Buying handbags or "designer" sunglasses in Kalkan

[BarbH]

 Oh dear, sorry to have caused any arguements!!!!

Thanks for all the suggestions and I will be having a look in 5 weeks time for myself.

Barb

[kalkan4eva]

Don't worry Barb, its only Misty
I love that he has minus one on the thank you count How can I make it minus two?

[misty]

Don't worry Barb, its only Misty
I love that he has minus one on the thank you count How can I make it minus two?

None taken.....please explain what the minus thank you means ?? I have been pondering that for a while now.........

[HolmfirthNicky]

Happy shopping Barb!!
Kalkan has lovely little gift shops, you can get really nice pottery, fab silver jewellery and 'different' cosmetic jewellery, and of course good quality leather bags/purses.
Also nice clothing and accessories from Vassilo and Brako.

[PennyM]

Having been going to Kakan regularly for the last 7 years and now owning a Villa there I have found that by far the best place to buy these handbags is from BSG Leather which is opposite the cafe in the centre of town (Merkez).  It is run by Ertan and Maria and they are lovely people and very honest.  The difference with this place is that Ertan has his own factory so the prices are good and the quality excellent.  I have lost count of how many handbags have found their way into the UK as presents!

[misty]

Just to let you know HMRC will now not only confiscate fake goods on point of entry..but also fine you the FULL duty as if it's the genuine article.....something to ponder on...

[Pompeyalbie]

Trying hard to remember the last time I went through Customs and there were officers on duty in there. With the amount of "copies" on sale in Turkey you'd think they'd be stopping everybody going through. What with the quesues at Passport Control and then customs Gatwick etc would come to a stand still.

[itstime]

Just to let you know HMRC will now not only confiscate fake goods on point of entry..but also fine you the FULL duty as if it's the genuine article.....something to ponder on...

Really strange this one Misty and it's a point we've been over many many times.
Openly carry my "copy" bags both leaving and entering the UK and have done for many years the latest time being last month. Never been looked at let alone stopped so won't be losing any sleep worrying about doing it again in 3 weeks time

Oh and I'm sure in a previous post there was a solicitor who came and and refuted the claims about being stopped. Anyway as we all know you have a real issue with Kalkan handbags, still doesn't stop us enjoying them and if I do get stopped and have them confiscated then I'll happily come on here and admit I was wrong

[Bdancer]

I have read/heard that countries including Italy and France, are very hot on confiscating an imposing fines on people, but have never personally whitnessed it when entereing the UK, but I suppose the potential is there. Just to be on the safe side I always put them in the suticase.
Isis

[buckhursthillbilly]

Dear Enjoy Kalkan,

I am writing as I have just had the most disappointing experience for a long time and was wondering if any of you Kalkan gurus had any suggestions for me.

I was in Kalkan earlier this summer and bought the most gorgeous bag from the fabulous Mr Nuri at Nuri Leather. It was a copy 'Mulberry' shoulder bag made exquisitely and I have been delighted with it ever since. It was my anniversary and my husband offered to buy me 2 bags as it was very fairly priced, (half the price of the bag shops in Fethiye) but I couldn't decide on another one at the time so Mr Nuri gave me his websited details and I said I'd be back in touch.

Stupidly over the last couple of months I lost his card and even more stupidly only searched on my phone. I was having a senior moment and didn't realise that phone's only have mobile mini searches... Eventually I decided to search for Leather shops in Kalkan and Class Leather and BSG appeared. I vaguely remembered going in to BSG and liking their bags too so decided to order from them.

On looking on their fulsome website I saw the bag I wanted, The same as my red bag but in navy blue and despite it being 50% more expensive I decided I would buy it as I love my red one so much. Furthermore I thought I can't request a discount over the internet and it is only fair that they charge handsomely for couriering as this service is hugely expensive. I placed my order, paid by Paypal which I thought was safe and a smart move and waited and waited and waited.

Eventually I double checked BSG's webiste and saw that their promised delivery time had passed. I emailed them and they quickly replied saying a mistake had occured and they would despatch it immediately together with a leather keyfob as an apology. I was most impressed.

Sadly the bag arrived today and it is truly appalling. 3rd rate. The leather is thin and poor and it looks like a cheap copy. Indeed it resembes a top leather bag bought from a market stall for £25 if you're not good at haggling.

I am completely gutted. Sad as I was so looking forward to the pleasure of having a lovely navy bag but also it is such a lot of money to waste. I wrote back to BSG earlier today but as yet have heard nothing. Any suggestions please to get a resolution....

I was also hoping to buy my 2 best friends bags for their significant birthdays coming up next month as they'd loved my red bag but I just cannot repeat this mistake. Also do you know if Nuri or Class Leather have a better reputation for bags they send abroad.

Cheers and MAN, MANY THANKS

[misty]

The lesson here is simple don't fake rubbish......you get burnt in the end.

