European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 11, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Bargains abound at the source members of the bos group examine scarves in Florence s san Lorenzo Market. By Gary Miller Mediterranean Bureau prices at Macy s department store Are beyond the Means of most americans stationed in Italy. When it comes to ceramics however dedicated shoppers can buy the same plates and pitchers that Grace the shelves of America s Best known stores by visiting a Northern italian Community named Nove. Factories there produce ceramics for about every retailer of renown in the states. Some also sell their seconds at drastic discounts. Quot whatever you pay at the factory you would pay much much More at a store Quot tour escort Betty Reese recently told a Busload of tourists As they approached Nove. The tourists were on a shopping and pre lenten carnival trip in Northern Italy organized by the Naples naval support activity s information Tours and travel office. Having visited Florence earlier during the trip hardcore shoppers appetites had already been whetted by prices at Street markets and seasonal discounts of 50 to 75 percent at designers stores. While in Florence Reese made a Point of taking some of the most enthusiastic shoppers to a ceramics store so that they would appreciate the factory prices at Nove. At the shop in Florence they saw the seafood service made by the Nove based firm la Ceramic Vic one of the two factories Reese s group visited. Reese said Vic exports its merchandise to Macy s and other top of the line retailers. At the Florence shop a Large Platter decorated with a lobster and shells costs 134,000 lire $89a Large divided serving dish Sells for 130,000 lire $86 and soup bowls and plates Cost 30,000 lire $20. At Vic s factory in Nove the larger of the seafood pieces Cost 20,000�?oto 30,000 lire $13 to $20 and the smaller items went for 3,000 to 5,000 lire $3 to $5. Members of the group were often hard pressed to find the flaws that earned the factory s second status. The Vic employees pricing the pottery however could hear the flaws. Quot if you tap it a piece of ceramics and it has a Good sound a musical not Flat a the piece is Good Quot said Palo bras Olin one of the Vic employees. Quot they liked to see that items were of Quot said Petty officer 3rd class Jeanne schuster. She said that Point was really brought Home for her at the other factory in Nove Ceramic he Ancora. Quot the lady who was packing my purchases noticed that one of my pitchers was chipped and showed me Quot schuster said. Ancora offered the croup special prices on baskets made of Woven strands of ceramics on Sale for 18,000 lire $12and pitchers in the shape of Lemons apricots and various other fruits and vegetables for 10,000 lire $6.66. Ancora owner Antonio Venzo said his factory has been working with major american department stores including Saks Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale for at least 45 years. Shopping for ceramics was t very interesting for some of the Naples tourists. Petty officer 2nd class Edith Moore who described herself As Quot More of a clothing Type Quot just stayed ouf of everyone else s Way and enjoyed the show her companions provided. Quot i kind of like to watch people shop Quot Moore said. Quot it looked one of those five minute shopping sprees Quot Moore said. Quot wives were saying look at this look at this and the husbands were saying yeah of Quot guess i was kind of like a husband Quot she added. Past shoppers have made the Nove factories look More like a combat zone than shopping spree. Quot i be seen people get into fights Over ceramics. I be heard people Yelling i saw it first they really do Quot Reese said. Quot one group bought $18,000 Worth of ceramics Quot she added. An Overall figure for the amount Reese s latest group spent was t available. The bus however left Nove Riding much lower than when it arrived. Owner Antonio Venzo checks a Price for tour member Anne Pedersen at the Ancora factory in  Haggle or not to haggle1 it can be Best part of shopping while most stores in Italy have fixed prices and stick to them the Art of bargaining is alive and practice at open air markets such As Florence s san Lorenzo and Straw markets. The first step in bargaining with a merchant is determining whether you really want an item said Betty Reese a tour escort with the information Tours and travel office at naval support activity Naples. Quot Don t waste your time or the vendors Quot said Reese herself a Black Belt shopper. Quot if you decide you want the item Start the game. Quot then establish in your mind what you want to pay Quot Reese recently told a group on an itt Northern Italy shopping and  trip. If the Vendor is asking 80,000 lire for the item and you have decided you la pay 40,000 lire offer him 30,000, then Brace for a Strong often theatrical reaction Reese said. Even though he May seem to be insulted the merchant will make a counteroffer. A a customers can always respond with another Price of their own but Reese cautions Quot always allow the Vendor to save face by making the final  bargaining is obviously the kind of game you would t want to play unless you want to see it through to the end. A Gary Miller March 11, 1993 stripes Magazine