European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 23, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse The variety of colors sizes patterns and types of Oriental carpets makes final selection difficult. The fringe can differ slightly altering the Rug s total effect. Don t buy a Rug simply because it might seem to be a bargain and Don t fall for the dealer s line that what you pass up today might not be there tomorrow. He s certainly right but at this stage it s a Chance Worth taking. Odds Are the Rug will still be there if you suddenly decide you can t live without it. Avoid High pressure salesmen. A reputable dealer will want you to be Happy with a Rug and will let you take it Home on approval. Usually this Means not cashing your Check or processing your credit card until you be had time to see How the Rug looks in its new surroundings. Keep in mind you won t have this option if you Purchase a Rug in the country of origin unless you live there. It s also a luxury you won t get if you buy at an auction. What looks Good Over a Glass of mint Tea May not look Good on your floor. That Busy pattern you d intended for your living room May be an eyesore. The Rug May clash with your furniture and while it would be perfect for another room it May be the wrong size. Amini says Good local dealers will have Exchange or a lifetime Trade in policy. That Means they la let you Swap the Rug for another of equal value or give you the original Price on a More expensive Trade in. If so find out How Long the dealer has been in business at that location. Some Rug dealers never leave an area but Fly by night operations abound. Can you save Money if you buy in the country where the Rug is made probably. Before you go find out what that same size and Type of Rug would Cost in your Home City. Realize too that some of the most Beautiful pieces have probably already made their Way to Europe and America where they la command the highest prices. Novices especially Amini stressed should think twice before buying a Rug in the country of origin. Quot we get a lot of that. People come Back from Turkey or Iran. They see the colors Are either too Bright or the size does t work and they re stuck. Buying a decorative object like that away from Home often has More negatives than positives Quot he said. No matter where you buy discuss Price last. Some established dealers won t Budge. Others Are flexible and will Knock off hundreds of dollars. Dealing is a Way of life in Middle East bazaars and souks. Never pay the set Price there. Not even the dealer expects that. Sometimes a Rug can be bought for half the asking Price. Or less. Be wary of a dealer who won t set a Price and asks you to make an offer. Don t do it unless you re serious. He May hold you to it. Any backpedal ing on your part will be regarded As bad Faith. Let the dealer take the first step and set the Price. In a Bazaar Cash Speaks loudly. A handful of dollars gives you bargaining Power you can t have with a credit card or personal Check. Don t be afraid to make a take it or leave it offer. The dealer also knows that once you step out the door your Odds of returning Are slim. In the cramped Maze of Bazaar shops he probably realizes that you might not even be Able to find your Way Back. Remember someone had to take you to to spot the tricks of the Trade a if you go to Purchase a Rug in Turkey Don t let anyone take you on a magic carpet ride. Turks can be very charming and persuasive but remember until you hand Over your Money you re in charge although it May not seem this Way. The turks have made bargaining not Only an Art but also a sport. That can be both fun and a headache for a Westerner. Expect certain things when you go Rug Hunting. Total strangers will Stop you anywhere. Quot let me show you my shop Quot they will insist. It usually turns out not to be their shop but that of a Friend who has hired them to deliver potential buyers to his door. The owner usually takes Over but the Hustler will hang around to see if a Sale is made. Sometimes the Hustler out of earshot of the owner will whisper Quot if there is a Rug you want Tell me what you la pay. I la use my influence and put in a special word for shop dealers Are smooth. A common line Quot i had a dream last night that you would come to Don t be surprised if his business partner wanders in later and delivers the same phrase word for word. If a dealer after showing you All his wares sees he might not make a Sale he May make a last ditch Effort. Quot you Are such a Nice couple i la Tell you what. Come Back tomorrow and i will have a Surprise for you. I la make you a special Rug merchants Aren t above bad mouthing one another either. Quot his rugs Are no Good Quot one will speak of a next door competitor or say disdainfully Quot he has Only been in business two another popular ploy is to show you a Rug and de it Lare Quot in the . This would sell for fill in the Blank his Price is naturally cheaper. Merchants also like to Tell tales of . Dealers who travel to Turkey regularly buy mass quantities of rugs then sell them for a Small Fortune in new York or California. If you be done some shopping around local stores before you go to the Middle East you May find the bargain is no bargain. Don t be afraid to Tell them you be priced a similar Rug elsewhere and you re getting no special Deal. They la respect you for it. A word of advice Don t insult a Rug hoping it will work to your advantage. It s a bad ploy and will gain you nothing. You insult the dealer when you insult the product. Most dealers Are knowledgeable but some Are seriously lacking. As you look ask the name of each Rug. If the dealer has to flip every one Over and read the Back Odds Are he does t know his rugs. The turks Are proud of their Rug heritage and will boast superiority Over other Rug making countries. That s debatable. Any knowledge you learn can t help but be beneficial. Two Young dealers in Istanbul were surprised to find an american who knew something about rugs. Quot Good Quot one of them said with a smile. Quot we won t have to lie to a Randy Pruitt april 23, 1992 stripes Magazine 7
