Buying Carpets in Morocco

One of the delights of traveling in Morocco is to visit the various souks across the country. Such visits are also likely to see you being lured in to "just look" at the merchandise. If you want to buy a carpet (and they are often reasonably priced and good quality) then the following tips may help.

Whilst you will probably never really find out the true price of your new carpet you can do some preparation to gain some idea. A good source of information is the "Artisan Centre" in many towns. In theory all the items are sold at fixed price (usually above the price you might achieve in the bazaar) and perhaps of slightly lower quality. This will, however, give you some idea.

Second, forget all the standard rules such as offering 1/3 of the opening price. A better strategy is to have a good idea what a particular carpet is worth to you - and structure your bidding around that price. So if you want to pay the equivalent of $100 do not start bidding at $95.

Take all the comments about special prices for being the first/last visitor as merely part of the general chatter around the overall process.

It is useful to clarify very early into any discussions what the currency is. Most stores will be happy to work with Moroccan Dirhams, the Euro or US Dollar.

Where you buy can significantly influence the price you pay. Marrakesh and Fez will be more expensive than smaller towns. So whilst the range may be greater in those cities this will be reflected in the price you pay. Better options are smaller cities such as Meknes or towns in the Atlas and Sahara areas. If you do decide to buy in Marrakesh or Fez, never do so in the company of a guide - you can guarantee you will pay a premium if you do.

Some stores will offer to ship the carpets home for you. Advice on whether this is safe or a good idea varies. There are reports of people paying and nothing ever being delivered. If you opt for to have the carpet posted, the following advice may help:

Take photographs of your carpet and the store.

Pay with a credit card (even if the store tries to avoid this - they will prefer cash).

Buy in a smaller town - it is far easier to identify the store in question than if it was in the main souk in Marrakesh. Also smaller stores are often keen to have positive publicity and more concerned at adverse comments.

It may be an idea to buy from a store that has a connection to a foreign run small hotel or guesthouse. This may sound unintuitive but the advantage is they too may be concerned at negative comments and may be willing to help you out.