Consumers are wary of fake products... Concern about 'counterfeiting' in online shopping

E-commerce volume in TURKEY increased by 52.2 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, exceeding 4.57 trillion lira. The market is growing, but it is reshaping with experience. Price advantage is no longer only on the consumer's agenda in online shopping. Whether the discount campaigns reflect reality, whether the purchased product is original or not, and the reliability of the seller are also decisive in shopping decisions. In addition to finding the cheapest product, consumers want to make sure that they benefit from the right discount and will not encounter a fake product. This picture showed itself in the results of Turkey's first E-Commerce Standards Index research.

The research conducted by the Data Institute for Amazon Türkiye with 2,530 people across Türkiye revealed the importance consumers attach to trust in online shopping. According to the research, the consumer's priority in e-commerce is to shop from a reliable platform rather than finding the cheapest product. Originality of the product, reliability of the seller, delivery quality and protection of personal information are among the main factors that determine preferences.

ORIGINALITY IS QUESTIONED

The results of the research revealed remarkable data on many topics, from consumers' shopping habits to their trust expectations:

69 percent of consumers have shopped online in the last six months. 84 percent of online shoppers stated that they shop at least two or three times a month.

Trust ranked first with 48 percent among the essentials of a good e-commerce experience. Trust was followed by delivery quality with 45 percent, product variety with 41 percent, returns and exchanges with 40 percent, and price with 37 percent.

69 percent of consumers preferred the platform they know and trust over a platform they do not know, even if the same product is sold 10 percent cheaper.

The most important factor that strengthens trust is that payment and personal information are secure, with 48 percent. This was followed by ensuring the authenticity of the purchased products with 40 percent, and the platform providing support in case of problems with 38 percent.

The main factor that undermines trust is that problems related to wrong or damaged products remain unresolved, with 48 percent. Concern about counterfeit or counterfeit products ranked second with 46 percent, followed by payment or personal data security breach with 45 percent. Concern about misleading prices and hidden costs ranked sixth with 25 percent.

'CONSUMERS HAVE 3 EXPECTATIONS'

Conveying the expectations of consumers regarding TRUST, Amazon Turkey Country Manager Burak Erdem said, "Customers have 3 main expectations in order to trust, namely that the product is delivered as promised, personal data is protected and the price is correct."

'ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SHOULD WARN ABOUT FAKE PRODUCTS'

RESEARCH revealed that consumers are also positive about artificial intelligence-supported shopping. While one in two online shoppers stated that they are open to using this technology, the element of trust also came to the fore in their expectations from artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence is expected to monitor prices. He is also asked to warn about counterfeit products regarding the brand he chooses.