Chinese e-commerce platforms Shein and Temu have suspended or restricted trade in Turkey ahead of a government move to scrap duty-free online trade from February 6.
Turkish shoppers realized during the weekend that they no longer could order products from overseas on Temu’s app and website, following news that the retailer’s Istanbul office was raided by government officials Wednesday. Shein, meanwhile, said on its website that it was suspending sales in Turkey “due to recent changes in local policies.”
Ankara increasingly has moved to protect local industry over the past two years, denying cut-price online companies like Temu, Shein, and AliExpress access to a market worth USD 1.5 billion, according to one estimate. Such platforms let shoppers buy products priced under EUR 30 (USD 36) easily and directly from retailers based in China without paying any import duty.
The EUR 30 threshold was already a tighter limit imposed in August 2024. Before that, simplified customs procedures were allowed for parcels under EUR 150 (USD 180). Also in August 2024, Turkey raised taxation to 30% from 18% on parcels from the European Union, and doubled that tax to 60% for those from countries outside of the EU.
Turkey decided in December to scrap duty-free online trade altogether, following moves by the US and EU to end such “de minimis” treatment for small parcels.
This means that from February 6, any incoming parcel will be subject to full commercial import procedures. Shoppers will need to hire a customs broker, complete and compile documentation, and pay various taxes and fees including warehousing charges before they can take delivery of any product. This essentially kills the small-parcel trade on which the Chinese platforms rely.
“To import a product worth EUR 20 (USD 24) would cost customers EUR 200–300 (USD 240–360), which is very prohibitive and would effectively almost finish the businesses of companies like Temu,” Murat Tiryaki, a customs broker, told Nikkei Asia.
Temu now offers only local inventory, a shift that sharply reduces the appeal of a service known for rock-bottom prices from Chinese suppliers. Temu was subject to an “on-site inspection” by officials from the Turkish Competition Authority on Wednesday, with Reuters saying laptops and computers were seized. The Competition Authority denies such a seizure described by Reuters.
It is unclear whether the Temu and Shein trade suspensions will become a permanent retreat from Turkey. Singapore-headquartered Shein was censured by the EU for false discounts and misleading claims, while Temu was found by Brussels to have breached laws around illegal products sold on its platform.
Alibaba-backed Trendyol, which also counts SoftBank Group as an investor, is Turkey’s largest online marketplace. But Trendyol’s business model differs from Temu’s in that it also sells big items and local brands. Other major platforms include Nasdaq-listed Hepsiburada, which is controlled by Kazakh fintech group Kaspi.kz, and Amazon.
Turkish lawmakers pressed trade minister Omer Bolat in November 2025 over Temu’s growing presence in the country.
“We are taking very fast reactions against the global giants … by listening to legitimate concerns and demands regarding imports,” Bolat said then.
Turkey, a Group of 20 member with 86 million people and a USD 1.5 trillion economy, recorded e-commerce volume of USD 89.6 billion in 2024, up 15% from the previous year.
Former central banker and economist Ugur Gurses estimated that local credit card spending on small online purchases from overseas totaled USD 1.5 billion in 2025.
“After government measures, in terms of both process and costs, noncommercial cheap online shopping via parcels from countries like China will become almost impossible,” he said. “This USD 1.5 billion market will be filled by strong local marketplaces and sizable importer companies.”
Temu’s growth in Turkey has been phenomenal. Monthly access to the platform in Turkey reached 29 million in July, up 314% on the year, according to research company Gemius.
In July, 41% of Temu users also accessed Trendyol, 31% also accessed Hepsiburada and 25% also accessed Amazon.
Ebru, a 50-year-old environmental engineer, said cheaper shopping options are being curtailed and that reducing competition could boost prices in a country already grappling with inflation of over 30%.
She said she mainly bought stationery, accessories and clothes from Temu over the past 18 months, with an average monthly basket of USD 100–120. For some products, she found discounts of around 50% compared with other marketplaces.
“This is a political decision to protect big importers rather than individuals,” she said. “After the new measures, I will not seek to buy goods from abroad as it will become too expensive and complicated.”
This article first appeared on Nikkei Asia. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with Nikkei.