Have you ever been to Merter, a sprawling hustle and bustle area of Istanbul where many clothing stores and factories are located? It caters to wholesalers, retailers, suitcase traders, drop shippers, and the individual consumers. The prices are rockbottom, and if you compare to online sites like Trendyol or other retailers located at the mega shopping malls, the savings are between 40% and 70%. Of course, walking around is not easy with narrow streets, cars everywhere, and unsafe sidewalks. Even motor bikes brush by you as you walk on the sidewalks ignoring every law in the book.
While walking around Merter, I realized it has a very diverse group of foreign clientele from all around the region. I could hear so many different languages, and see foreign license plates from bordering countries. One car I saw from Iran was completely full from the floor to the ceiling with clothes.
One of the main reasons I was down there was to get a gist of the economic picture of the Merter textile trade. Thus, I asked around and interviewed shop owners, sales people, and owners from small to large scale operations, and the overall consensus was neutral in terms of business activity. My findings indicated exports were satisfactory, the suitcase trade was stronger, but domestic demand stagnant.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to gauge the real economic picture from trade since many transactions are not recorded and shared with the government. Many buyers and sellers prefer secrecy since they mutually benefit from not paying taxes and dealing with red tape. The only real gauge is based on the perception of the people in this business, which is sort of vague. However, exports are recorded more accurately since they require a paper trail.
Merter is not alone in the textile and accessories trade. Laleli and Osmanbey are close rivals, which I will assess in the near future.
Finally, Merter is a unique place in Istanbul where you can find anything related to clothing for a deep discount. In order to truly appreciate the scale and the diverse number of businesses, you need spend a day there.
If you have any questions or input you want to give, please let me know.