[tuppy]

Very helpful reply that misty, for someone who is clearly in need of help. Why don't you jog on from this message, pretty sure everyone knows your opinion by now.

Buckhurstbilly how did you send the money through PayPal? Did they invoice you? Did you send it direct? PayPal do have pretty good protection for buyers and you can open a case to say item received was not as described. They will put a hold on the money at BSG's side until the case is resolved, usually in the buyers favour in these circumstances.

[Firecat]

You say it's only today that you contacted BSG to say that you were unhappy with your purchase so it's early days as yet and they will probably get back to you, but I honestly don't know where you stand in legal protection terms when you buy something over the internet you know to be counterfeit. Even with PayPal I don't think you can claim just because you are displeased with the item; you can only claim if you fail to receive your goods. I do understand your disappointment, but having perused these bag shops myself I do know that quality is variable and I wouldn't personally purchase something from overseas sight unseen. I hope you get your money back, but it may take time and you will probably have to swallow the cost of return postage via a tracked and traceable service so you can prove you sent the item back.

[misty]

Very helpful reply that misty, for someone who is clearly in need of help. Why don't you jog on from this message, pretty sure everyone knows your opinion by now.

Buckhurstbilly how did you send the money through PayPal? Did they invoice you? Did you send it direct? PayPal do have pretty good protection for buyers and you can open a case to say item received was not as described. They will put a hold on the money at BSG's side until the case is resolved, usually in the buyers favour in these circumstances.

Sorry did I touch a nerve are you another sad person that has to try and give the illusion of wealth by wearing FAKE products.....you know the look a complete chav with a cheap looking LV bag over the shoulder....I need no help either my friend. 

[Blue Lizard]

You can't buy class..you may spend £10,000 on a watch but it still tells the same time as my Swatch or cheap casio  watch..i won't get mugged for it and it won't matter if i lose it.....if it tells me the time at a depth of 500 metres i wouldn't care because i'd be drowning..mrs L is fine with her bags and i don't regard her as a chav, personally i buy dvds and snide jeans off the market.Just as i am capable of earning my own money i am capable of deciding where and on what to spend it.Next year will be my 26th year visiting Kalkan some years 2 or 3 times and i guess i have spent a fair bit over that time.Some of those who decide what i should buy and wear while i'm doing it seldom visit which is quite ironic...and if after the market i decide to have an english breakfast while inspecting my snide goods then that is also my choice i am comfy in my Georgie armini t shirt and don't care if i get ketchup on it(even though it is a bigger size  now )

[turkeyfan]

Love it Blue Lizard!!

[kalkan4eva]

buckhursthillbilly, I'm truly sorry to hear of your trouble
I would suggest you wait for BSG to come back to you and see what they say but in the meantime contact paypal to say you are not happy with your purchase. You may have to send the bag back at your expense  If you are returning to Kalkan you may wish to bring it back with you and get a refund from BSG - if you are a regular visitor this is an option. We have bought from Nuri for years and only once have I had an issue with a bag. I e-mailed him and brought it back the following visit and he replaced it - mortified that it had broken. He has sent me purses and iphone covers through the post and I have had no problem with the quality of those things.
Nuri's website is www.nurileatherkalkan.com and he offers a return service if you are unhappy with your product.

By the way, well said BL. I've given up getting riled by Misty...

[Cosetta]

Although the design of many Mulberry copies seems the same from shop to shop, in fact, the leather is often not the same.  All bags are made in factories around Turkey but the buyer can specify the quality of leather, hence the wholesale price.

I have bought several bags from Class.  Never had a problem with any of them.  The owner of Class assured me that if ever something should break or have any problem, bring it to him and he'll replace or repair it.  I did see the same design in BSG but the quality was in fact different.

Check your Paypal policy if it covers items bought in Turkey.  If BSG doesn't answer, open a case within ?30? days and see if they respond with a satisfactory solution.

And yes, there is an EU law now that fake designer anything can be confiscated by customs.  My daughter goes in and out of Italy and France often and never had a customs problem with a bag she bought here.

[yorkielovit]

 buckhursthillbilly I have known Maria from BSG personally for over 10 years in and out of Turkey. I believe if she can she will rectify your problem. If you have not heard back yet please contact them again as it may have ended up in their spam folder.

Regards
Michelle

[Helshe]

Last visit, I got a bag from NEED Leather next to BSG and they were all very helpful, honest and upfront and i got a good deal. My daughter also got a pair of shoes there. Daughter also got a bag from Rhapsody and again the service was honest, helpful and fair. We did shop around (in i think every shop available!) and we purchased in these 2 shops because of the quality and also because we found that the staff were not badgering us to buy something before we were ready to make a decision (which was most definitely what happened in Nuri) and we felt more comfortable with that style of salesmanship.