Shopping in Egypt
Simply put, and not unlike most other tourist destinations, the further one can get away from shopping areas which cater to tourists, usually the better the shopping. Hotel shops are probably the worst, followed by independent shops in close proximity to the hotels, particularly the five star hotels. Other places to avoid include the peddlers and small shops near tourist attractions such as the Pyramids at Giza.
Cokes, batteries, water and similar items can usually be purchased without the hassle of negotiation and much cheaper in supermarkets. But of course, many items which the tourist will wish to purchase such as gold cartouches, Egyptian theme clothing or T-shirts and statues replicas are souvenirs by definition and must be purchased, for the most part, from a market that caters to tourists.
Places like the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar continue to be some of the best places to buy souvenirs. However, it is often best to walk away from the center of things, and find some of the less frequented shops just outside of the Khan.
In addition, a considerable aptitude for negotiation will unquestionably result in lower prices in areas which cater to tourists, such as the Khan and tourist shops around the pyramids and Coptic, or old Cairo. Most everywhere else such as grocery stores, shopping malls and the shopping area downtown, prices are fixed, and not really negotiable at all. In some of the shops, one might make a friendly effort to secure a small discount, but a strong attempt at negotiation will probably offend the salesperson. In fact, negotiation seems to be becoming less of an issue even in places like the Khan el-Khalili.
When negotiating, show only a slight interest in the item and then, work the price down. At that point, the price will probably be only three to four times that which an Egyptian would pay. Then tell the vendor that you will thank about it, take a longing look at the item, and begin to drift away ... not too fast. With luck, the price will come down further.
But stop. Even as you walk away, the price may come down more, but don't buy from the first vendor, at least not yet. In order to really scout out the best price, no matter how low this first vendor goes, try a few more vendors repeating this to really get a feel for the best price. There is usually no problem in returning to the original merchant and accepting his lowest price.
Now it is important to keep in mind that one can be tricked. For example, if one negotiates the price down on a mother-of-pearl box, the merchant may end up packaging up one that has more plastic pieces. Also, between stores, one may get a better price from one than another but receive in return an inferior product. Hence, one must have some idea about the items available and how to tell what constitutes a quality object. For this type of information, see our section on shopping.
Keep in mind one other facet of shopping in Egypt. Almost every tour guide and taxi driver maintains an agreement with a number of shops for commission. This is not an exception, but rather an expected source of income for people in these trades. Of course you will find others who will also insist on leading you to "the best perfume bottle" factory, a better hotel or a less expensive restaurant. Just remember that all of these people have a profit motive.
Simply put, and not unlike most other tourist destinations, the further one can get away from shopping areas which cater to tourists, usually the better the shopping. Hotel shops are probably the worst, followed by independent shops in close proximity to the hotels, particularly the five star hotels. Other places to avoid include the peddlers and small shops near tourist attractions such as the Pyramids at Giza.
Cokes, batteries, water and similar items can usually be purchased without the hassle of negotiation and much cheaper in supermarkets. But of course, many items which the tourist will wish to purchase such as gold cartouches, Egyptian theme clothing or T-shirts and statues replicas are souvenirs by definition and must be purchased, for the most part, from a market that caters to tourists.
Places like the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar continue to be some of the best places to buy souvenirs. However, it is often best to walk away from the center of things, and find some of the less frequented shops just outside of the Khan.
In addition, a considerable aptitude for negotiation will unquestionably result in lower prices in areas which cater to tourists, such as the Khan and tourist shops around the pyramids and Coptic, or old Cairo. Most everywhere else such as grocery stores, shopping malls and the shopping area downtown, prices are fixed, and not really negotiable at all. In some of the shops, one might make a friendly effort to secure a small discount, but a strong attempt at negotiation will probably offend the salesperson. In fact, negotiation seems to be becoming less of an issue even in places like the Khan el-Khalili.
When negotiating, show only a slight interest in the item and then, work the price down. At that point, the price will probably be only three to four times that which an Egyptian would pay. Then tell the vendor that you will thank about it, take a longing look at the item, and begin to drift away ... not too fast. With luck, the price will come down further.
But stop. Even as you walk away, the price may come down more, but don't buy from the first vendor, at least not yet. In order to really scout out the best price, no matter how low this first vendor goes, try a few more vendors repeating this to really get a feel for the best price. There is usually no problem in returning to the original merchant and accepting his lowest price.
Now it is important to keep in mind that one can be tricked. For example, if one negotiates the price down on a mother-of-pearl box, the merchant may end up packaging up one that has more plastic pieces. Also, between stores, one may get a better price from one than another but receive in return an inferior product. Hence, one must have some idea about the items available and how to tell what constitutes a quality object. For this type of information, see our section on shopping.
Keep in mind one other facet of shopping in Egypt. Almost every tour guide and taxi driver maintains an agreement with a number of shops for commission. This is not an exception, but rather an expected source of income for people in these trades. Of course you will find others who will also insist on leading you to "the best perfume bottle" factory, a better hotel or a less expensive restaurant. Just remember that all of these people have a profit motive.
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