Turkey's 14-day right of withdrawal: what online sellers must know

If you sell online to consumers in Turkey, the right of withdrawal is one of the first legal concepts you need to understand. In short: a consumer who buys goods through a distance sale in Turkey can withdraw from the contract within 14 days of receiving the goods, without giving a reason and without paying a penalty. This article summarises the legal basis, the timelines, the seller's refund obligation and the general exceptions from a merchant's point of view.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Regulations can change. Check the current official text on mevzuat.gov.tr or consult a lawyer for your specific situation.

What is the right of withdrawal and where does it come from?

The right of withdrawal lets a consumer unilaterally exit a distance contract without giving any reason. It exists because an online shopper cannot see or handle the product before buying it.

The main legal sources are:

• Law No. 6502 on Consumer Protection: sets out the general framework for distance contracts and the right of withdrawal.
• The Distance Contracts Regulation (Mesafeli Sözleşmeler Yönetmeliği): sets the details, including when the period starts, how notice is given, refund deadlines, each party's obligations and the exceptions.

The right of withdrawal does not depend on the product being faulty. A perfectly fine item can be returned within the period. Faulty goods are covered separately by the defective goods rules, which we touch on below.

Timelines: when does the 14-day clock start?

Start of the withdrawal period

For the sale of goods, the 14 days generally start on the day the goods are delivered to the consumer or to a third party the consumer has named. There are specific rules for orders made up of several items or delivered in separate parts. For service contracts, the period generally starts on the day the contract is concluded.

If the consumer sends notice before the period ends, the right is exercised in time. Notice must be given in writing or on a durable medium. A return form or return portal on the seller's website can serve this purpose.

The seller's duty to inform

Before the contract is concluded, the seller must inform the consumer that the right of withdrawal exists, how long it lasts and how to use it. If that information is missing or incorrect, the withdrawal period can be extended. That is why your pre-contract information form and distance sales contract need to be kept up to date.

The seller's obligations: how and when to refund

Once the withdrawal notice reaches the seller, the main obligations are generally:

1. Record the notice: Confirming receipt to the consumer is good practice and gives you a record if a dispute arises later.
2. Refund within 14 days: The seller must refund all payments received, including delivery costs where charged, within 14 days of receiving the withdrawal notice.
3. Use the same payment method: The refund is generally made in a way that matches the payment method the consumer used, without imposing any extra cost on them.

The consumer, in turn, must send the goods back within 10 days of giving notice. If the seller named a carrier in the pre-contract information and the goods are sent back with that carrier, the return cost should not be charged to the consumer.

Can you require store credit instead of a refund?

No. When the right of withdrawal is exercised, the consumer is entitled to their money back. A seller may offer alternatives such as an exchange or store credit, but only as options. If the consumer prefers a refund, that choice must be easy to make. Making a gift voucher mandatory or hiding the refund option goes against both the rules and customer trust.

Loss of value from use

Consumers may examine goods to the extent normally needed. The rules provide that the consumer can be held responsible for changes and deterioration caused by use beyond what is consistent with the product's function, technical features and instructions. This does not cancel the right of withdrawal, though. Get legal advice on how to assess such loss of value.

General exceptions to the right of withdrawal

The regulation lists contracts where the right of withdrawal does not apply. The most commonly relevant ones include:

• Goods made to the consumer's specifications or clearly personalised
• Goods that can deteriorate quickly or pass their expiry date
• Goods whose seal, tape or protective packaging has been opened after delivery and which are not suitable for return for health or hygiene reasons
• Goods that, after delivery, are inseparably mixed with other items by their nature
• Opened audio or video recordings, software and computer consumables
• Services such as accommodation or transport that must be provided on a specific date or period

The scope of these exceptions can require interpretation. Before marking a product as non-returnable, check the current wording of the relevant article and tell the consumer clearly before the sale.

Right of withdrawal vs. defective goods

These two are often confused, but they are separate regimes:

• Right of withdrawal: No reason needed, 14-day period, no requirement that the product is faulty.
• Defective goods: If the product is faulty, incomplete or not as described, the consumer has separate elective rights under Law No. 6502. These include withdrawing from the contract, a price reduction, free repair and replacement with a non-defective equivalent. These rights are not limited to the withdrawal period.

The practical consequence: even after the 14 days have passed, a request about a faulty, wrong or incomplete item should not be turned away. Describing these two cases under separate headings in your return policy makes things clear for both customers and your team.

Compliance checklist for sellers

• Do your pre-contract information form and distance sales contract clearly state the right of withdrawal, its length and how to use it?
• Do you have a durable channel (form, email, return portal) for receiving withdrawal notices?
• Is the period in your return policy at least the legal 14 days? Offering longer is allowed.
• Do you have a workflow that completes refunds within 14 days of notice?
• Are your contracted return carrier and return code process defined?
• Are exempt products clearly flagged before the sale?
• If you offer exchanges or store credit, is the cash refund always visible and easy?
• Is personal data collected during returns processed only as necessary under Turkey's data protection law, KVKK?

Where Revoop fits

Revoop is a returns and exchanges tool that runs on top of a merchant's existing platform. The customer submits the return through a portal; depending on the merchant's rules and live stock, an exchange or store credit with a bonus may be offered, but the standard refund is selectable in one click on every screen. For defective, wrong, incomplete or shipping-damaged items, no incentives are offered. We do not move money; cash refunds follow the merchant's own procedure on their platform. Compliance with legal deadlines remains the merchant's responsibility. See the FAQ for more.

Conclusion

The right of withdrawal is the core safeguard of distance selling, and for sellers it is a precondition for trust rather than a risk. Calculating deadlines correctly, making notice easy, refunding on time and disclosing exceptions in advance prevents most disputes before they start. Offering alternatives is legitimate, as long as the consumer's right to a cash refund always stays open and easy to reach.