Benefits of Shopping in Turkey

Traveling abroad usually involves buying gifts and souvenirs. Turkey is an ideal place for those who like to bargain, appreciate good textiles, understand leather and fur products, and love to pamper themselves with oriental sweets. What will make shopping in Turkey happy and how to make a bargain purchase?

Most of the stores in the country are open from 9.00 to 21.00, sometimes with a break from 13.00 to 14.00. Supermarkets do not close for lunch, and retail outlets located in resort towns usually work not until a certain hour, but until the last customer.

What you need to know about shopping in this country:

• The retail and wholesale markets in Turkey operate on a free price basis. This means that you will not find a fixed cost of goods here. Each buyer is given the opportunity to bargain. Experienced shoppers can cut the price two to three times.
• If you failed to agree with the seller, you can try a tricky trick - to lose interest in the product. Be sure that the owner of the outlet will still run and persuade you to make a purchase at your price.
• Stores with fixed prices will help you navigate what prices are in Turkey and what discount you can expect when purchasing the same product on the market.
• Feel free to ask for product certifications, especially at branded jewelry stores. There are a lot of fakes in Turkey, sometimes, however, of quite high quality.
• How much more discount you can get will depend on many factors: your gender, age, nationality and behavior. For the Germans, the Turks usually inflate the cost. But it is not so difficult for Russians to get a discount.
• The Turkish markets are considered to be the most colorful, here the most profitable deals are made.
• When buying some goods, you can take advantage of the VAT refund benefit - Tax Free.

A little about sales

The sale of Turkish clothing and other goods is a relatively recent phenomenon. At all times, it was possible to buy something cheaper only by bargaining for a discount. And if the seasons of low prices were officially announced, then it was done in a chaotic manner. Over the past few years, local traders have been following a certain schedule that matches the one that tourists are used to in Europe.

The sales season runs twice a year and falls from July to September and from mid-January to mid-March.

With resorts, the situation looks somewhat different. Sellers of various goods come here in early spring and hope to sell everything before the end of the warm season. That is why the prices are initially set too high, so that there is much to be reduced. By the end of October, you can buy everything from such merchants with an 80% discount.

Every year Istanbul hosts a shopping festival (from July 1st to 31st). And although the assortment in the middle of summer will no longer be too rich, the prices will pleasantly please.

What to buy in Turkey

The list of what tourists buy in Turkey is not so small. But it is better to focus on what will remind you of this particular country, what is its trademark or simply has a favorable price. So, what you should pay attention to:

• clothing and footwear;
• leather and fur;
• textile;
• sweets;
• Jewelry;
• carpets;
• products from ceramics and faience.

Turkey is not a trendsetter, but here you can buy men's, women's and children's knitwear of very good quality at a very favorable price. There are many factories in the country that value their established reputation, and therefore offer decent goods. But it is best to buy them in company stores or shopping centers. The Turkish market is not the best place for these products. You can buy everything here for a penny, but the quality will correspond to the cost.

Read about the current prices in Turkey for all types of services and goods in the material "Price level in Turkey in 2021".

Popular brands:

• Sumak XL Fashion - women's clothing in large sizes.
• Adilisik - clothing for young people (jeans, jumpers, windbreakers, sweaters and cardigans).
• Oztas Collection - pajamas, underwear, homewear.

It is also better to buy shoes in company stores, since there are a lot of fakes and not always good ones. You can buy leather shoes for $ 40-50.

Turkish textiles can be purchased everywhere, from shopping centers to small shops in hotels. Bed linen, towels, tablecloths, bedspreads are all worthy of attention.

It should only be remembered that the closer to the resorts, the higher the prices will be. It is best to go to the nearest market located further from the sea. They are located most often along the main road. Some hotels can be easily reached on foot.

Turkish leather and furs are renowned for their excellent workmanship. Models can not always satisfy the demanding taste of Russian fashionistas, but you hardly have to complain about the quality.

In any hotel you will always be offered to visit shops in Turkey with these products. But you should only agree to tours that come from your guide. He will provide a round trip transfer and ensure that the products are from the manufacturer.

