Buying things in the souks (a souk is an Arabic market) of Morocco can be hard work, confusing and sometimes just annoying if you’re a tourist. If you ask the price of something, you enter a 2 way discussion and are usually expected to buy at the end of it – especially if you accepted the tea.
Here are 12 things I learnt about buying stuff in Morocco’s souks. If you’re going to Morocco for the first time this might help you:
1.There’s a lot of really nice stuff
The amount of nice stuff is totally overwhelming: wool carpets, kilims, weavings, woodwork, jewlery, copperwork, musical instruments, leather, minerals and crystals and it’s all repeated in every colour. Most of this stuff I’ve never seen before.
2. The price starts high
You’re expected to discuss the price and the stall owner accounts for this in his initial price. They play this game well. Most of the time I found that you can buy things for, on average, about the third to half of the first price they tell you – and the shop will be making good money. But sometimes they might go down to a fifth or even a tenth of the original price!
3. If you ask a price for something it means you want to buy it
You have to be careful when you’re just asking the price of something with no intention of buying it. If you are just interested in the price, you should make it clear first that you don’t want to buy it.
4. The market sellers are very observant
They will hear things you say in the street and they will watch to see what things you are looking at on the market stall. After a few minutes they’ll know what you want and show you every different variation and colour of that thing. What’s more impressive is that they’ll remember you’re face for days or even weeks.
5. They’ll rarely leave you to ‘just browse’
Many stall and shop owners will pounce as soon as they see you looking at their stuff or coming into their shop. I guess they do what works best for them and constantly chatting at people must help them sell more, but it just makes me want to leave.
6. Don’t give in to the pressure
Moroccans are good at selling stuff. The market sellers are persuasive and charming. But don’t buy anything out of pressure. If you need time to think just step away or come back later. There is time and it’s never the ‘last one’
7. You can often see the thing being made
A lot of things are made just around the corner from where they are sold. You’ll probably see glimpses of the workshops as you walk around.
8. They are incredibly helpful
Stall owners really don’t mind spending the time to help you get exactly what you want. They will go out of their way to help you – or to sell to you. If you can’t find what you want they’ll point you in the right direction.
9. You’ll never pay the local price
As a tourist you’ll never get something for the same price as the locals get it no matter how much you bargain. But that’s alright, it’s still a bargain to most Europeans and way cheaper than in Europe.
10. The main shopping cities are Fez and Marrakech
Fez and Marrakech are the biggest cities and both sell pretty much everything, although different places might be better for different things:
- Tifnit for silver
- Fez for gold jewelry
- Safi for pottery
- Azrou (see post: Finding wild Monkeys in Azrou) for berber rugs
- Essaouria (see post: Exploring Essaouria) for Argan oil and Thuja woodwork
- Midelt for crystals and minerals
11. How to buy stuff in the souks in 3 steps
- Ask yourself what you’d pay for the item before asking about the price.
- Say that you really like the thing but you can only pay this much. You wont offend them (even if they act it) – they love it – as long as you smile and are friendly.
- Most of the time they will quickly knock a huge amount off the original price. If they can’t do it for the price you had in mind then kindly walk away and say no problem – there will probably be another chance to buy a similar thing just round the corner.
12. The lowest price
I accidentally found that if you don’t do any bargaining at all you can get a really low price. If you show slight interest in something and then walk away the seller will usually shout the very lowest price at you as you leave. I got a hat for 1euro (originally 10 euros). I really didn’t want it.
Share your stories, tips, questions and experiences in the comments 🙂
I like that blanket!
I wanted a djellaba (hooded woolly robe and great for star wars fancy dress, festivals and just to keep warm) I first tried the souks and was staggered at the price (even after a good haggling session) so I found a local market near a train station and got one for a tenth of the price, no haggling etc. So try a local market where they don’t usually deal with tourists
Fabulous, I’ve been to Morocco several times and would say that this advice is spot on. I was haggling over a shawl one time, then discovered it was actually damaged so decided not to buy, even though the trader was almost giving it away and had offered to have it Mended for me. The very next day he was cycling around the souk with the beautiful shawl around his shoulders. He eventually found me, the shawl over his shoulders had been repaired and we settled at a fraction of the orgioninal cost. I have many beautiful artisan pieces from my trips – each with their fascinating or entertaining story.
Worst shopping experience in my life in Marrakech. I will never go back there again, I was mollested until I gave the amount of money they wanted.
Love these tips Mike…completely echo my experience in Fez, Marrakech and Essouira. I kind of learned the hard way but staying polite and smiling a lot got me out of loads of tight situations with pushy salesmen, even when I didn’t feel like smiling at all! And you’re right there are some beautiful, well-made things that are absolutely worth it.
Great tips! Will definitely have to reference this when I visit.
I actually leave the same shop until 3 times to get a good price in a “magic box”.
You also can use stuff you have with you to down the price of something, but most of the shop will exect than you buy something else. for example, I bought a leather bagpack for my girlfriend for 10 pounds (”originally” 60) and a bereber knife for 5 adding to barter two carabiner, a packed of cigarrettes, and a 1st aid kit
number 12 is king!!
SUPER DUPER top tip: If you’re going straight from Europe with a vehicle then bring a load of things that are cheap/junk in Europe, and expensive or really difficult to find in Morocco:
1- Alcohol
2- Electronics (old crappy phones, chargers, watches, etc)
3- Accessories for phones (plastic covers, etc)
4- Anything junk that’s still of good quality (bike wheels, trainers, tools, mechanical parts for cars or machinery, etc)
You can trade beers for day trips, wine for a days surf board rental, an old phone and charger for a litre of argan oil (VERY expensive in Europe)
Careful with alcohol though. It’s a taboo (but legal) so you’ll be almost seen as a drug dealer. Don’t go trading in open markets willy nilly. While there I met a couple who did this, and a boot full of beers and phone covers they found in a bin in spain basically funded their entire time in Morocco (minus diesel).
Great tips, will be taking these into consideration when I head to Morocco next year. #6 is a big one, I’ve found many westerners who aren’t used to hustle & bustle markets tend to fold real quick to any amounts of pressure from locals.