Istanbul is considered the capital of sales and bargain shopping in Turkey. The Turkish metropolis is the best choice for a fashionista, competing today with New York, London, Paris, Milan, Los Angeles and Tokyo. Istanbul is becoming a leading fashion city on a global scale. You can spend a weekend in the city in order to update your prestigious wardrobe at the most favorable prices. But some travelers will not agree with this statement, since prices in the Turkish metropolis are often inflated. However, do not forget that successful shopping can only be during discounts and sales. And when is the best time to buy in Istanbul? When do summer sales begin in Istanbul? Will there still be a sales season in Istanbul? You can often hear such questions from visiting tourists whose goal is a shopping tour.
When it comes to shopping, Istanbul offers a wide variety of world-famous brands as well as high-quality local products from domestic brands. You can find bargains in the many shopping malls around the city as well as in local designer boutiques.
So, are there any specific sales dates in the city's markets and shops? There are no fixed dates for when the discount season starts in Istanbul. This may come as a bit of a shock, but there is no real official (government controlled) sales period for a particular season.
Basically, sales in the markets of Turkey are present all year round! Of course, there is a good reason for this. Some brands launch their collections in four different seasons. So when the next season is approaching, the products from the previous collections are on sale. Some brands, on the other hand, have collections divided into two seasons: autumn-winter and spring-summer. Naturally, their discount times are different from brands that release collections four times a year.
Moreover, any special day is an excuse to launch special campaigns or discounts. You will see that sales in Turkey will appear on New Year, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day and religious holidays. So, you can plan your trip to Turkey and be 99% sure that you will find the biggest discounts.
Luckily, there are some set periods in Turkey when you can definitely catch the start of sales. During these times, there is often a “Buy one, get one 50% off” promotion.
Winter sales start around mid-December or early January with discounts ranging from 30% to 50%. Some brands stick to a one-time percentage price reduction and do not offer any additional promotions. A number of brands carry out a second wave of sales at 45 or 50% of the price. To get rid of the leftovers, some boutiques and shopping centers announce a third wave of sales at 70% of the assortment in April.
The best time to shop for the winter sale is the first sale, according to seasoned shopaholics. The logic is simple: some sizes, such as M and L, are in great demand and sell out faster than others, at least in Turkey.
Summer sales in the Stambul generally start when the temperature rises. This can be any date from late or early June to the first week of July. Again, depending on the season. The smartest time to shop is the first week of July to get the best summer sales. By mid-August, the summer sales will have exceeded their peak. This is the month you can get your perfect purchase at a minimum cost or be disappointed that you can’t find the item you like in the size or color you like.
Summer sales will start towards the end of May with 25%. You can expect 30-40% off in June. 50-70% off in July, and in August and September with up to 90% off on older collections. You can get the best summer sales in July when stores are getting ready for the fall/winter merchandise. By September, you will hardly be able to find summer clothing, as many will already be sold out. It all depends on the type of merchandise and the store's policies. However, you should understand that the best deals are already sold out in early sales, and you have much less choice as time goes on.
Try visiting Turkey for bargain shopping in the week after Ramadan. Prices are usually higher before and during the country's most important religious holiday. The end of each season is the time for discounts on the previous season. So you will find winter items cheaper in winter, the same goes for summer.
So, it is very difficult to find a specific time for the best sales in Turkey, as there are different offers and discounts most of the year. It also depends on what kind of clothes you are looking for (summer or winter) and also on the release of new collections, when the old ones start to sell out. Most of the outlets have international brands, for example, Zara, Mark & Spencer, C & A, USpolo, Mango, H & M, they can be found everywhere.
Turkish markets are very popular in the country, but shopping malls are also popular. Shopping malls can be considered a very young concept in Turkey, as their history only dates back to the late 80s. However, once they appeared on the marketplace, many Turks and foreign tourists consider them preferable to markets for shopping. For example, almost every neighborhood has at least one shopping mall. Today, you can find some of the largest and most beautiful shopping malls in Istanbul. They are mostly close to the Taksim area, so it is very easy to get there by bus, metro or taxi. Shopping malls are open from 10:00 to 22:00, so you will have plenty of time to choose the most suitable product during the sales.
It is worth noting that when traveling in Turkey at different times, you can always find great deals. For example, when traveling in April, you can often stumble upon a huge discount on some brands. The conclusion is that Turkey is a country where there is always a chance to find quality goods at a minimum price.
