How to bargain for Moroccan carpets
It so happens that wandering around the old city you got carried away, in a market, in a quarter, or just in a shop selling carpets. And here you suddenly realized or have long ago planned that there is no way to leave without that bright, motley, fringed, tufted, or simply beautiful (underline the proper) wonder Moroccan carpets. Below, we give you few tips that are designed to help in this extremely difficult but fascinating process of discussion with the rug dealer.
Ask yourself if you can determine the quality, the region of manufacture, what tribe the pattern belongs to and its meaning.
Don’t buy a rug based on its antiquity. The seller will be able to immerse you in the atmosphere of a tribe lost in the Atlas Mountains or a sultry desert. Making you believe that the rug lost its vibrancy due to a Bedouin camel that wore it on its back for decades. The exact time of craftsmanship is really indefinable. It can be as much as a few decades or a couple of weeks old. The style of traditional art has not changed over the centuries. In addition, the law prohibits the export of antiquities from the country. But hardly border guards can determine the exact age of the rug, and maybe you’ll be lucky …
In any case, no matter how great would be the desire to own an antique item, I advise you to buy the carpet only on the basis of your own aesthetic preferences. And you should haggle over the fact that the rug was made last week.
Where to buy Moroccan carpets?
Marrakech and other tourist centers are the worst places to buy carpets, too spoiled by the abundance of tourists. It is better to do it in the small villages of the Atlas Mountains.
There are stores with fixed prices or state so-called unions of artists. They are usually listed in the guidebooks, with average prices and good quality. But with a good bargain in the regular carpet shops, you can buy what you want at a lower price than in the fixed-price stores. If you want to save time, you can visit a fixed-price store, where you will find neutral prices. But by doing so, you will deprive yourself of the opportunity to get a piece of the main thing for which you are going to the faraway Maghreb.
So, what should be in stock? A well-weighted tongue, a smile, knowledge of the tricks that will use the seller (or a real article), well … money (different currencies are useful, in many places and plastic cards). And … watch your tongue, the sellers’ tea is hot.
And now it’s time to start the haggling process of buying Moroccan carpets
Buying a rug is a game. And try to treat this process as a lot of fun. If you are going to worry, to be nervous, frantically counting something it might only harm you or the result of the deal, as the seller knows his party accurately.
You’ve come to the carpet shop and the hospitable salesman made you sit in the center of all his splendor.
They will try to get more information about you in a conversation on distracted topics to determine your creditworthiness. Here are some of the questions and the points.
- Where are you from? If you are from North America, Japan, Western Europe, Great Britain, and Australia the starting price will be higher.
- Have you been to Morocco before? If you say no, the price goes up.
- How long have you been in Morocco? Less time, higher price.
- Which rug did you like best? You’re my first customer today, so I’ll give you the best price and that will bring me luck. This could be the first statement of a merchant.
Some other tips
As you wander leisurely along the rows, point out a few items you like. Don’t look too enthusiastic if you find something you like. This will help the seller know your taste and bring out similar ones. Specify the sizes you want. There is no need to worry at this stage, the seller will start the “introduction” later.
You should never express an extreme degree of interest, the sellers are great physiognomists, and your reaction will directly depend on the initially voiced value and the degree of price reduction. There you have it, the tea. Be careful – it is hot. The locals drink it leisurely, leaving a distance between the edge of the glass and your upper lip as if they are smacking in order to cool it down at the same time. To hell with the usual etiquette, try it as well, an extra trump in the deck, as if you’re not a tourist, but have lived here for a long time.
After talking about the ocean, the mountains, the desert, and the differences between Moroccan and Malian camels pick 2-3 of the carpets you like best. The bargaining begins. Bargaining is a dance that takes time, patience, and humor.
The beginning of the process
You ask how much, they in turn ask how much you want to pay. Let them make the first move. Lazily look at your watch, letting them know that you have time, of course. But it would be nice to have time to do other things today, and not make small talk for the rest of the day.
The seller makes his initial offer, never agrees to it. The price will be 80-90 percent higher than the real price. The seller pulls out a notepad, writes the marked price at the top, and hands it to you to write your own at the bottom of the page. Somewhere in between will be the price for which the rug will be purchased.
Buying a carpet in Morocco with a guide
If you go with a guide, he will get part of the profit. If the guide came with a friend, then the friend will get part of the profit for the rug. That is, if you don’t have a trusted local friend, it makes sense to haggle alone. But at the same time, if you don’t feel confident in the outcome of the haggling, it makes sense to trust the guide, he will do quite well, promising him a share if the price suits you.
Divide the amount voiced by the seller by 2, and then take a third of it and write that amount in the bottom of your notebook. This will be your starting price. Do this with a smile on your face, accompanied by jokes. You can look again at the clock, making it clear that you do not intend to bargain for long.
Let the game begin
The seller will put his tea, the expression on his face will indicate the extreme degree of insult he received. Perhaps demonstratively leave the room. Allegedly leaving the meaningless negotiations to his assistant (who is always present in the room). He will appear hurt, angry, frustrated, and defeated. This reaction has been fostered for generations. And as plausible as it may seem, don’t be embarrassed and take it seriously.
In one or more stages, he will lower the price to about half of the original cost. At this time, with the same smile on your face, do not agree to the price offered. Only when the amount comes up to about half of the original quoted price, write your new price at the bottom of the notepad. Now it’s his move. Now he will discount the amount in small increments. During negotiations, don’t walk around the rug looking at it and sort of deciding, well, maybe I’m willing to overpay for it a little more. Down with uncertainty. You know that you want this carpet only for the price you tell the seller.
Techniques that the seller uses
During the bargaining of buying Moroccan carpets, you will be told heart-rending stories that the Berber women without food and water weaved the carpet for six months. And the price you offer will not even pay for their meager lunches. Such conversations are held in order to provoke guilt and make the buyer justify himself and, in the end, to give him an extra bang for his buck.
When the seller lowers the price by a third and hands you a notebook to write in your price, you may as well raise your amount by a third. A third of your amount is not the same as a third of his. Don’t fall for the ruse that he discounted by $200 and you increased by $20. Remind him that he reduced by 30% and you increased by 30%.
At one stage you stand up, stating that this is the last price you can offer. He does not agree. You state that you can offer no other price and head for the exit. He shrugs, maybe looks at his friend with bewilderment, thinks for a minute, and says OK. Of course, he will look very disappointed. You shake hands, finish your last drops of mint tea. As soon as you give him the money, he becomes your best friend, offers to wrap the rug, and if it’s big or there are several rugs, he offers to deliver it wherever you say (you can trust him 99% of the time).
The inspiration of haggling when buying Moroccan carpets
If, having bought a carpet, you still think that you overpaid a little, do not get upset. For example, when buying a Prada bag in a branded store, the price will be times different from a very similar one in the market (and the quality is not proportional). In this case, you are paying solely for the brand. Moroccan carpets are the same brand. And if you think that the price was somewhat overpriced compared to how you would like it to be, let it warm you up as much as a fashionista who has just left a fashion boutique with a successful purchase.
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