How to use Alibaba.com in Turkey

A country with a rich cultural and industrial history, Turkey is making a name as a modern economic power. The country sits along key global trade routes and is an important economic bridge between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

Alibaba.com is helping to unleash the trade potential in the Turkish economy. As one of the world’s largest B2B marketplaces, Alibaba.com maintains a thriving B2B trade cluster in Turkey. Sellers and buyers in the country connect with local and global counterparts on Alibaba.com, and the platform facilitates trade in millions of products that meet business needs.

You'll find this guide helpful if you’re new to Alibaba.com in Turkey and want to expand your business with reliable online sourcing or selling.

What is Alibaba.com?

Alibaba.com is one of the biggest names in international B2B trade. Founded in 1999, the giant B2B marketplace is well-known for providing selling and product sourcing options to companies of all sizes.

The platform functions as a comprehensive directory of global suppliers, which it connects directly to global buyers. Alibaba.com is a wholesale marketplace for buyers seeking large product orders at insider prices. Buyers can directly contact manufacturers, design and produce custom goods, and enjoy remarkable cost savings on Alibaba.com.

Alibaba.com also provides international storefronts for sellers worldwide. To facilitate digital selling, the platform partners with hundreds of thousands of businesses, including small-scale manufacturing operations and international product suppliers.

Consequently, any business buyer can go to Alibaba.com to find quality products at incredibly affordable rates. And sellers from countries around the world leverage the platform to facilitate lucrative e-commerce sales.

5 benefits of using Alibaba.com in Turkey

Trading on the world’s largest B2B marketplace comes with its perks, and this is no different for users on Alibaba.com in Turkey. Some of the top benefits of using Alibaba.com in Turkey include:

1. International reach

Alibaba.com is a global marketplace with a presence in 190+ countries and regions. For sellers, that translates to unbelievable access to buyers in the areas that would have been hard to reach.

And for buyers, it means a mouthwatering selection of custom and ready-to-ship goods in nearly 6,000 product categories. There’s hardly any product you won’t find on Alibaba.com, and that’s why buyers love the platform.

2. Millions of buyers and sellers

Because Alibaba.com hosts more than 40 industries and trade sectors, people are naturally drawn to the platform. As a result, you’ll find hundreds of thousands of sellers on Alibaba.com, which translates to an amazing variety for buyers.

Sellers will love the opportunity to connect with millions of buyers from a single digital storefront.

3. Easy to use

Despite the size and scale of the platform, Alibaba.com in Turkey is stress-free and easy to use. Buyers and sellers enjoy various digital tools and product features that make registration, trade, and payments seamless.

For instance, despite language barriers, Alibaba.com makes connecting with users from other countries effortless. The platform supports real-time translation in 18 languages and facilitates smooth discussions via an intuitive chat interface.

4. Order protection

Transacting with companies you only meet online can feel risky, and in many cases, it is. But Alibaba.com offers industry-leading protective measures to help sellers and buyers confidently transact.

Companies can protect their orders on the platform with Alibaba.com Trade Assurance (more on this below). Likewise, the platform provides trusted methods to make payments securely and track shipments transparently.

5. 360-degree support

Finally, Alibaba.com in Turkey ties all its features together with dependable user support. No matter what stage you are in the transacting process, whether at the point of registration or delivery, you can rely on Alibaba.com support to help untangle any knotty issues.

And the support you get isn’t only limited to when things go wrong. Alibaba.com supports users with 360-degree assistance at every step, from account creation to listing products and concluding transactions.

How to use Alibaba.com in Turkey

Before launching into how to use Alibaba.com in Turkey, it’s helpful to understand the magnitude of the e-commerce opportunity in the country. Although Turkey has not always seen much e-commerce growth, the past two years have been pivotal for digital selling in Western Asian countries.

Alongside most of the world, e-commerce saw explosive growth in Turkey in 2020. The sector grew by an astounding 90% in that year alone due to a boost in online selling, reaching a value of $32.2 billion dollars.¹

The sector continued to enjoy excellent expansion in 2021, recording 75% growth in the first half of the year.² And while most of the growth was attributed to a pandemic-induced shift to digital channels, that transition has remained permanent for most businesses.

