Many travelers, traveling to Italy, plan to combine business with pleasure: gain experience, improve their health and, of course, pamper your wardrobe with many new things. Fur coats are not the last place in the long list of potential purchases: Italy is famous for its fur products, and prices are much lower than in Russia. Another question is that a fur coat is capable of making a significant hole in any budget, even taking into account very loyal local characteristics.
Milan is the capital of fashion shopping in Italy, and therefore, when it came to the expert in fur coats, I first thought of Oksana, the guide to Lombardy, which BlogoItaliano already wrote about here here.
I dialed my friend and asked me to recommend an expert in fur, able to answer questions regarding fur coats. The call "hit the bull's eye": Oksana admitted that Russian-speaking tourists often turn to her for a shopping guide service. And most often, when it comes to shopping, the topic of fur coats is raised.
That evening I made a list of questions and sent it to Oksana in Milan, and the answers were not long in coming:
- Italy is known as one of the best countries for buying fur coats in Europe. But where is it better to buy fur coats in Italy? Is there a difference between regions and what does it consist of?
- The most popular places for shubbing in Italy are Milan and Rimini, but Milan, as one of the centers of world fashion, is more promising. It is no coincidence that high-fashion shows of fur factories are held here, and all the more or less significant manufacturers are trying to certainly have their own showrooms in Lombardy. As a result, the region has historically developed a maximum concentration of technologists and designers who are engaged in furs. However, this applies not only to fur coats, but to clothes and shoes in general.
- How much more profitable to buy a fur coat in Italy in terms of price than, for example, in Russia
- The price of the same product in Italy and Russia may differ by 2.5-3 times. This is especially noticeable when buying expensive fur coats. Indeed, in addition to the store’s margin, the cost of the product in Russia includes the costs of delivery, customs, rental of premises and staff motivation. Thus, it often turns out that buying a fur coat in Italy is cheaper even taking into account all the costs of organizing a trip.
The most popular places for shubbing in Italy - Milan and Rimini
- What furs are popular with our tourists?
- Recently, sable has been increasingly asked, in second place is a mink, followed by astrakhan fur and chinchilla.
- In Italy there are a lot of different formats of fur stores. Where does it make sense to pick up fur to avoid overpayments?
- To choose fur is most profitable in show rooms. These are not ordinary retail outlets, but shops from factories where the owners of shopping centers come to place orders and where the entire range of products is presented. Many showrooms are generally closed to buyers from the street, you can get there only accompanied by an expert who has access to them.
- I never bought a fur coat myself, so a reasonable question arises: why should I ask a third-party expert for help in making a purchase?
- An expert is much better oriented in the local assortment and prices, knows the strengths and weaknesses of certain factories, and also understands fur. Thus, it will be easier, faster and more profitable with him to choose exactly what the buyer needs. You can, of course, go to the shops yourself, which are quite a lot on the main shopping streets, but the prices and assortment in them can not be compared with show rooms at factories.
- In Greece, which is also known for its fur products, in recent years there are a lot of Chinese fakes in stores. Thus, tourists really often turn to an independent expert for help so as not to buy a Chinese fur coat instead of a Greek one. What is the situation in Italy?
- If you chose an expert, then this is a guarantee that he will not lead you to the show room where Chinese fakes are sold. Factories have been on the market for many years and are responsible for the quality of their products. No one will risk the reputation gained over the years in order to sell a few extra fur coats. In addition, in many showrooms there is always either the owner himself or an experienced technologist who can answer all questions about the quality of the fur.
It is most profitable to choose fur in show rooms
- In Greece, when buying fur, you can bargain and significantly “bring down” the original price. How real is it in Italy?
- Of course, this is real in Italy. In some outlets, a higher margin was initially set to leave play for trading, in others the margin is lower and the trade, respectively, is also small. But it is always appropriate, especially if you take more than one product.
- What is better to go shopping for: with cash or a card?
- It’s more convenient to pay with a card than to carry full cache pockets with you. But cash payment is also practiced. Everything is decided by the buyer, as he is better. Shops work with both forms of payment.
Can I make a VAT refund at the airport upon purchase?
- The most convenient option is to issue VAT off, so that you do not have to deal with VAT refunds at the airport later. In this case, taxes are deducted from the amount upon purchase.
- If a tourist turns to you or another expert for help in choosing a fur coat, then how is this service paid? Is this a fixed amount per trip or do you get a percentage of the store?
- In this case, the tourist pays for the expert service, it can be an hourly fee or a contractual payment for the entire service. We don’t get a percentage from the store, but some factories practice annual compensation - this is something like a salary or bonus to encourage an expert.
That's all for now. If you are going to Milan and planning to buy a fur coat, then contact Oksana for visits to showrooms at factories, please e-mail email protected or by using the feedback form under this article.
You can learn more about Oksana from our article Russian-speaking guide in Milan: tip about the BlogoItaliano guide. Also, under the article by the link, quite a lot of reviews from other tourists who contacted it have already been gathered.
Highly recommend.
Mail for Oksana:
Photos by: romagnafurs.it, giorgiomagnani.com, pelliccecanali.com.
