In a statement made by the Ministry of Trade, it was stated that the innovations brought by the age of technology have brought about radical changes in the ways trade is conducted and shopping habits, including cross-border economic relations such as e-export and e-import.
The statement said, “It is observed that the share of e-commerce in total retail trade is increasing every year compared to traditional trade due to factors such as e-commerce’s ability to offer a wide range of products to consumers quickly, easily and at lower costs, regardless of time and space limits; and the absence of workplace rental costs for sellers and lower stock and financing costs.”
“WE CONTINUE OUR REGULATIONS CAREFULLY”
The statement emphasized that the increase in the volume of electronic commerce and the uncertainty caused by the inability to control and inspect the sellers or providers and the goods or services have further increased the importance of distance contracts that include protective regulations for consumers who are parties to electronic commerce. The following statements were included:
“We continue to meticulously carry out our regulations in order to prevent our consumers from being victimized due to the increasing volume and importance of e-commerce, the additional uncertainties arising from poor quality and unsafe products along with increasing e-imports.”
In line with this important transformation, the Ministry of Trade closely follows global developments and updates in the European Union legislation and integrates them into domestic law, it was underlined in the statement, and in this direction, regulations were made in the Law No. 6502 on Consumer Protection and the provisions of Distance Contracts with the aim of ensuring a fair balance between sellers and consumers and protecting consumers at universal standards.
CONTINUATION OF THE RIGHT OF WITHDRAWAL IS PROVIDED
In this context, an amendment was made to the Distance Contracts Regulation regarding the changes that were planned to come into force on January 1, 2025, to come into force on January 1, 2026.
The statement said, “With the changes made, the limitations on the goods and services for which the right of withdrawal can be used and the provisions regarding the return costs being covered by the consumer under the contract have been postponed, allowing our consumers to continue to use their right of withdrawal without giving any justification and paying any penalty.”
“THE AIM IS TO PREVENT CONSUMER VICTIMIZATION”
The statement included the following statements:
“As the Ministry of Trade, after the regulations; it is aimed to ensure that the harmonization process in the sector works more healthily and effectively, and to prevent consumer grievances arising from the artificial increase in demand for generally poor quality and unsafe products with attractive offers such as free shipping, free returns, opportunity discounts in e-imports of foreign origin, which do not have a legal representative in our country, including tax, and whose business volume has increased rapidly in recent years.
In addition, considering the possibility that the domestic market may turn into an unbalanced and uncontrolled electronic commerce market in terms of local marketplaces and sellers, and also considering the possibility that sellers in the domestic market may face unfair competition, it is aimed to protect our domestic market. Our work will continue without slowing down to protect our consumers and our producers who contribute to our economic prosperity by contributing to production and employment in the domestic market.
