Ecommerce in Türkiye

Türkiye is located in both Europe and Asia. Compared to other countries, Türkiye is in the middle ground in terms of ecommerce. With a young population, growing economy and increasing ecommerce penetration, it is seen as a promising market.

Content:

• Turkish ecommerce customers
• The ecommerce market in Türkiye
• Big online stores
• Latest ecommerce news from or about Türkiye

Statistics

Ecommerce customers in Türkiye

Türkiye has an internet penetration rate of 83 percent. In 2024, around half of internet users in Türkiye partake in ecommerce. However, nearly two-thirds of all ecommerce spending in that year came from Istanbul. At least 93 percent of the population of that city shops online. In other regions, ecommerce penetration is often below 30 percent.

The Turkish population is among the youngest in Europe.

Notably, the Turkish population is among the youngest in Europe: half of the population is younger than 30 years old. Therefore it is no surprise that most Turkish shoppers use their mobile phone. In 2023, 91 percent of transactions on online platforms were completed on mobiles.

Top product categories in Türkiye by ecommerce volume (2023):

1. White goods and small household appliances (233 billion Turkish lira)
2. Electronics and media (135 billion Turkish lira)
3. Clothing, shoes and accessories (127 billion Turkish lira)

These product categories contrast with the largest markets in Europe, reflecting different consumer preferences. While white goods and small household appliances dominate the ecommerce scene in Türkiye, fashion is the prevailing sector in other European markets such as the UK, Germany, France, and Italy.

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Payment methods in Türkiye

For payment, debit credit cards are the most popular method in online stores in Türkiye: they represent nearly 60 percent of payments according to payment provider Pay. Also cash is still popular, even in ecommerce. In 2023, cash on delivery makes up 7 percent of transactions. Bank transfers account for approximately 11 percent of online payments. Digital wallets represent roughly 11 percent of all online transactions.

The ecommerce market in Türkiye

In recent years, a stronger online shopping culture has emerged in Türkiye. Even though Türkiye is dealing with inflation, ecommerce transactions have increased. The country has a strategic position near areas like Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Besides that, it is catching up with digital trends.

Türkiye is catching up with digital trends.

According to research by the Turkish Ministry of Commerce, the amount of online transactions grew 22.3 percent between 2022 and 2023. The total number of online transactions was 5.87 billion. This is a significant growth, especially compared to other European ecommerce markets, which hardly increased in 2023.

Up until 2021, the online share in Türkiye had experienced a gradual increase since 2017. The increase in 2020 was particularly significant (reaching 6.7 percent), likely influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic, which boosted online shopping. Following a brief rise to 7.4 percent in 2021, the online share dipped to 5.9 percent in 2022.

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Leading online stores in Türkiye

The Turkish ecommerce market seems to be dominated by online marketplaces, multi-category retailers and private shopping sites. Popular online stores in Turkey are Trendyol, Hepsiburada and lcwaikiki.

Read all our articles about ecommerce in Turkey.