TOBB E-commerce Council Member and Founder CEO of Ticimax E-commerce Systems, Cenk Çiğdemli, emphasized that there has been a general upward trend in both micro-export and B2B e-export sectors over the past year. Çiğdemli stated that the e-export support package, in particular, has had a positive impact on the sector.

General Increase in Micro and B2B E-Export

Çiğdemli pointed out that there has been a general upward trend in micro-export and business-to-business (B2B) e-export sectors in online markets. He said, “There are 196 countries in the world. Whether through your website or marketplaces, you can sell to any country you want. You can sell products you produce in your own factory or workshop, products you make at home, and you can also engage in buy-sell transactions.”

Importance of E-Export and Government Incentives

Çiğdemli emphasized that the increase in demands for micro-export and B2B e-export is due to the growing awareness of SMEs towards online export. He also stated that government incentives play a crucial role in this area. Referring to the emphasis of the Minister of Treasury and Finance, Mehmet Şimşek, on “searching for foreign markets,” Çiğdemli expressed that e-export is like a mine.

Surge in Demand for B2B E-Commerce

Çiğdemli mentioned that, in addition to micro-export, there has been an explosion in demand for e-commerce sites focusing on business-to-business wholesale trade. He said they have developed new modules for business-to-business e-commerce to meet these demands, offering solutions such as defining price groups specifically for dealers, assortment sales systems, sales based on current accounts, pre-orders, multilingual options, and payment methods that vary by country.

E-Export Support Package and Doping Effect

Çiğdemli stated that the e-export support package has created a doping effect in the sector. Under this support, companies engaged in e-export can receive support ranging from 27 million liras, B2B platforms up to 7.2 million liras, and retail e-commerce sites, marketplaces, and e-export consortia up to 81.4 million liras in various categories. He emphasized that these incentives are a significant opportunity, especially for SMEs.

Growing Need for Smart Shopping Worldwide

Çiğdemli noted that the personalization of product content and pricing, the recognition of customer purchasing models with artificial intelligence, are driving the rise of B2B e-commerce. He also expressed that the shift towards smart B2B trade is influenced by various factors, including the negative effects of rising prices due to inflation, supply chain delays, and pricing disruptions caused by shortages worldwide. Çiğdemli concluded by highlighting the increasing demand for intelligent B2B commerce due to consumers who have become accustomed to personalized experiences in online shopping for everything from household items to groceries. Finally, he acknowledged the role of government incentives in advertising and marketing, expressing a positive outlook for the future of e-commerce.