Turkish companies continue to add e-selling innovations that promote online trade and introduce flexible customer shopping solutions. Considering that spread in innovation, it’s unsurprising that Turkey has earned top 20 rankings amongst the best ecosystems for e-commerce startups.¹

Currently, the country is on track to exceed previous growth figures. Statista projects that the Turkish e-commerce market will reach $46 billion in market volume by 2025, at a 20.4% annual growth rate.³

The number of local e-commerce users is also expected to exceed 58 million by 2025, and user penetration will be 66.9% by the same year.³ Those are really impressive figures for the country of 84.3 million people.⁴

Now that you know the opportunity in Turkish e-commerce let us learn how Alibaba.com in Turkey works next.

Understanding Alibaba.com in Turkey

Alibaba.com maintains a dedicated Turkey channel where businesses go to sell and buy from Turkish counterparts. The channel operates as a commercial hub for products of all kinds, including major export items such as:

• Vehicles
• Machinery
• Iron and steel
• Electronic equipment
• Mineral fuels
• Knitted and crocheted goods
• Plastics
• Non-knitted and crocheted goods

The channel hosts a conglomeration of sellers and buyers from all over Turkey. You’ll find contacts from major Turkish industry hubs like Istanbul, Gaziantep, Kocaeli, Sakarya, Manisa, Izmir, Ankara, Hatay, Bursa, and Adana.

Many hubs, like Istanbul and Izmir, also have key seaports used for importing and exporting goods. Others are located near central seaports in Trabzon, Iskenderun, and Izmit.

Manufacturers operating within Special Economic Zones and Industrial Hubs can offer top-quality items at rates only available to large and well-connected companies. But with Alibaba.com in Turkey, that advantage is available to businesses of all sizes through the Turkey channel.

Buyers looking to source products from Turkey can create an account, complete their profile, and start connecting to suppliers on the Turkey channel. Likewise, sellers need only open a seller account, list their products, and join an industry cluster to begin selling to buyers in Turkey and globally.

Alibaba.com Turkey showroom

In addition to the Alibaba.com Turkey channel, users can also connect to Turkish buyers and sellers with the Alibaba.com Turkey showroom.

The Turkey showroom is a product page similar to any Alibaba.com product search page. You’ll see results for products of different types and price ranges, depending on what you’re looking for.

But there’s one key difference: all of the results in the Turkey showroom are dedicated to Turkish products and sellers from Turkey.

The showroom provides a range of options to filter and refine search results. So, if you’re looking for specific products such as “men’s Turkish suits” within a specific price range or minimum order quantity (MOQ), all you have to do is apply the required filters.

You can do this by going to the left-hand side of the product showroom. You’ll see filters for gender, silhouette, material, decoration, price, MOQ, etc. Apply any one of the filters that you need to refine your search, and you’ll see results that fall within your preferred product category.

How to use Alibaba.com in Turkey: Tips for sellers

Alibaba.com in Turkey presents a unique opportunity for sellers in the country to put their business on a global stage. The platform showcases your business to the world and acts as a connector to incredible business opportunities.

But being in the global window shop is one thing, and taking advantage of that exposure is another. So here are a few tips to help your company reap the rewards of global exposure.

1. Offer outstanding service

The driving force behind the popularity of Alibaba.com and the interest it generates amongst buyers is the quality available on the platform. Buyers know they can enjoy access to high-quality products at competitive prices on Alibaba.com, so they visit the platform.

If your company will enjoy its share of that B2B buyer traffic, you’ll need to ensure that your products offer comparable or better quality. In addition, sellers on Alibaba.com provide numerous value-added benefits to snare the attention of buyers.

For instance, taking care to provide detailed product information and terms or conditions of sale can be helpful for buyers. Likewise, being responsive to requests for quotes (RFQs) and providing dependable service can make a difference for your online store.

2. Leverage the platform’s tools

Alibaba.com in Turkey is here to support your business and help you grow. That’s why the platform provides numerous seller-focused services and B2B e-commerce tools to facilitate business growth.

For example, sellers get fully digital product listing tools that help them rapidly curate and publish product catalogs. The platform provides a smart product posting tool that sellers use to apply search engine optimization (SEO) to their product listing.

The tool provides posting suggestions based on Alibaba.com sales and traffic data. It helps you learn how to frame product page titles, keywords to implement in product descriptions, optimum pricing configurations, and much more.

3. Use the Seller Learning Center

Alibaba.com Seller Learning Center is a repository and knowledge base with valuable resources for sellers. Anyone with a seller account can go to the learning center and access detailed articles and videos on wide-ranging topics, from how to open an account to dealing with unique customer situations.

