Time out -- shop until you drop!

In bazaars it is usual to barter for the goods: you may end up paying about half the original asking price. Shopping centers are fixed cost: Do not try to barter in the supermarket or in a luxury shop. With bartering it is best to have a rough feel for the real price of the goods before you start. Remember it is unfair to start to barter if you do not have a real intention of buying the goods. If you strike a deal through barter and then do not buy, it is very rude.

Shopping is often a pleasurable social experience. Shopping in Turkey is not exactly like back in your hometown. Do not expect to dash into a shop, buy what you need quickly and dash out: Small stall holders will offer you tea and expect to chat. Credit cards are widely welcomed; however, there is often a discount given for cash.

You can buy almost anything in Turkey for a price. Cheap copies of Western brands are popular, but in large cities you will also find the Western name store at full price. Shopping malls and swanky shopping streets contain many well-known international names. Shops in Turkey stay open late into the evening and are open on weekends. Similar to the medieval European city layout, some types of goods tend to be together in the same street, e.g., there will be the bookshop area of town, a street of clothes shops, a street with hardware goods, etc.

Let me give you a few suggestions of respected chain stores: There are many well-respected Turkish and international stores that have branches throughout the country. These include the Boyner and YKM department stores, Carrefour, Tansaş, Real and Migros supermarkets, Yargıcı, Beymen and Marks & Spencer for clothes, Toys”R”Us for toys, etc.

Have you been waiting until your trip to Turkey to buy that leather jacket? Leather goods and gold are both very reasonable. Many leather jackets sold in Europe are manufactured in Turkey. Turkish gold is also a popular tourist souvenir, and gold is priced by weight. Some other great gift items and souvenirs to buy are copper and silver ware, carpets and glassware.

Carpets are a must buy. You’ll find a great selection and many different regional designs to choose from. Carpets vary in quality: exquisite silk from Hereke or wool, machine or hand made. When purchasing a carpet it is good to know the number of threads per inch: the more knots per square inch the more expensive the carpet should be. Remember you get what you pay for. Carpet shopping can be a long process involving the store owner showing you every carpet in the shop, rolling them out with great panache. Don’t try to skip this stage and only see the ones that match what you had in mind: A carpet is not a cheap item, and you are entitled to enjoy the display of the full range of the shop’s wares. You will be offered a lot of tea as the process unfolds. A helpful tip is to point out the ones you like as you are shown all the stock, these will be set aside for you to consider in more detail at the end of the show. It is OK to try to bargain.

People will try to sell you antiques. In particular, boys will approach you as you tour old ruins offering you little pots or old coins. Be careful because these cannot be taken out of the country. There are strict laws governing the export of antiquities and artifacts such as coins, pottery, jewelry, paintings and carpets.

Ottoman miniatures are popular souvenirs and gifts. Also the distinctive blue-striped glass called Cesmibulbul is nice quality and reasonably priced. Other popular pieces of Turkish art are Iznik blue pots and tiles; the color turquoise is named after Turkey.

Many visitors come on cruises to Turkey. You usually have a fixed amount of time to shop and can only visit certain places because of a tight program, remember that tour guides get commission from the shop they take you to. Take time to look around, also cross the street to see a shop that won’t be paying your guide a commission and therefore may give you a discount (even if the tour guide says there’s nothing like what you are looking at there).

Forget your cares and enjoy a day shopping, but don’t forget this important tip: When you meet Turks in the street in tourist areas, remember that “my uncle has a good shop” does not mean the owner really is your new friend’s uncle: It could be “I am employed to talk to tourists and bring people to this shop.”