Hello,

Carpet Buyers BEWARE!!!

We just came back from India and spent most of our time touring the Golden Triangle which was awesome!

I would like to let everyone know to be very carful when you are buying a carpet.
Long story short -
We had a tour guide take us around to all these carpet shops in Agra. He said he was working to get us the "best deal." We ended getting ripped off and our tour guide knew it. After we left this specific tour guide we were on our way to Jaipur (with just our driver) where ALL carpets where much much cheaper. We ended up canceling our carpet purchase in Agra. When the tour guide found out about our cancellation he was furious and had our driver fired for taking us to carpet shops in Jaipur.

Our driver ended up getting his job back, but it was a terrible experience.

So, 2 things:

1) DO NOT trust any tour guide as nice as they may seem. They are making about 5% on each carpet purchase and will only take you to carpet shops wher they have friends.

2) Buy your carpet in Jaipur, it's the cheapest city!

If you have any questions or would like more info about this or the tour guide we used, please email me at:

[email protected]

Also, if anyone knows where in India I can report this incident, please

This kind of behavior is common all over the world. You could write the same story about China, Turkey, etc. If a guide takes you to a store, they are getting a cut of the sale.

I doubt that this is a reportable incident. After all, you cancelled the sale.

If this was part of an organized tour, you could complain to the tour company.

Writing won't do anything. I had a private guide in India who had quit Abercrombie & Kent because he was reprimanded when he did NOT take his tour to the scheduled shopping excursion. They were tired and didn't want to go so he took them back to the hotel. The tour operator was furious because they also get a cut from purchases. So he became a private guide. We had him for 3 weeks in India and we only went to stores when we specifically asked. In 3 weeks we went to 3 stores (one had an antique jewelry collection that was incredible that he did sugest we see but told us the suff was unafordable (which it was). We bought nothing there. I spent the day at a wonderful art gallery and workshop in Udaipur and did buy some things there. The last place was a place where we did look at carpets but did not buy.

Buying carpets is a lot like buying precious gems. 1) You had better know the merchandise, 2) Always deal with a reputable establishment.

Ginac117, what was the name of the tour company you used? Were you happy with it overall?

Other than marble inlay, I wouldn't recommend buying ANYTHING in Agra and I'm not so sure I would want to buy carpets in Jaipur. Kathie is right on the money in that this could have happened anywhere in the world.

Even marble inlay, Craig, can be found at the Cottage Industries or the UP state emporium Gangotir in NEw Delhi which are both fixed price stores - unless you want something really specific like a large slab or know your prices VERY well I would save even that shopping for a fixed price store. Kathie is absolutely right tho that this happens everywhere - and Bill's point re carpets being like precsious stones is dot on.

Actually, Hobbes, we did not see the quality of marble inlay in Delhi that we saw at Subhash Emporium in Agra - and the prices were excellent compared to what we saw elsewhere. I am sure there are places that a guide will take you to in Agra that will rip you off but we made out very well.

It's the bane of Indian Tourism!!