If you want to sell products online, you have three broad choices: a marketplace, your own e-commerce site or a social media channel. Each brings a different mix of traffic, control, cost and effort. This guide is written mainly for sellers in Türkiye, where Trendyol, Hepsiburada, n11 and Amazon Türkiye are major options, and also lists platforms abroad.
We explain what an online sales site is, compare the main Turkish and international platforms, cover when a marketplace or your own site makes sense, selling through Instagram, how to choose a platform (category, commission, audience, competition, payment terms, shipping and returns, integrations), whether you need a company, the legal duties, which products sell, how to raise visibility, how to bring customers to your own site and when to use several channels.
What Is an Online Sales Site?
A website or platform where sellers list products and customers buy them over the internet.
Which Sites Can You Sell On?
In Türkiye: Trendyol, Hepsiburada, n11, Amazon Türkiye, Pazarama, ÇiçekSepeti, Dolap and sahibinden.com. Abroad: Etsy and eBay. Businesses can also build their own store.
Comparison of Online Sales Sites in Türkiye
| Platform | Typical strength | Typical consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Trendyol | Very large audience, strong in fashion | High competition |
| Hepsiburada | Broad catalog, electronics and home | Commission and rules |
| n11 | Established marketplace | Smaller audience in some categories |
| Amazon Türkiye | Global brand, logistics options | Category rules |
| Pazarama | Growing marketplace | Smaller reach |
| ÇiçekSepeti | Gifts and flowers | Niche focus |
| Dolap | Second-hand fashion | Limited categories |
| sahibinden.com | Classifieds | Not a classic store model |
Always check each platform’s current commission, rules and seller terms.
Selling on Trendyol
Trendyol is very large, so it can bring fast visibility, but competition and price pressure are high. See Trendyol store opening guide, selling on Trendyol and the Percentage Calculator (Turkish).
Selling on Hepsiburada
Wide category coverage. See best-selling products on Hepsiburada.
Selling on n11
See opening an n11 store.
Selling on Amazon Türkiye
Suits sellers who value a global brand and logistics options. See Amazon SEO and Amazon online arbitrage.
Selling on Pazarama, ÇiçekSepeti and Dolap
- Pazarama: a growing marketplace for diversified sellers.
- ÇiçekSepeti: gifts, flowers and occasion products.
- Dolap: second-hand and fashion; its advantages are a focused audience and low entry barriers; its limits are category scope and fewer tools.
Selling Products on sahibinden.com
A classifieds model rather than a classic store, best for single or high-value items.
Selling on Etsy and eBay
Etsy suits handmade and design products; see Etsy SEO. eBay suits wide international trade. See also e-export.
Building Your Own E-Commerce Site
Gives you control of brand, customer data and margins but you must bring the traffic. See how to set up an e-commerce website, what is e-commerce software, e-commerce packages and virtual store.
Marketplace or Your Own E-Commerce Site?
Marketplaces give instant traffic but take commission and limit brand control. Your own site takes longer to grow but you keep the customer relationship. Many sellers use both.
Selling on Instagram
| Marketplace | Social media | Own site | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic | Ready | Built by you | Built by you |
| Control | Low | Medium | High |
| Cost | Commission | Content and ads | Setup and marketing |
What to Consider When Choosing a Platform
- Product category.
- Commission and service fees.
- Target audience.
- Competition level.
- Payment terms.
- Shipping and returns.
- Integration options.
Do You Need a Company to Sell Online?
Regular commercial sales bring tax and registration obligations. See how to set up a company.
Documents and Legal Obligations
Platforms typically ask for tax and identity documents. Distance-selling rules, ETBİS registration and invoicing apply in Türkiye. See the Electronic Commerce Law, ETBİS and what is an e-invoice.
Which Products Sell Most Online?
Fashion, electronics, home goods, cosmetics and supermarket products are leading categories. See how to start e-commerce and how e-commerce works.
How to Choose a Product
Balance demand, competition, margin and returns.
How to Increase Product Visibility on Marketplaces
- Organize product titles.
- Use quality images.
- Prepare product descriptions.
- Analyze price competition.
- Use ads carefully. See product listing ads and Google Merchant Center product upload.
How to Attract Customers to Your Own Store
Use e-commerce SEO, digital ad management, email and social media. See ways to increase e-commerce sales.
Should You Use Several Sales Channels?
Multi-channel selling gives wider reach and lower dependence on one platform, but it demands stock integration, more customer service and more operations.
How to Start Selling Online
Choose the product and audience, analyze competitors, calculate costs, choose channels, prepare listings, set up payments and logistics, then launch and measure.
Common Mistakes
- Focusing only on sales volume: high volume doesn’t mean profit. Count commission, advertising, returns and shipping.
- Entering every platform at once: without operational readiness you get stock and service problems.
- Ignoring product images: shoppers can’t touch the product, so images carry the decision.
- Using marketplace ads without control: check regularly that ad-driven sales are profitable.
- Neglecting your own site: relying only on marketplaces limits control over brand and customer data.
- Not calculating return rates: especially for clothing, shoes and fragile products.
- Not keeping stock current: use stock integration when selling on several platforms.
- Leaving reviews unanswered: study negative reviews and fix recurring problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which sites can you sell products on?
Trendyol, Hepsiburada, n11, Amazon Türkiye, Pazarama, ÇiçekSepeti, Etsy, eBay, Dolap and sahibinden.com are among the platforms you can use. Businesses can also build their own e-commerce site.
Is a marketplace or my own site better?
A marketplace brings traffic quickly but limits brand control. Your own site gives control but needs traffic building. Many sellers combine both.
Do I need a company to sell online?
For regular commercial sales, tax and registration obligations can arise. Check with an accountant.
Which products sell most online?
Fashion, electronics, home goods, cosmetics and supermarket products are among the leading categories.
