Look at the weave, this is how you can tell it is not machine made.
I hope he didn't believe that. Turkey is full of fake. People don't have a continuous relationship with the seller, so the seller focuses on selling something that looks great. For fruit and vegetables, this isn't much of an issue (What You Taste Is What You Get), but I struggled to find a bike. All bells and whistle, no quality.
That's the positive side of megabrands and chain-stores, they have reputations and standards.
I was surprised by how social haggling was in Turkey. As far as I can tell, a lot of sellers do not lower the price because you're going to leave the transaction (i.e.: the rational way); they lower it because they want to feel good about themselves. Typically, college students get better prices that way. Foreigners can get either royally screwed, or offered a free meal at a restaurant. Turks want to think of themselves as being great hosts (and they are).
I tried a few times to tell a merchant: I can get a better price elsewhere. Even if it was true, they didn't care.
We went to a high-end restaurant last week. 6 foreigners, some obviously older and well-off, and one Turkish girl. We sit, start eating, then want to order wine. She haggled. And won. I still don't get it. Presumably, the reputation of the restaurant was at stake. It'd be rationally selfish, but still. Foreigners are not coming back!
The requirement to haggle in so many situations has some unfortunate day-to-day consequences. Some Turks become used to lying under all circumstances. (though to be fair, I got some of my best relationships ever here)
Last anecdote: some cafe manager told me he has trouble finding personel. They pay an employee 1.50$ / hour (1$ if you're unexperienced, no joke) in my city. The price of a beer might be around 2.50$. The ratio is much worse than in the Western world, so I ask him, why don't you increase the pay? Nuh-uh, he said. Things don't work that way around here.
I hope he didn't believe that. Turkey is full of fake. People don't have a continuous relationship with the seller, so the seller focuses on selling something that looks great. For fruit and vegetables, this isn't much of an issue (What You Taste Is What You Get), but I struggled to find a bike. All bells and whistle, no quality.
That's the positive side of megabrands and chain-stores, they have reputations and standards.
I was surprised by how social haggling was in Turkey. As far as I can tell, a lot of sellers do not lower the price because you're going to leave the transaction (i.e.: the rational way); they lower it because they want to feel good about themselves. Typically, college students get better prices that way. Foreigners can get either royally screwed, or offered a free meal at a restaurant. Turks want to think of themselves as being great hosts (and they are).
I tried a few times to tell a merchant: I can get a better price elsewhere. Even if it was true, they didn't care.
We went to a high-end restaurant last week. 6 foreigners, some obviously older and well-off, and one Turkish girl. We sit, start eating, then want to order wine. She haggled. And won. I still don't get it. Presumably, the reputation of the restaurant was at stake. It'd be rationally selfish, but still. Foreigners are not coming back!
The requirement to haggle in so many situations has some unfortunate day-to-day consequences. Some Turks become used to lying under all circumstances. (though to be fair, I got some of my best relationships ever here)
Last anecdote: some cafe manager told me he has trouble finding personel. They pay an employee 1.50$ / hour (1$ if you're unexperienced, no joke) in my city. The price of a beer might be around 2.50$. The ratio is much worse than in the Western world, so I ask him, why don't you increase the pay? Nuh-uh, he said. Things don't work that way around here.