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Turkey Imposes New Taxes on International Online Shopping

Martin Everson

Martin Everson

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Jan 2, 2018
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#1
If you have to fix your economy I suppose this is one desperate way of doing it :confused:.

ftnnews.com

Turkey Imposes New Taxes on International Online Shopping, Impacting Expats and Digital Nomads - Focus on Travel News

Turkey’s new taxes on international online shopping impact locals, expats, and digital nomads, raising costs and complicating purchases.
ftnnews.com ftnnews.com

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New Tax Thresholds Impacting Online Shoppers​

In recent years, Turkish consumers and expats alike have enjoyed relatively low tax rates on international online purchases. Previously, goods valued up to €150 were subject to an 18% tax if purchased from the European Union and 30% if purchased from non-EU countries. These thresholds have now been drastically reduced.

Starting from August 21, 2024, the tax-free threshold for international online shopping will drop to €30. This means that items purchased from the EU will now incur a 30% tax, while those from non-EU countries will face a 60% tax. For both Turkish nationals and expats, this represents a significant increase in the cost of everyday items ordered from popular international platforms like TEMU and Shein.

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#5
I wonder if it impacts businesses as well? Most likely yes, as in most countries the customs taxes are same/similar for consumers and businesses - however the wording of the article mentions consumers.
But for businesses it would be really bad to have all imported sub-components/parts/supplies increase in price by 60%. I once considered opening manufacturing company in Turkey (that would be selling to foreign markets) and recently I was considering it even more. But with +60% tax on all imported supplies, it would suck a lot... And other countries can retaliate with similar 60% tariffs making their exports uncompetitive even more.
 
#6
globalmerchant said:
I wonder if it impacts businesses as well? Most likely yes, as in most countries the customs taxes are same/similar for consumers and businesses - however the wording of the article mentions consumers.
But for businesses it would be really bad to have all imported sub-components/parts/supplies increase in price by 60%. I once considered opening manufacturing company in Turkey (that would be selling to foreign markets) and recently I was considering it even more. But with +60% tax on all imported supplies, it would suck a lot... And other countries can retaliate with similar 60% tariffs making their exports uncompetitive even more.
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No. It does not. Turkey had same duties as EU. They form a customs union. It is only for consumer imports.
 
#7
daniels27 said:
No. It does not. Turkey had same duties as EU. They form a customs union. It is only for consumer imports.
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Interesting. So if it does not impact businesses, the Aliexpress etc. just have to establish an entity & warehouse in Turkey, and perform final sale to customer from that Turkish entity after it imported goods from abroad (and this sale to consumer would be with razor thin margins, so will pay minimal income taxes).
 
#9
globalmerchant said:
Interesting. So if it does not impact businesses, the Aliexpress etc. just have to establish an entity & warehouse in Turkey, and perform final sale to customer from that Turkish entity after it imported goods from abroad (and this sale to consumer would be with razor thin margins, so will pay minimal income taxes).
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They mainly ship with 4PX, a logistics company which does commercial bulk customs declarations with fake values. I'm other words, no they do not need that warehouse and still won't be affected much.

It mainly affects brand products sold at high price.
 
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#10
Tarrifs are not a move 'out of desperation' but quite the contrary the way how any economy developed. And there is nothing to fix about Turkey's economy. Except maybe a lesson that you never ever index your loans in foreign curtency. Free trade is an imperial UK tycoonery scam thrown upon everyone else.
 
#11
JosephLL said:
Tarrifs are not a move 'out of desperation' but quite the contrary the way how any economy developed. And there is nothing to fix about Turkey's economy. Except maybe a lesson that you never ever index your loans in foreign curtency. Free trade is an imperial UK tycoonery scam thrown upon everyone else.
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Turkey has no control over their tariffs as they are in a customs union with the EU.

History has shown that free trade brings wealth to the people. There are many examples. Turkey has a history of inflation, that is the problem. Your economy is about to collapse when you cannot buy Aluminum for production because they seller does not want to sell today as price will be better tomorrow. But inflation is technically solvable, but requires good politics.
 
#12
daniels27 said:
Turkey has no control over their tariffs as they are in a customs union with the EU.

History has shown that free trade brings wealth to the people. There are many examples. Turkey has a history of inflation, that is the problem. Your economy is about to collapse when you cannot buy Aluminum for production because they seller does not want to sell today as price will be better tomorrow. But inflation is technically solvable, but requires good politics.
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Can you name one? Inflation is a result of financial warfare against Turkey using fx exchange rate. A typical weapon of colonization by the indexing of priv/public debts in fx currency.
 
#13
JosephLL said:
Can you name one? Inflation is a result of financial warfare against Turkey using fx exchange rate. A typical weapon of colonization by the indexing of priv/public debts in fx currency.
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Except if you actively devalue your currency. The Turkish Lira was once pegged to the British Pound and then to the French Franc and then even to the US Dollar. And even in the most recent crisis, it was Erdogan and the central bank that largely failed.
en.wikipedia.org

Turkish lira - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
 
#15
diatessaron said:
Good for them, if the people don't protest it it means they agree with it.
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No.

No, because they do not agree.

No, because they do protest and do want him dead. Even the ambassadors don't like him. Even the army tried to kill him free years back.

As with most other autocrats, nobody wants him. And them being the enemy of your enemy does not make them friends.
 
#16
€30 is not tax-free threshold, there was no tax-free threshold ever, 30% and 60% tax rates applied now, on top of that + 20% tax applied on some stuff like alchol or any electronic device it was already been like that. What is shocking is the €30 is limit now, if you bought something expensive than that including taxes that they have right to withhold it (which they do) and you need to go through a procedure to get it which costs 200-300$+ even sometimes need a lawyer. If you don't then they completely own it and they auction your stuff. This means buying stuff is almost completely banned, its funny now amazon removed almost all foreign items and nike closed its online store.
:D
 
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#17
kuasz723 said:
This means buying stuff is almost completely banned, its funny now amazon removed almost all foreign items and nike closed its online store.
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Was just reading that story about Nike....lol

Nike Suspends Online Sales in Turkey After Customs Tax Increase​



Seems Turkey wants to force those selling online goods into Turkey to either stop or setup inside Turkey itself. Nike took decision to just operate through its physical stores in Turkey...so maybe others will follow if the market is important to them.

I just hope this is not a protectionist trend that is gonna catch on in other developing countries facing economic problems.
 
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#18
daniels27 said:
No.

No, because they do not agree.

No, because they do protest and do want him dead. Even the ambassadors don't like him. Even the army tried to kill him free years back.

As with most other autocrats, nobody wants him. And them being the enemy of your enemy does not make them friends.
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If they wanted him dead they'd do something about it. Army was stopped by the people ange¤%&, so if they wanted him dead they wouldn't be lying in front of tanks to stop their advancement.
 
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