The journey to the Turkish market for an e-commerce seller consists of five steps.
1. Legal Entity Incorporation
The standard corporate form is Ltd. Şti. (the equivalent of an LLC). The minimum share capital is 50,000 TRY, payable within 24 months. A foreign national may serve as the director and sole shareholder.
2. Tax Registration and VAT
Occurs automatically upon company incorporation.
3. Registration with ETBİS
The obligation depends on the sales channel. For sales solely through a domestic Turkish electronic commerce intermediary, the Ministry of Trade does not require the seller to register or submit notifications in ETBİS on that basis. When operating an owned online store, registration is required before activity begins. Foreign platforms and mixed models require a separate assessment. Ministry of Trade FAQ.
4. Bank Account
The most sensitive phase. Banks conduct enhanced due diligence (EDD), where the key requirement is a verified source of funds.
5. Warehousing and Logistics
Leasing your own warehouse or operating via a third-party fulfillment center (3PL). For launching operations, third-party fulfillment is more cost-effective in most cases.
All five steps can be completed in four–six weeks, provided there are no complications with banking compliance.