Number of e-commerce transactions in Turkey 2015-2023, by quarter

In the fourth quarter of 2023, Turkey recorded approximately 656.4 million e-commerce transactions, the highest number per quarter ever registered in the country. That is more than 16.5 percent higher than the 563.4 million online transactions completed in the same period of the previous year. In comparison, the number of e-commerce transactions stood at 54 million in the first quarter of 2015.

Payment methods

Between 2016 and 2022, card payments consisting of credit, debit, and prepaid cards were the most popular payment methods to use for e-commerce purchases in Turkey, accounting for a total of 67 percent market share. Additionally, bank transfers and e-wallets ranked second on the list, which held 14 and nine percent of the market share, respectively. In 2022, transactions made via card payments made up the highest volume of e-commerce transactions, amounting to nearly 487 billion Turkish lira. Relatively, cash-on-delivery methods generated only 27 billion Turkish lira transaction value in the same year.

Leading segments of e-commerce

Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the shopping behavior of the Turkish people changed significantly. Due to the unique conditions of the lockdowns and government-imposed restrictions during that period, there was a dramatic shift from in-person to online shopping. Accordingly, many consumers preferred to shop for certain products online rather than going to the store, which was led by categories like clothing and shoes. Correspondingly, the value of consumer spending for the fashion category became the second highest among other consumer goods, reaching 3.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2023.