Turkish small businesses face competition from online trade and supermarkets

Small business owners in Turkey are reporting challenges due to changing consumer habits and competition from larger retailers. In Eskişehir, second-hand furniture dealers note that university students are increasingly bypassing traditional shops. Instead, students are opting to trade items directly among themselves or purchasing goods through online marketplaces.

In the Yüksekova district of Hakkari, stationery retailers are expressing frustration over the upcoming school season. Local shopkeepers claim that chain supermarkets are negatively impacting their sales by selling stationery products. The President of the Yüksekova Chamber of Tradesmen and Craftsmen, İrfan Sarı, has called for legal regulations to protect specialized small businesses, arguing that the ability of large markets to sell diverse product categories sidelines expert local retailers.