A New Era in E-Commerce: The Impact of the Regulation That Came into Effect on April 1

The new e-commerce regulation published in the Official Gazette on October 30, 2024, came into effect on April 1, 2025, following an approximately five-month transition period. This regulation closely concerns all businesses operating in the e-commerce sector. New rules have been established in many areas, from sales strategies to the use of online marketplaces. Your ability to comply with the regulation is now becoming just as important as your products in determining your competitive strength in the digital marketplace. So, how will this new era affect your business? What steps do you need to take to ensure compliance? Let's explore the answers to all these questions together in our article.

New Requirements and Changes Introduced by the Regulation

The e-commerce regulation that came into effect on April 1, 2025 introduces significant changes for online sellers. The key points to consider in this new era are as follows:

You are now required to provide consumers with clear, accessible, and detailed information for every product you offer for sale. The manufacturer's or importer's information, contact details, and, where applicable, safety warnings or instructions for use must be clearly stated.
Providing all information in Turkish is now a legal requirement. This regulation ensures that customers have complete information about products when shopping and can make more informed purchasing decisions.
If a product you offer for sale is found to be non-compliant with applicable legislation or poses a safety risk, it must be removed from the platform within 24 hours. This not only increases your responsibility when selecting products but also helps establish a system that prioritizes consumer safety.
If you source your products from suppliers based abroad or sell products from outside Türkiye, you are now legally required to have a representative in Türkiye. This ensures that consumers have a point of contact in the event of a potential issue.
The new regulation aims to ensure that consumer complaints are resolved more quickly. Accordingly, sellers are expected to manage complaint processes more effectively and transparently.
Every platform is required to establish a "Product Safety Contact Point" where consumers can submit complaints concerning product safety. This allows customers to communicate their concerns more directly and enables you to manage resolution processes more professionally.
Electronic Commerce Intermediary Service Providers (such as online marketplaces) and Electronic Commerce Service Providers (such as independent sellers) are required to comply with technical regulations. Compliance with Law No. 7223 on Product Safety is not only a legal obligation but is also of great importance in terms of maintaining customer trust.

What Will Change for Consumers?

When the impact of the e-commerce regulation is evaluated, it is clear that the new regulation introduces significant changes for all parties; however, consumers stand to benefit the most. It introduces a comprehensive inspection process focused on product safety and enables consumers to access more information about the products they purchase and make more informed choices.

Product descriptions will now include not only technical specifications but also safety warnings and instructions for use in Turkish. Consumers will be able to easily access all relevant product details and use products more safely.

The new regulation aims to prevent consumers from being exposed to deceptive or misleading information. These regulations are intended to prevent sellers from making misleading or inaccurate product claims. Consumers will be able to more easily verify whether the products they purchase meet the features and standards promised.

Sanctions and Penalties: The Cost of Non-Compliance

The new e-commerce rules introduce not only recommendations but also significant sanctions. In order to protect consumer rights and ensure that online marketplaces and sellers operate in a more transparent and secure manner, graduated administrative fines will be imposed for various violations. The penalties applicable to non-compliant parties vary within the range specified in Part Five of the Law No. 7223:

Intermediary service providers that unfairly disrupt commercial practices may be subject to fines ranging from TRY 36,100 to TRY 361,000 for each unfair practice committed against a service provider. Similarly, unilateral changes to the intermediation agreements of these providers are considered unlawful and are subject to fines within the same range.
Intermediary service providers that fail to make timely payments to sellers are also subject to penalties. For payments delayed by up to 30 days, a fine equal to the unpaid amount may be imposed, while if the delay exceeds 30 days, the fine may amount to twice the unpaid amount.
Intermediary service providers that pressure sellers into offering promotional sales or changing their prices face significantly higher penalties. An administrative fine of TRY 1,803,000 may be imposed for each seller.
Companies that fail to provide information and documents requested by the Ministry of Trade in a timely manner or fail to submit their notifications to ETBİS (Electronic Commerce Information System) may be subject to administrative fines ranging from TRY 180,300 to TRY 901,500.
Companies based abroad that fail to appoint a local representative when shipping products to Türkiye are considered to have committed a significant violation. In addition to restrictions on sales, such companies may face administrative fines of up to TRY 2,000,000 if non-compliance is identified.
Companies that offer products for sale without complying with product safety standards or without the required certificate of conformity may face fines of up to TRY 456,000. Similarly, failure to assess consumer complaints in a timely manner may result in fines of up to TRY 228,000, depending on the nature of the violation.
In more serious cases, the Law on Product Safety and Technical Regulations comes into effect. Companies may face fines of up to TRY 10 million, depending on the severity of the violation. Moreover, if such violations continue, the penalties may be progressively increased.
If the same violation is repeated or becomes persistent, the consequences are not limited to monetary fines. While a fine of up to TRY 2 million may be imposed for the initial violation, this amount may increase to TRY 10 million in the event of repeated violations, and the seller may be completely prohibited from selling on the platform.

The Regulation's Impact on International E-Commerce

The new regulation, which came into effect on April 1, 2025, concerns not only the domestic market but also businesses engaged in international trade. New obligations apply particularly to businesses that ship products from Türkiye to other countries or operate on global online marketplaces.

If exported products fail to comply with the specified safety standards, companies may face substantial administrative fines. This makes it necessary to implement more rigorous quality control mechanisms throughout the export process.

Under the regulation, products offered for sale in Türkiye are required to include safety warnings, instructions for use, and safety information in Turkish. This requires companies based abroad to place greater emphasis on localization processes when entering the Turkish market.

With the new regulation, Türkiye's product safety legislation has moved closer to many international standards, particularly those of the European Union. This means that Türkiye-based brands may find it easier to comply with regulatory requirements in global markets in the future.

Adapting to the New Regulation: What Steps Should Be Taken?

Focusing on certain key areas is essential for ensuring a smooth transition to the new era. Some steps you can take during the compliance process include:

Review your product descriptions in detail and check whether they include safety warnings and safety information in Turkish. Making the necessary updates will contribute to providing your customers with a safe and transparent shopping experience.
Conducting an internal audit to ensure that your products comply with technical regulations can help protect you from potential legal risks. If you work with products sourced from abroad, clearly stating the details of your representative in Türkiye is also an important part of this process.
It will be beneficial to establish an easy-to-understand complaint mechanism through which your customers can contact you. Likewise, maintaining clear information flow with the "Product Safety Contact Point" established through online platforms will help ensure that processes operate smoothly.
If you work with a team, ensuring that your employees are also informed about the updated regulation can facilitate your business processes. In particular, ensuring that employees responsible for customer service and product management are familiar with the basic requirements will help you be better prepared for potential issues.