Thailand is not only an excellent destination for a tropical holiday, but it is also an excellent place for jewellery shopping, especially silver jewellery. Bangkok is a worldwide trading hub for finished jewellery and coloured gemstones, and there are many highly skilled artisans making beautiful handmade jewellery throughout the country. If you love silver jewellery and are heading to Thailand on holiday soon, below are some tips to help you get the best possible deal.
Shop Around
When you start looking at the different jewellery stores offering high-quality silver jewellery, you will see they are abundant throughout Thailand, so plenty of choices are available. However, it will pay you to shop around and compare the different types of jewellery on offer and the prices each store is charging. Whether you are in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, or Pattaya, the prices are similar around the country, but stores that cater primarily to tourists will often be more expensive. However, as with most things in Thailand, you can haggle over the price, so this is one way you can save some money.
Learn The Art Of Haggling
You can haggle on the price of many things in Thailand, and it is something that is almost expected from vendors, no matter what they are selling. If you haggle on the price, you can save money on many items you purchase, including silver jewellery. However, you will not want to be too aggressive as this may anger the vendor, so be polite and do not try and push the price down too much. You can often purchase wholesale sterling silver earrings, and to get the best price possible, you may want to get more than one set. The more you buy, the more room there is for negotiation on the price, and if possible, you may want to purchase all your silver jewellery from the same location.
Only Purchase Quality Jewellery
As the jewellery industry is so prominent in Thailand, some people are looking to rip you off. If you are ever approached by a taxi driver offering to take you to a jewellery store, be careful as this is how many of the scams start when it comes to shopping for jewellery in Thailand. Ensure that the silver jewellery you are looking to purchase has a hallmark, so you know the quality and purity of the silver. If you cannot see a hallmark, do not even bother asking about it and take your business somewhere else that sells high-quality silver jewellery.