Every year thousands of tourists and soldiers return Persian or Oriental carpets from their holidays and tours, every year many of them blush, and not from the sun.
It can be an adventure, returning souvenirs from distant countries, an authentic experience, and if you know that you have the opportunity to take a deal while traveling. A little knowledge can be dangerous, but local shop sellers can find tourists within a mile. There are many risks associated with buying Persian and Oriental carpets abroad to get the deal you really want, there are a few things to consider.
There are internal risks associated with buying abroad, primarily among these risks is that the seller knows that you do not have the opportunity to ask for help, you can not return the goods that you buy, if there is something wrong with them if they are fake or even if you just decide against it. Because of this, they are more likely to take advantage of the advantages, it would be wise to make sure that you know that you will be nearby and will not leave the city the next day, even if you are.
Another important thing to remember is that when you go to buy a seller, the seller knows that you are not an expert, not a dealer. You illegally get the trading prices that someone in the business will get and they will try to charge retail prices. If these people are used to dealing with enterprises from abroad, then there is a reasonable place for negotiations. They cannot sell you their goods at the same price that someone will receive with a bulk order, but if they start to grow, there will probably be a significant reduction, if you push it, they will still do more than they would sell to a professional.
The next consideration is customs payments. Flashing the rug with your luggage can work, but if you have to pay import duties and VAT at your home airport - these costs add up to another 8% duty in the UK, then an additional 17.5% VAT instead, plus any processing fee and penalties so affect them when buying abroad. Larger rugs may be necessary for you to send a rug abroad, which again can be expensive.
Each country is different, and each has its own risks. Popular destinations for overseas purchases include Turkey, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates (including Dubai).
Turkey is a popular tourist destination, regardless of whether you are on the busy streets of Istanbul or the seaside resort in the south, at some point you’ll probably come across hand carpets. In many excursions and excursions there is a section for the carpet, where you are shown the traditional weaving process before it is sold with professional sellers. Turkish sellers can be very charming, but remember that these places are tourist traps, and you will probably pay for a dollar or a pound for something that can be a rather low quality carpet. On the streets of Istanbul, there are many shops and boutiques offering to sell wonders of woven flowers. Again these places are used for tourists and are likely to start with tourist prices. One thing to remember, especially in Turkey, is art silk carpets. Many of the silk carpets sold in Turkey are actually Viscose Rayon, which significantly reduces their value, reliability and durability. A good advice would be to avoid buying silk carpets abroad if you are not sure of the ability to distinguish real silk from art silk.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi are other places where tourists buy a lot of carpets, which is just bad. There is no carpet weaving in the UAE, the carpets sold here are imported from Iran, Turkey, India and Afghanistan and sold in retail stores. There is nothing wrong with this, but you will most likely get the same deal in these places as in the Persian or Oriental carpet store in your homeland. Depending on where you are and where you are shopping at home, this may be a bit more expensive. Peoples and # 39; the guard does not work when they are on vacation, many people look at buying items in the hope that this will prolong their feeling of being on vacation, but the carpet is a purchase that you have to make both with your heart and with your head.
In transactions with Iran and India, it can be used, in particular, on used (but good condition) pieces, but it helps to speak the language or there is someone with you. The biggest threat here is that you can be sold, when in fact it is a subject of a lower level. Westerner is easy prey when it comes to selling Ardekan like Kashan or Tabba like Nain. Knowing a little about carpets will help, as well as for something that you like, and not something that is sold to you. India makes many copies of Persian designs, there is nothing wrong with that, but keep in mind that this is an oriental carpet, not a Persian, and the investment value is not the same.
One of the key points for American buyers is that if you buy Iranian (Persian) carpet, you risk to confiscate it at customs, an embargo on Iranian goods, including Persian carpets, will be introduced in the US, so be warned.
The next two stops are probably more important for the soldiers than the tourists, but the warnings are the same. No carpets are produced in Iraq, pieces sold here are bought specifically for sale to the military, it can be from any of the neighboring countries, and all of these recommendations apply. If you know what you are doing, you can get a good deal, but it’s not uncommon for soldiers to sell fake silk carpets or even machine products, thinking that this is a real article. Afghanistan is one of the best countries that earn good money by hand. Although they also sell Iranian carpets here, Afghan carpets themselves are of a very high level, and also quite suitable for a western home. This does not mean that you should not be careful, but buying a commercial carpet here can be a good business, but it is always useful to compare prices with houses.
Buying abroad is a balance of risk and reward, the more you know, the better the deal you can inflict. If something seems to be true, it probably is, and you most likely will not be able to get your money back. If you are buying abroad, here are a few key points:
- Do some research before you buy - read the number of nodes and tell the difference between the machine and the manual pad
- Avoid silk carpets - if you have to buy silk, make sure you know what you are doing.
- Avoid Persian carpets if you do not want to risk discrimination in US customs.
- Trade, bargain, bargain - if you do not know that you are getting a brilliant deal, then significantly reduce the price. Do not be afraid to leave, remember that sellers prefer to sell to tourists with a big discount, that the dealer with the wholesale price
- Consider local carpets - carpets made in and around the shopping area are likely to be the best values.
- Factor cost of transportation, duty and tax. This can add anywhere between 20-40% and the initial cost, more depending on the transport charge.
- Before going on a trip, check with your local rug specialist - you will find that they can offer you a lot and a safer trading environment.
