Draft E-Commerce Regulation: Is a Data Portability Right Coming for Sellers?

In August 2026, the press reported that Türkiye's Ministry of Trade has prepared a new draft e-commerce regulation aimed at marketplaces and sellers. According to press reports, the draft would require medium, large and very large marketplaces to transfer product, sales and review data to a competing marketplace free of charge at the seller's request. As of October 3, 2026, the official name and effective date of the regulation have not been announced; the text is not in force. The issue matters to sellers who sell on more than one marketplace or are considering opening a new channel.

What is in the draft e-commerce regulation?

The items below are based on press reports; the final text may differ.

Data portability right for sellers

Under the draft, medium, large and very large marketplaces should be able to transfer the following data to a competing marketplace free of charge at the seller's request:

• product descriptions and images,
• sales and return information,
• customer questions and answers,
• ratings (reviews),
• performance scores.

Today, when a seller moves to a new marketplace, they recreate their product content and build up reviews and a store rating from scratch. If the regulation is adopted as is, dependence on a single platform is expected to decrease.

For example, a store that has sold on a single marketplace for years and collected many positive reviews currently starts with zero reviews on a second marketplace. The right in the draft could make it possible to carry this track record over to the new channel. However, details such as how transferred reviews and scores would be displayed on the new marketplace, in what format the data would be transferred and how quickly a request would have to be fulfilled are not covered in the reports.

Clear liability for lost and damaged shipments

Under the draft, liability among the marketplace, the seller and the shipping company for lost or damaged shipments must be clearly set out in the contract. Uncertainty over who pays for a lost shipment is one of the problems sellers run into most often.

Use of trademarks in search engine ads

According to press reports, another company's registered trademark may not be used in search engine ads without permission.

When will the draft take effect?

It is not possible to say yet. The press reports do not include the regulation's official name or effective date, and no text has been published in the Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete). Because draft texts can change before publication, do not treat the items above as final rules. Once the regulation is published, it will become clear which marketplaces it applies to and from what date.

What rules are in force today?

Until the draft takes effect, the relationship between marketplaces and sellers is governed by existing legislation. For example, under Additional Article 1 of Law No. 6563 on the Regulation of Electronic Commerce, it counts as an unfair commercial practice if a marketplace does not pay the seller the sale amount within 5 business days from the date it takes possession of the amount and the order reaches the buyer. You can find our other articles on marketplace processes in the marketplace category.

What should you do as a seller?

For now, the draft creates no obligations. Still, the following steps will make your work easier however the regulation turns out:

• Keep your product descriptions, images and barcode information not only in the marketplace panel but also in your own archive or product management software. For ways to manage multiple channels from one place, see our article what is marketplace integration.
• Read the lost and damaged shipment clause in your marketplace contract, and keep records of lost and damaged shipments.
• If your trademark is registered, monitor whether it is being used in search engine ads without permission; if you use someone else's trademark as a keyword in your own ads, review that practice.
• Follow the Official Gazette and Ministry of Trade announcements; we will update this article once the regulation is finalized.