Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

Bought some stacking chairs there yesterday, put them out today and found one to be slightly damaged. Took it back to the shop today, after he apologised, he swapped the chair immediately. I regularly went to his old shop before this one opened, He is always friendly and very helpful. His stock is vast and prices very reasonable, well worth a visit for all your DIY needs and also various items of furniture and bathroom fitments in his top floor showroom area.

Great little Yapi cant do enough for you

I have never had cause to visit this establishment, living the other side of Girne, however I cannot stress enough that some of the little shops and their owners are just lovely and are always willing to change stuff, which is more than I can say for some of the larger places. Trouble is, you sometimes have to be prepared to sit and have a coffee and a natter, even if you don't actually have the time to spare!! (particularly if you don't speak Turkish, which can to the time factor)

As someone who used to shop from their old Karakum branch, I need to warn everyone the prices at this new place are even more expensive that their old shop when compared with similar places in Girne. I can often buy the same product for anything between 20-30% cheaper. in many other shops in Central Girne. And, as someone said, the quality of service and refund policy is pretty standard in TRNC.

BigOz wrote:

I can often buy the same product for anything between 20-30% cheaper. in many other shops in Central Girne

Are you able to give any examples?

Be careful using Demirbilek I have been present many times when he used to hike his prices up for tourist and always said to him to put prices on his items so all is transparent. I stopped going to to his new shop after i bought a few items and they turned out to be faulty one being a toilet cistern that was leaking as soon as it was installed. I also had a friend of mine buy a water pump which was faulty when his plumber installed it. He returned it and the owner himself started giving excuses that only the parts are guaranteed and he will have to pay labour, then I got involved and he said he will exchange it and my friend went back and he gave him a 0.5hp water pump instead of the 1hp one that he bought. My friend had enough and just went somewhere else. I have never been back since and never will.

In business you can't afford to discriminate against people because if you do and word gets out your business is finished.

Any recommendations on good Yapi Markets in the Girne area ?

I would agree-Coban Trading for me every time.

Yep Coban defo. Great little shop.

Coban absolutely, just past Pitstop heading into Girne, and on the same side. It is run by a brother and sister who both speak excellent English, and there is no 2 tier pricing system. Well, actually there is, sort of, because if I go in for a handful of washers and screws, etc, he looks at me and says, "just take them"! I always make sure I pay a little extra the next time I visit.

BigOz, I suffered the same fate mate! Will never shop at or buy from this place again, his new place is even more expensive but if you want a real price hike try visiting his other shop on the main road past Esentepe - the prices there are made up to suit the phases of the moon, the tide and how he feels on the day.
Example: Bought four strip lights from his old shop @ 45TL each, all "supposedly" brand new in their plastic packets, two would not work at all, one had no starter in the packet and the last one needed a new transformer within a day of use - no exchange!!!! Went back up the road to Coban (where I get everything I ever need) and bought identical items for 25TL each - back to original shop to show him and explain price difference. He told me the ones I had bought from Coban were fake!! All had the same manufacture and serials - good solid fakes that have never failed in the last five years.

Coban is the place to go without a doubt, there is nothing they will not do to help you!

I would never shop here either after being ripped off buying a glue gun and some other items. His shop past Esentepe is also daylight robbery. My friend's husband calls him Dick Turpin.
I always go to Coban, really good, honest helpful people and I've also experienced being given free wire when I went there.

Not looking good for Demerbelik (or Naim the director) I wonder what he'll do next ?

Give the thieves and robbers a miss don't humour them by shopping there spend your hard earned money with somebody who deserves it.

I will give my experience with Demerbelik. I really like him, his shop and staff.

His shop is the only Yapi market we have found open on Sundays, we are from the other side of Kyrenia and so have had to travel a distance to get there.

The first time I was there we bought paint, the second time we bought paint but he remembered us and offered discount for returning; he then asked if my wife and I wanted a tea or coffee.

The next time we bought a strimmer and again they gave us a discount, we actually found the price they had bought the item at still on the box when we got home and the discount must have been a mistake because there was barely any profit on the sale at all.

I checked the price of the black and decker strimmer online (uk price) and we purchased it at the market value too, my wife and I were certain that he would have struggled to break even on that sale. Contrary to what some have speculated he is not over pricing his products in this situation but quite the opposite.

It is a family run business as far as I'm aware and my experience is that he is a kind and generous man to offer us coffee and tea simply for visiting his shop, just to be friendly to us, so as far as I'm concerned I think it is unfair that some of these posts are implying that he is intentionally deceitful or dishonest.

wondering1 - no speculation at all when he sells an identical product at well over any price charged by other establishments, it is not speculation it is fact and has happened to many people far too many times to be simple accident.

The more places you venture into the more you will find that most places will offer you tea or coffee as a normal thing - it is Cyprus after all.

Best thing to do is visit many and have a look at prices or ask then give it time and you will find a Yapi of your choice - by the way if came from the Lapta side of Girne to get to this mans shop you will have passed at least two others that are always open on Sundays - you just have to know where they hide out - lol.

Thanks for the information, although I understand the customs here well given the fact that I am Kibrisli myself.

I just don't like to see people I have met and liked being accused of dishonesty (as a fact!?) when my experience begs to differ, in all honesty it does not make much of a difference to me now because I found out one of my cousins owns one of the Yapi markets in karaoglanoglu so that is naturally my choice now.

wondering1 wrote:

Thanks for the information, although I understand the customs here well given the fact that I am Kibrisli myself.

I think the point of this thread is that the Yapi in question overcharges Expats. As a self-confessed Kibrisli, it is unlikely that you would come across such discrimination.

Discrimination.........Cyprus is built on it.