The cross-border marketplace Joom, known for connecting European customers with affordable products from China and emerging markets, has officially announced its exit from the Turkish market. This decision ends a relatively short-lived attempt to compete in one of the most price-sensitive and logistics-driven e-commerce markets in the region.
A Short-Lived Venture
Joom entered Turkey hoping to capitalize on growing demand for affordable, international products. The platform was available in Turkish, but all translations were machine-generated, and there was no real local team behind the experience. Without Turkish warehousing, domestic logistics support, or tailored customer service, Joom struggled to compete with deeply entrenched players like Trendyol, Hepsiburada, and N11.
Why Did Joom Leave?
While the official announcement did not elaborate on the reasons behind the decision, several challenges likely contributed:
- Fierce Local Competition: Turkish marketplaces offer extremely fast delivery, localized campaigns, and customer trust built over years. Joom’s long international shipping times simply could not match local expectations.
- Limited Localization: Beyond machine-translated interfaces, Joom lacked any meaningful adaptation to Turkish shopping habits, payment preferences, or seasonal campaigns.
- Import Tax Barriers: Turkey’s €30 tax-free import threshold made it inconvenient for many Joom customers. Orders exceeding this limit were subject to customs duties, which significantly reduced the appeal of low-cost cross-border shopping.
- The Rise of Temu: Platforms like Temu have entered the Turkish market with aggressive pricing, app-first experiences, and strategic marketing. Their ability to scale quickly and invest heavily in user acquisition left Joom behind.
- Profitability and Brand Visibility: With low order values, high logistics costs, and limited brand awareness, sustaining operations in Turkey likely became unviable.
What Happens to Existing Sellers?
Sellers using Joom’s Turkish portal were notified of the upcoming closure and are no longer able to upload new listings. Most had already noted limited engagement from Turkish users. At this point:
- Sellers should withdraw pending earnings and close down Turkish-focused listings.
- International sellers aiming at Turkish consumers might consider alternative cross-border channels such as AliExpress or Trendyol Global.
- For brands with inventory in Europe, exploring Amazon Türkiye, Shopee EU, or Lazada could offer better results with more predictable operations.
What This Means for E-Commerce in Turkey
Joom’s exit highlights the difficulty of entering a maturing e-commerce market without proper infrastructure and investment. The Turkish consumer base is highly engaged, but also demanding. Fast shipping, localized experiences, and price transparency are non-negotiable. Platforms that cannot address these needs will continue to struggle.
Final Thoughts
Joom’s departure from Turkey signals more than just a corporate decision. It reflects how challenging cross-border commerce can be in regulated, competitive, and fast-paced markets. With the rise of mobile-first platforms like Temu and ever-tightening customs regulations, the days of low-effort cross-border selling may be over. Sellers and platforms alike must now choose: localize deeply or risk being left out of the conversation.
