Tetouan - The commercial art of the carpet salesman in the Medina

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Sale of carpets in the Medina of Tetouan

Surely you have ever heard the expression that you are more cheater or liante than a carpet seller.

You will be able to verify the meaning of this expression during your Morocco trip... well, you're sure to see yourself before a carpet seller.

I will tell you my recent experience during the visit of the Medina of Tetouanat northern morocco, an enclave that you may not know is declared World Heritage by Unesco.

I made this visit with some friends accompanied by Abdul, a local guide of Tetouan.

While we warn you that we had no interest in buy carpets, the truth is that if we wanted to go up to the terrace of the building that houses a shop with various typical products of Morocco, usual appointment for tourists.

Having tea at the carpet store

It is a large house that contains artistic corners and from whose terrace you have good panoramic views of the Medina of Tetouan.

The fact is that when we came down from the terrace he came to greet us very carefully and in a very correct Spanish ... carpet seller, who started his "acting."

First, as "we are friends," sit down and have a tea.

After a while of "friendly" talk, it is offered, simply for information, to present the wide range of carpets they have, detailing the peculiar characteristics of each of them

Prepare yourself from that moment, with the help of a partner, start a display of information, opening and showing each of the different types of carpets they have in the store.

The carpet seller in Tetouan

Of course, for education you will listen, and surely you will be curious to know the prices of some carpets, even to give up and "cut" the carpet seller performance.

But you will realize that you are before an expert salesman ... because he will not give you the prices until he finishes showing you toooodas the carpets he wants to show you, always emphasizing his great "quality" (touch it, touch it ...)

Finally ... it is time to know the prices, which becomes one of the main moments of his "performance."

It explains how to say yes (na'am) and not (the A) in Arabic, and from there, in a frantic way he picks up each of the carpets, the ones he shows you again, and you have to tell him na'am In case you want to know its price.

The carpet seller in Tetouan

In this way two separate piles are formed, the one of the carpets whose price you want to know, and the one of the discarded ones.

From here, again review the pile of carpets that are supposed to be interested (at this point in the story I remind you ... we did not want to buy carpets), and one by one he tells you their prices, yes, always «prices of friends".

I anticipate that they are very inflated prices, so if it turns out that you are interested in any, even if it is to compensate for your selling effort, calculate that you do not have to pay more than a third of the price that it offers you.

If you have no experience in haggling, you have to keep in mind that to get that final price, you have to offer a lower one.

Overview of the Medina of Tetouan from a terrace

If you directly raise your final price, the carpet seller himself will remind you that it is a negotiation, so he will force you to raise your offer, while he is lowering his offer, until you finally reach an agreement.

If the seller is very "aggressive", as was our case, you may feel somewhat forced to buy, so it would be convenient to cut the negotiation beforehand, telling him that you have no interest in buying, holding firm in this position.

That does not prevent you from appreciating the commercial capacity and "art" displayed by the albombra seller.

Spice shop in the Medina of Tetouan

In summary, since I bet you will leave the store with some carpet purchased (even if you have no initial interest), as a final tip it is key that you do not get fooled in the negotiation (remember, do not pay more than a third of the price I initially raised) ... and take the opportunity to choose a carpet that you really want to put in your home.

Do you have your own experience with a carpet seller?

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Video: ARCHILAND - Club Frères Lumière -ECOLE NATIONALE D'ARCHITECTURE DE TETOUAN (March 2024).