Whether you’re new to Alibaba.com in Turkey or have maintained a store on the platform for years, you’ll always find valuable help at the learning center.

Specialized Alibaba.com consultants create helpful videos and articles on the center. There’s little they don’t know about the platform, and their job is to get you that information.

How to use Alibaba.com in Turkey: Tips for buyers

Buyers looking to grow their business with high-quality products look to Alibaba.com for reliable supplier contacts. And Alibaba.com provides those contacts in a mammoth directory with hundreds of thousands of manufacturers, suppliers, and millions of products.

But how do you trawl through all the information on the platform to find the exact products you need? Here are a few tips that can help.

1. Find the right sellers

Buyers have needs of all kinds, usually dictated by their business requirements. Sometimes, you require a product shipped urgently; other times, you’re looking for someone to create private-label goods from scratch.

Alibaba.com connects you with the sellers you need through various methods like Ready to Ship and Custom product labels. Ready-to-Ship goods on Alibaba.com are available and in condition to be shipped at once. So if you require products urgently, these goods are your best bet for fast delivery.

On the other hand, custom-produced goods are often not in existence. Production will only commence on these products after you’ve shared your ideas and thinking with the manufacturer, who will then bring your ideas to life.

2. Source OEM and ODM contacts

For other sellers, the goal is to find suppliers that can complement their in-house manufacturing process with OEM or ODM goods.

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are used to working with big label brands to supply components for well-known goods. They are often experienced, with specialized manufacturing skills and equipment.

Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs) are similar to OEMs, with the difference that they’ll also help you design your custom goods. These suppliers are often the gold standard for original manufacturing, and Alibaba.com has specific pages where buyers can contact them.

3. Alibaba.com Buyer Central

Lastly, just as sellers can rely on the Seller Learning Center, buyers also have a ready resource in Alibaba.com Buyer Central. Buyer Central is dedicated to sharing valuable information and knowledge on how to source products on Alibaba.com.

You’ll learn how to find sellers, engage with them, negotiate orders, finalize payments, and take satisfactory delivery. Buyer Central also provides tips on making the most of your business, such as detailed information on managing supplier relationships and more.

Visit Buyer Central to learn more about sourcing products and concluding beneficial deals on Alibaba.com.

How to sell on Alibaba.com

1. Open an account

Your Alibaba.com in Turkey journey starts with opening a seller account. New sellers have multiple plans to choose from, depending on their required features and their business location.

You can register on Alibaba.com here or chat with an Alibaba.com consultant if you’re unsure what plan best fits your business needs and location. After opening your account, fill out your profile with the required information and move on to posting your products.

2. Create your storefront

An Alibaba.com seller account comes with a multi-page storefront that lets you create a unique digital identity. Your Alibaba.com storefront is your business’ window to the world, and it’s straightforward to set up.

The storefront includes tools that let you rapidly and optimally post products, tweak listings, and optimize descriptions. You can choose to post products individually or use the bulk upload tool. As you post items, the upload tool will advise you on what to improve in your listings to gain maximum exposure.

3. Connect with buyers

Once your store goes live, you’ll receive inquiries from interested buyers. Respond to inquiries rapidly to let buyers know you value their business needs. It’s worth remembering that inquiries that receive a response within four hours are more likely to elicit buyer follow-up responses.

Download and install the AliSupplier mobile app to ensure you never miss an inquiry from a serious buyer. Because Alibaba.com lets you own the B2B buyer journey, you’ll have access to potential buyers' email addresses and other contact information. Use this to remain in touch and nurture a mutually-beneficial relationship.

4. Satisfy your clients

Remember that buyers seek your business because they believe you can meet their sourcing needs. To ensure they enjoy a positive experience by opting into Trade Assurance, Alibaba.com’s dedicated service protects orders from payment to delivery.

As you sell to a growing clientele, monitor your sales performance directly from your store. Seller storefronts have a business analytics dashboard that lets you review and optimize user growth, inquiries, orders, store visits, volume, and buyer spend.

5. Grow your business

Alibaba.com puts numerous tools at your disposal to grow and expand your business. For instance, product showcases let you select certain products to headline your store. With showcase, you can potentially funnel more orders and successful sales to those products.

Likewise, Alibaba.com provides a variety of site-wide promotions and online trade shows that incredibly boost your business reach, letting you connect with more buyers.

