

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

This is certainly true. It's almost impossible to give an "estimate" of cost because the same size rug can vary a great deal based on color, design, knots per inch (fineness) and material of both the pile (silk, wool, cotton) and the backing. Silk on silk rugs are the priciest; these are of the quality that normally would be used as a decorative wall hanging, not placed on the floor.

 

Even when you are looking at the same material, such as wool, there is a very fine wool with a sheen, and a rougher wool that tends to be used in the more primitive patterns. Patterns woven in certain areas are more complex and take longer, hence they cost more. The types of dyes used also differs and sometimes depends on the fiber of the rug (some fibers don't take well to certain dyes).

 

As you can see from just the partial list I give, there are a lot of factors that go into pricing. And, of course, you are expected to negotiate. Prices quoted to start will be high. It's on you to decide when you are satisfied that you've negotiated to a fair price.

 

If you are not an educated consumer, I wouldn't advise going into one of these stores and buying a very expensive rug. But most people just want a smaller rug or two, and as long as you are happy with the rug and the price, you'll probably have no regrets.

[TLCOhio]

This is certainly true. It's almost impossible to give an "estimate" of cost because the same size rug can vary a great deal based on color, design, knots per inch (fineness) and material of both the pile (silk, wool, cotton) and the backing. Silk on silk rugs are the priciest; these are of the quality that normally would be used as a decorative wall hanging, not placed on the floor.

Even when you are looking at the same material, such as wool, there is a very fine wool with a sheen, and a rougher wool that tends to be used in the more primitive patterns. Patterns woven in certain areas are more complex and take longer, hence they cost more. The types of dyes used also differs and sometimes depends on the fiber of the rug (some fibers don't take well to certain dyes).

As you can see from just the partial list I give, there are a lot of factors that go into pricing. And, of course, you are expected to negotiate. Prices quoted to start will be high. It's on you to decide when you are satisfied that you've negotiated to a fair price.

If you are not an educated consumer, I wouldn't advise going into one of these stores and buying a very expensive rug. But most people just want a smaller rug or two, and as long as you are happy with the rug and the price, you'll probably have no regrets.

 

Excellent summary by Cynthia on many of the detailed factors they will discuss during such a "tour" or demonstration. It's not as "simple" as just buying a rug! It takes some thought and knowledge, plus something in your wallet. Lots of variables to consider, but it is very interesting to learn more.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[yearbook]

We are crusing on Celebrity Solstice on Oct. 19th. Interested in purchasing rugs on our stops in Istanbul and/or Kusadasi. Love specific advice on where to go or stores that you've had positive experience in your dealings including shipping to U.S.

 

Our Ekol guide took us to the national handicraft center quite near the Bazaar. They had exquisite though not cheap rugs. We ended up buying a Hereke runner ($2500). When I got home, I checked prices and saw that we had paid a fair though not reduced price for it. You can buy quality like Hereke or cheap. Our rug arrived in timely fashion and good condition. We were not afraid to deal with this store for such an expensive item. I would be with some of the stores.

[TLCOhio]

Our Ekol guide took us to the national handicraft center quite near the Bazaar. They had exquisite though not cheap rugs. We ended up buying a Hereke runner ($2500). When I got home, I checked prices and saw that we had paid a fair though not reduced price for it. You can buy quality like Hereke or cheap. Our rug arrived in timely fashion and good condition. We were not afraid to deal with this store for such an expensive item. I would be with some of the stores.

 

Great summary of your rug experiences. Your point on "we had paid a fair though not reduced price for it" seems totally correct. Don't expect those in Turkey to "give it away". They are smart about what they are doing, values, etc. You can find some "cheap" rugs, but in most cases the "REAL QUALITY" will not be there. There are major quality differences and reasons as Cynthia and others have noted in earlier posts in this thread.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[cruiselover808]

