Türkiye has taken a new step in regulating cross-border online shopping. With a presidential decision published in the Official Gazette, the duty-free threshold for goods purchased from abroad via postal or express courier services has been completely abolished. The exemption limit, which had previously been reduced from €150 to €30, has now been eliminated entirely.
Under the new system, all individual purchases from abroad, regardless of product value, will be subject to customs duties. Goods imported from European Union countries will be taxed at a rate of 30%, while products arriving from non-EU countries will face duties of up to 60%. Additional taxes will apply to items falling under Special Consumption Tax (SCT) regulations.
The regulation directly affects the rapidly expanding cross-border e-commerce market, particularly low-priced, high-volume purchases. Fashion, footwear, leather goods, and accessories ordered from China and other Far Eastern platforms are expected to face significant cost increases due to the new tax structure.
From an industry perspective, the decision is seen as a step toward rebalancing competitive conditions for domestic manufacturers and brands. In sectors such as leather goods, footwear, and bags, long-standing concerns over competition from tax-free imported products are expected to ease. However, experts underline that taxation alone will not be sufficient without strengthened customs controls, declaration processes, and logistics oversight.
On the consumer side, the picture is more complex. With the addition of customs duties, clearance fees, and service charges, the appeal of low-cost products is likely to diminish. While this may redirect demand toward domestic retail and e-commerce channels, it also raises the risk of reduced consumption in highly price-sensitive segments.
Overall, the new regulation is expected to challenge consumer habits in the short term, while potentially accelerating a structural shift toward registered trade, domestic production, and more balanced competition in the medium term.
