BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 30. Trendyol carefully studies local markets to gain customer trust and effectively expand its business, the Head of International Expansion at Trendyol Group, İrem Çağrı Yılandil said during the INMerge Innovation Summit organized by PASHA Holding in Baku, Trend reports.
"We are currently active in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Georgia, Azerbaijan, as well as Romania, Greece, and Bulgaria. Online retail in Romania accounts for 10-12 percent of total turnover, which is roughly the same as in Türkiye five years ago. In Saudi Arabia, it is about 9 percent, and in Central Asia, 5-7 percent. This shows a large digital divide, but also enormous growth potential," she noted.
According to Yılandil, the key difference between Trendyol and global players is its rejection of a universal strategy.
“In developing countries, where online purchases account for only one in ten, it is important to gain consumer trust. This comes through familiarity and habit. When shoppers visit Trendyol, they should feel at home,” she emphasized.
To this end, the company cooperates with local partners. In Azerbaijan, for example, this is Birbank, which offers installment plans, Birbonus bonus programs, and local promotions.
The company's official emphasized that there are currently 250,000 sellers registered on the Trendyol platform, serving 30 million buyers in Turkey alone. Over the past five years, the share of online retail in the country has grown from 10 percent to 20 percent, driven by digitalization and the trust of local consumers.