During 3 of our 4 stops in Kusadasi, we purchased a rug. The first time we took a ship excursion and bought a runner at the end of the tour. Love the carpet, but paid too much. We were given a cloth bag to haul it back - this was before the airlines started restricting baggage so much. On the third trip, we were in an out-of-the-way jewelry store, when my DW asked about an "honest" carpet dealer. The guy walked us quite a way back to a store near the bazaar area, where he introduced us to Ramsey. We bought a rug that was much bigger than the first and the same exact pattern as the runner at almost half the price. Because of the size, we arranged for it to be shipped. We were told approx. 6-8 weeks. One day we found a note on our front door (don't know how long it was there, since we rarely use that door). It was an attempted delivery notice, which indicated we owed approx. $20. No phone number or return delievery date was listed. I spent an entire day trying to track it down, but finally gave up when I was told I had to have a shipping number that was not on the notice - other numbers, but the people on the phone never recognized any of them. I finally was told I needed to call the shipper in Turkey to get the number. When my wife got through to Ramsey, she was told the rug had been returned to him. He stated he would deliver the rug to us at our home through his "door to door" service. He indicated he would have it to us around Thanksgiving (we were on our cruise in September). Needless to say, we were a little concerned about everything. I eventually received a call from Ramsey, who said he was about 400 miles away and would arrive in our city the next day. I told him to call me and we could arrange to meet at a convenient location. The next day, my DW called to say Ramsey was at the house. She asked that I come home from work because she was concerned he would be trying to sell her another rug. I left work and, when I drove up to the house, Ramsey and his companion were going through the back of a Ryder truck looking for our rug. He saw me, came over and gave me a big bear hug like I was a long lost friend. He brought the rug into the house. We offered to take them to lunch, but they were intent on getting to North Carolina to make their next delivery. Never attempted to sell us another rug, other than saying if we were ever dissatisified with the rug to contact him to arrange a swap. Six months later we were back in Kusadasi and looked him up. Again, it was like I was a long lost friend. He served us tea and chatted. We bought our third Turkish rug, not because he brought up the idea, but because we asked to see more rugs. This time we bought a small rug that we carried back ourselves, but would have felt comfortable taking up his offer to deliver it with his "door to door" service. Apparently, Ramsey, along with many of the other store owners, come to the states to deliver rugs during their off season.

Do you happen to have Ramsey's contact information and location in Turkey?

[4774Papa]

I lived in Saudi Arabia for five years in the 80s while working for the US Army Corps of Engineers. I have read a couple of books on oriental carpets and tried to learn as much as a non-expert could learn from my experience in Arabia.

 

I have several oriental carpets in my house. During the 80s prices in the Middle East for a negotiated deal (you have to negotiate) there would run about half what prices for similar products in ships in the USA. During the 90s, I found that DW and I needed a couple of new carpets, so we went shopping in carpet shops in Northern Virginia. I was able to negotiate the price down a bit as well.

 

The good news was that we were able to purchase two excellent Pakistani double knit carpets for about the same prices that I had paid in the 80s in the Middle East.

 

Silk oriental carpets are just too expensive to put on the floor. If you want a bargain, go for the wool, which is what most carpets are made from.

 

Determine if the carpet is a double or single knot. Double knot carpets are thicker and don't bunch up at all. They are more valuable and more expensive.

 

Turn over the carpet and look at the back. If it is a machine made carpet (cheaper than handmade) there will be no unevenness with the pattern. You don't want to buy a machine made carpet. Also, check the number of knots per square inch. The more knots and the tighter, the more valuable.

 

Don't pretend to be an expert, but spend some time checking out the carpets and you may get a better price.

 

The most valuable oriental carpets are made in Iran. Pakistani, Indian and Turkish carpets can be excellent quality, but are not as valuable as Iranian.

 

Before you go on your cruise to Turkey, shop around for oriental carpets in the USA. There are usually shops in major US cities. Try to get a feel for what you would pay for the size, pattern and quality of the carpet that you want. Then, when negotiating for your carpet in Turkey, you can determine if you are getting a reasonable price.

 

ALWAYS NEGOTIATE. It amazes me when we went on tours in Turkey and stopped at a carpet shop that many North Americans didn't try to negotiate for a better price.

 

In Saudi Arabia I never paid more than 50% of the original asking price. I doubt if the discount will be that much in Turkey, but I am sure they will drop their prices. Be patient in negotiating and don't show that you have fallen in love with a particular carpet.

 

Personally, I didn't think the asking prices for the carpets in the shops in Istanbul and Kudasi were much better than what is available in the USA.

[texancruzer]

Wasnt going to post on this thread but we just received a phone call from the gentleman that sold us our Turkish carpet last October while in Kusadasi. Seems he was here delivering rugs (in San Antonio) and wanted to know if we would be interested in looking at some rugs he brought with him to buy……

While we love the 2 rugs we bought - I don't need any others at this time so we declined.

 

Now, as for buying rugs in Turkey (or elsewhere) I think you need to look at it from the point of view that it will be a souvenir of sorts. You need to know what you are looking at (quality etc) and then haggle haggle haggle !

 

We purchased a 9X12 silk rug (took 2 girls 2 years to hook) and a smaller 4X6 silk/wool one on our 3rd visit to Turkey. I spent a lot of time looking here on the internet etc and was as knowledgable as I needed to be.

 

The price we paid was a little over one half the original asking price for both rugs. I had a color palette in mind (we had just moved into a new home) and a size so I didn't waste any time looking at the wrong rugs…….

 

I will say it is easy to get distracted though as they are all so incredibly beautiful.

 

Did we pay too much ? Don't think so. Did we get a steal ? Probably not. Did I get a gorgeous rug(s) that will always remind me of my travels to Turkey ? ABSOLUTELY.