Better to buy a rug/other souveniers in Istanbul or Goreme?
 

We will be travelling through Turkey and would like to potentially buy a fairly large rug. Any thoughts on whether it would be easier to get a good deal in the Grand Bazaar or in Goreme?

Avanos has a large rug producing establishment, which you probably will get to see if you hire a guide. Rugs in Istanbul are made elsewhere. Even Kayseri might offer better deals than Istanbul.

I agree with Michael that you can get better deals outside Istanbul. The reasons are really very simple. Most istanbul carpet dealer have much higher overheads, shop rental, personnel, decoration, transport, etc. many of them also have to pay the weavers and/or the wholesalers within a shorter period than an Anatolian carpet vendor would. Also, the istanbul dealer needs to make a larger profit to survive in the expensive city.

I suggest that you go on google, check the different designs, types of carpets and their on-line prices. This will give you some ball park figures, which you can compare with the prices quoted to you at the shops. There are also some Cappadocia shops which sell on line. Going to them with their net prices would also work well.

The carpets you should get in Cappadocia would be:
Kayseri, Nigde/Taspinar, Yahyali. Check their typical designs on the web before you start.

The Persian, Caucasian, Afghani, Turkmenistan carpets you are offered could be Chinese manufactured fakes.

Kars carpets are not considered highly.
Milas and Yagci Bedir should not be bought in Cappadocia but in the Aegean.
Antalya Dosemealti should be bought at Antalya and environs.
Do not consider Isparta.
Konya would be nice but again Cappadocia may not be the place.
Hereke should be purchased in Istanbul, but there are many fakes.

I looked at carpets in Gerome-but sadly didn't get one. When my husband went down to Ephesis our guide took us to a place in Selcuk. I ended up getting one called 1001 Nights. They brought it to me in California!! He came over a few times a year for carpet sales & brought the ones he sold to their homes. He also helped me pick the right place to put it.
another time he came back & brought me a gift-some pillow cases.
The address I have on the certificate is EGE HALI
35920 Selcuk Turkey
[email protected]
phone # 90.232-893-1460
I can't remember the salesmans name-He was so nice & polite. I love looking at my rug-Its pretty large. This was in October 06 & he delivered in 07
It was cotton on cotton-not silk on silk which was very expensive-hope this helps Chris

When I was in Selcuk I also visited a carpet store, and though I didn't buy, the prices seemed much better than they did in Istanbul later.
I was told by carpet dealers in the US to beware of fiber blends within the same rug, such as wool and silk. They become difficult to clean, because what can be used to clean wool cannot be used to clean silk, and vice versa.