How to buy and source products from Alibaba.com

1. Open an account

Opening a buyer account on Alibaba.com is entirely free. You’ll be asked to provide information that lets the platform and buyers learn more about your business. The information you’ll provide typically includes:

• Company name
• Country/region
• Email address
• Telephone number

You’ll also be asked to specify your trade role. For example, you may select “Buyer” or “Both” – only select “Both” if you also intend to sell on Alibaba.com.

2. Find and connect with sellers

There are three main ways to find sellers on Alibaba.com.

• Search bar: The search bar is located at the top of every screen on Alibaba.com. Simply type in the name of the product you’re looking for, and you’ll see relevant results.
• Pavilions: These are special trade channels, like Alibaba.com in Turkey. You can choose to go directly to a pavilion that showcases only goods from Turkey or a specific industry.
• RFQs: If you’re unsure how to find specific suppliers, you can submit a request on the RFQ marketplace. Sellers who can fulfill your needs will then reach out with a response.

3. Assess sellers

After connecting with a selection of sellers, it’s time to see if they can meet your needs. While there are hundreds of thousands of sellers on Alibaba.com, some have qualifications that set them apart.

• Gold suppliers: These are paid members of Alibaba.com known for their established commercial or industrial capabilities.
• Verified suppliers: Suppliers in this category are verified, meaning their facilities, production system, and management have been inspected and certified by an independent third party.
• Trade assurance suppliers: These suppliers accept payments directly on Alibaba.com, enabling secure protection for your orders. Trade Assurance ensures your products are delivered according to the agreement. And if there are disputes, you may be able to recover your money.

4. Place your order

Ready-to-Ship goods are available for immediate sale. When you place an order for these goods, they can be shipped to the agreed destination within 15 days or less. On the other hand, you can choose to negotiate a custom order. Click the “Contact Supplier” button on a product page to reach out to the seller and begin negotiations.

After settling the details, place your order and pay with any of the accepted methods on Alibaba.com. Alternatively, you can choose to “Pay Later.” You’ll gain an extended six months to pay for the order at a 3.5% interest rate.

5. Ship and receive orders

Finally, it’s time to ship your order. Buyers can process cross-border orders using Alibaba.com Freight for a seamless and transparent shipping experience. The service provides air freight, ocean freight, and express shipping from China and Hong Kong to global destinations.

And that’s it. You can leave a seller review after receiving your order to let them know what you think of their service and whether you’ll use them in the future.

How to grow your business on Alibaba.com

Whether a buyer or seller, Alibaba.com gives you the platform and backing to grow your business. Some of the ways that Alibaba.com facilitates business growth include:

90-day onboarding

This product feature kicks in for sellers after business verification. Alibaba.com will provide a certified service partner who will work with new sellers to carry out day-to-day account operations – all for free.

They will rapidly respond to buyer inquiries on your behalf, launch and manage your first keyword advertising campaign, and help you set the foundation for success. In addition, you can choose to retain the service after 90 days for a monthly fee.

Dedicated account manager

Users can also work with a dedicated account manager on Alibaba.com. You receive support from a dedicated account manager that goes over and beyond usual customer service.

Your account manager will be there at every step to advise on your business needs, share strategies for growth, and push you on to greater success.

Keyword Advertising

Keyword advertising (KWA) is Alibaba.com’s specialized paid ads program. Ordinarily, when you list new products, your listing needs some time to rise through the rankings before entering the top results.

But with KWA, new sellers can skip the waiting line and go straight to the top of the pile. Using keywords that buyers employ when searching for goods, you can optimize your listing and gain greater exposure. And you only pay for KWA when a buyer clicks on your listing.

Alibaba.com Pay Later

Liquidity is a critical resource for all businesses, especially while maintaining cross-border operations. Alibaba.com recognizes this, which is why the platform provides a “Pay Later” service so companies can more efficiently utilize available cash.

With this service, buyers can delay payment for up to six months while enjoying immediate access to critical supplies. This way, you can take the goods, make profitable sales, and then complete payment without stretching limited resources.

Sign up for Alibaba.com

Overall, Alibaba.com in Turkey allows sellers and buyers to partake in a growing Turkish ecosystem, and the platform also gives you a valuable business partner.

Companies looking to grow their business with international selling and sourcing avenues will find the perfect collaborator in Alibaba.com. Register on Alibaba.com today to start a journey that puts your firm on the global B2B map.