Ikea - Passport Required ?

[bearcat]

A couple of days ago I went shopping at Ikea in Izmir.

At the till I was asked to produce my passport.
My name, passport number and nationality ended up transferred onto my till receipt.

Does anyone know why I needed to produce my passport ?

I did join the credit card only queue and this did puzzle the guy on the till who didnt think that I should be in that queue until I showed him I was going to pay with my Garanti debit card.

Or could it be the amount I spent ... 770 tl.

[mac2010]

I think IKea offers the chance to claim the vat back  with this type of invioce if leaving turkey.

[Chinook]

Did you get offered the option of giving them your Kimlik Nr ?

[bearcat]

I had my Kimlik with me so I thought Id hand that over too ... just in case it changed his mind about needing my passport.

I should have asked why he needed my passport but the feeling I got was that the guy had just enough English ... but not enough to explain why he needed my passport.

It did also cross my mind that it was to claim the vat back, because I had in my mind that Id heard about being able to do this years ago, but why and how I havent a clue - one of my purchases was a large rattan chair, which you couldn't put in a suitcase.

I was in the bank in Fethiye and asked if they new why and they said that maybe its because they would not expect someone who is Turkish to have a Turkish bank card as Izmir isnt so used to dealing with foreigners as they do in Fethiye.

Its all a bit strange as it looked as if as about 50% of the people in Ikeas resturant weren't Turkish.

[starman]

It maybe to do with that over a certain amount, they need to issue an invoice and not a regular receipt. They need a name to go on this invoice and a town of residence. There is no need what so ever to show your passport and I myself never have my passport with me unless I am off to the airport. I think as you were a tourist, it was just easier for the guy to ask for a passport rather then say ID card or ask questions in English.