Sam helped me establish appropriate pricing for Persian, Indian and Nepalese rugs that had been donated to be sold with proceeds to charity -- at the potential expense of his own sales!
He evaluated 18 rugs made of wool, told me the estimated Knots Per Square Inch, type of design (Sarouk, Kashan, Tabatabaei), country of origin (Iran, India, Nepal) and anything further notable (vegetable dye).
-- backstory:
I had looked online for Persian rug dealers with good YELP! and Google ratings, and one stood out far from the others: Global Rug Specialists on El Camino in Mountain View. Hmm.
Before I got there, I mentioned my quandary to a friend, and she said "Oh, I only trust my rugs to Sam." Sam, at Global Rug. Hmmm. Interesting coincidence.
Then I visited another pal to pick up some donations and shared my quandary. Again, the person said -- unprompted -- "Oh, go to Global Rug and ask for Sam." Triple Hmmm.
I arrived at Global Rug, unannounced and with no appointment. A man named Sam was very welcoming as he listened to my plight: "I have Persian rugs that were donated to sell to benefit refugee resettlement. But I don't know how to sell them or what to charge for them. And I realize I'm suggesting sales that compete with you."
Without hesitation, Sam Nejad invited me to bring the rugs to his store and said he'd give me an on-the-spot estimate. (Not an appraisal -- because those cost $$$ -- but a quick estimate for used rugs from a knowledgeable professional who has earned great reviews as well as loyalty from friends I trust.)
And then he suggested a price. Wow. That seemed too easy! I said I had a few more rugs that needed evaluation, and he was very welcoming.
My own lovely (although not super expensive) 10x12 foot Persian rug needed a cleaning, so why not try Sam out myself? It had been 5 years since the last cleaning and showed evidence of my cat's affection. It would need a cleaning and a shaving. Since Sam performed his magic, not only is my rug brighter and more vivid, but you can't even tell we have a cat who loves the rug as much as we do.
I'm sold!
But now I'm still stuck with my quandary of how to sell these donated rugs? These are not "yard sale" items - the prices will start at $200 and to up to $7,000. Ideas??
(Sam advised me that some rugs need attention on the fringes or elsewhere, and all rugs should be inspected carefully for any moth damage. But these rugs are beauties!)
My plan is to take photos of each rug, provide its specifics and dimensions and note comments Sam made. And I'll offer them for sale on Nextdoor and Facebook- with 100% of proceeds going to Refugee Resettlement. If you have other ideas on how I can turn these valuable donated assets into $$ for refugee resettlement, please let me know.
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/refugeeresettlementvillage
Nextdoor.com:
https://nextdoor.com/g/9a0jlrwvf/
In the meantime, if you need your rugs cleaned or are searching for a special rug, remember:
Global Rug Specialists/Sam Nejad
825 W. El Camino Real Mountain View, Calif. 94040
(650) 965-7847
http://www.globalrug.com read more