Such outlets are located most often near factories. You will not find prices on the products. You can bargain here too. If you are well versed in the product, sometimes you can negotiate a 50-80% discount.

The most famous brands:

• Punto - tailor made.
• D'enver Leathеr - notable for high prices, but very good quality. Only those who really know how to bargain should go to the stores of this brand.

From food, it is better to give preference to Turkish delight, baklava, halva and other desserts. Sweets in Turkey can also be bought everywhere. For example, in the Bebek Badem Ezmezisi and Koska brand stores. In them you can find gift sets, which are worth picking up coffee in the oldest coffee shop in Istanbul, Kurukаhveci Mеhmet Efеndi.

Not everyone likes Turkish wine. If you want to treat someone, then it is better to take a sweet silk, melon, cherry or cherry. Everything else will turn out to be tart and sour. High quality collection wines are sold in wineries and brand stores.

Jewelry must always be accompanied by a certificate. If the product breaks down, it can be repaired or exchanged with such a document.

You need to choose a Turkish carpet according to a geometric ornament. Here are some tips for first-timers:

• products with flowers are copies of Iranian carpets;
• the pile should be soft, without bald spots, painted over evenly around the entire perimeter;
• run over the product with a light damp cloth. It must remain clean, otherwise the carpet can be considered poor quality.

Be sure to buy ceramic and earthenware vases and plates, stylized as the 15th century. Pay attention to Turks, hookahs and spices. What is not worth bringing from Turkey is household appliances.

Take a sociological survey!

When planning purchases in Turkey, it is important to know where the main retail outlets are located in a particular region, what and where is better to buy, what product to pay attention to.

Istanbul

This city can be considered the capital of shopping. People come here to combine excursions with shopping trips, where the best goods flock, and new products appear here.

The city's attractions include the Grand Bazaar and the Egyptian Bazaar, where you can buy spices, sweets, carpets, antiques, jewelry, coffee, ceramics, clothes and shoes in the national style.

Grand Bazaar is one of the largest covered markets in the world. Its area is 30 thousand squares, which houses more than 4 thousand shops on 66 streets.

In Istanbul, it is worth visiting shops and shopping centers:

When ordering a shopping tour to Istanbul, please note:

• the famous shopping center of Istanbul - "Jivahir" is located in Sisli district
• it is best to go to the Zeytinburnu area for leather and fur products. It is here that you will find shops of many factories, as well as the Olvium shopping center, which is popular with Russian tourists;
• Laleli is a favorite place for Russian shuttles. You can find many signs in Russian here. There are no shopping centers in this part of the city, but there is a market for fur and leather goods for small wholesalers.

Antalya

The greatest interest among shoppers who come to this part of the country is the port area - the so-called free trade zone. Everything is sold without taxes and duties. Only foreign citizens can get here, and therefore you need to have an identity card with you.

Also in this area there are many textile factories with shops attached to them. Many hotels will offer you an organized trip to these outlets. Shopping in Antalya can be done in the following stores:

Side

Shopping in Side has more disadvantages than advantages. The town itself is small and is popular with German tourists. Lovers of shopping have nowhere to turn around here, and prices are overpriced with a not too rich assortment. Due to the fact that the territory of the city is small, the shops on it are located in a heap:

• on Column Street;
• on the Embankment;
• on Ataturk Boulevard.

Fashionable boutiques are located on Kolonnaya Street. Here you can find the Cadaro Side Jewelery and the Hadrian Group Side, which sell furs, leather and jewelry. There are many shops and street vendors on the Embankment, and clothing stores on the boulevard.

Be sure to visit the Migros shopping center located at the entrance to the city. Prices are fixed here, and therefore there is no opportunity to bargain. In Manavgat (a suburb of Side) there are large clothing and food markets.

Alanya

You can find many shops where you can buy cheap clothes in Alanya. A favorite place for shopaholics is the Kipa hypermarket. You can buy everything here - from souvenirs to household appliances. Almost all the time someone is holding sales, and therefore you can come at any time.

Another popular shopping center is Alanium. The prices are fixed here, and the variety of goods attracts a large number of buyers. On the top floor of the complex there are restaurants and a cinema.

The opportunity to bargain will be provided in one of the city's markets. But it is worth remembering that they work on certain days:

• The Central Bazaar (next to the Embankment) is open on Fridays;
• Oba market - on Mondays;
• bazaar in Tosmur - on Thursdays.

Belek

Belek is an expensive resort designed for a wealthy tourist. Prices in local shops are consistent with the image of the region. The sales season here does not start until November.

Those who are interested in shopping in Belek will be surprised by the quality of leather goods, fur, precious metals. Some shops are closed - only for VIP clients and only by prior call. This is done for confidentiality purposes, which some buyers want to respect.

Buying shoes in this town is not the best option, as the prices are high and the assortment is scarce. Here you can find local brands. If you can find world brands, then you can buy the same pair of shoes in Moscow at a lower price. The same goes for cosmetics and perfumery.

But you can buy the goods in installments. You pay only 20% of the cost, and the rest when the purchase is delivered to your home address.

Kemer

There are not as many shopping opportunities in Kemer as in Alanya or Antalya. Most often, tourists visit shopping centers.

"Migros" is very popular, located 3 km from Kemer. You should also visit:

• The Hadrian Group is a favorite place for Europeans (which significantly affects prices). From what to buy in Kemer, in this shopping center it is better to choose fur coats and products made of silver and gold.
• Mona Lisa is a shop on the central boulevard of Ataturk. People come here for carpets and jewelry.
• Ottimo Kemer - prices here are the same as in some stores in Moscow. Leather goods and Turkish gold are in demand.

A grocery market is open in Kemer on Mondays, a clothing market on Tuesdays, and a Camyuva market in the suburbs on Wednesdays. But there is only one outlet - Outlet Kemer. It is located outside the city, on the way to Antalya. Among the advantages can be called a large selection of goods, from the disadvantages - the same number of fakes.

Organization of a shopping tour

If you want to find the lowest prices for things in Turkey, it is best to go in the off-season - at the beginning of April and at the end of November. There are two ways to organize a trip:

• on one's own;
• buy a shopping tour at the agency.

In the first case, you will need to make a list of what exactly you want to buy and sketch out the route. Next, you need to book hotels and tickets, think over how you will move between cities.

You do not need a visa for a trip that does not last more than three months. Of the documents, you will only need a passport with a validity period of at least 4 months from the date of entry.

Intermediary firms take care of all the organizational issues in the question of how to go to Turkey for the goods. You just have to choose which tour you want - with obligations (tied to a specific group of goods, hotel, shopping center and the amount of purchases), without obligations (there is no tie to what and where you will buy).
The intermediary services are paid additionally. Be sure to read reviews of shoppers about the company in which you are going to book a tour. The duration of the tour is 3-5 days, and its cost starts from $ 350.

Pro Tax Free

Turkey has a VAT refund system for some goods. It is important to remember the following points:

• the amount of the check must be at least 118 Turkish lira (approximately $ 27);
• there must be a Tax Free sticker on the shop window or at the checkout;
• the cashier must give you a form that you must fill out;
• the form, together with your passport and check, must be presented at the airport.

Funds are returned in cash or to a bank card. It should be remembered that it is easier for Turkish sellers to give you a discount on a product than to burden themselves with filling out a form. The refund amount is:

• 18% - for electronics, accessories, watches, glasses, cosmetics, ceramics, household goods;
• 8% - for textiles, clothing, footwear, leather products, carpets, optics, books, food.

Outcomes

In Turkey, you can combine a comfortable vacation with shopping. From here it makes sense to bring ceramic products, textiles, sweets, leather goods. Product prices drop significantly in the off-season. Istanbul is the center of trade, but tourists do not leave Antalya and Alanya disappointed either. You can organize a shopping trip with a special tour, through intermediaries.