How to Import from Turkey: A Step-by-Step Guide to Turkish Factories
Super Admin3 min read
Turkey is one of the most convenient sourcing markets for buyers in the Middle East, the Gulf, Europe and Africa. It has a broad manufacturing base, short transit times to the region, and factories that are used to working with export customers of every size.
But a good import does not start with a price. It starts with a clear plan. This guide walks through the steps that experienced importers follow when they buy from Turkish factories for the first time.
1. Define exactly what you want to buy
Before contacting anyone, write a short product brief. Suppliers can only quote accurately against a clear request, and a clear brief is also what lets you compare offers later.
Product name, model or reference photos
Materials, dimensions, weight, colours and finish
Quantity per order and expected yearly volume
Packaging and labelling (retail box, carton, pallet, your brand or theirs)
Destination country and any certificates or registrations it requires
Target delivery date
2. Find the right type of supplier
In Turkey you will meet three kinds of sellers: manufacturers who produce the goods, export companies that buy from several factories and handle export paperwork, and wholesalers who sell from stock. Each can be the right choice. A manufacturer usually gives the best control over specification and price on larger orders; an exporter can be easier for mixed loads; a wholesaler suits small, fast, repeat orders.
Shortlist three to five companies that actually specialise in your product rather than one that "can make anything".
3. Verify the company
A professional website and quick replies are not proof of capability. Before you share designs or pay anything, check:
The registered company name, address and tax number, and that they match the invoice and bank account
Whether they own the production facility or subcontract
Export references and the markets they already ship to
Certificates, and whether their scope really covers your product
A video call or visit to the production floor
4. Request quotations on the same basis
Send the same brief to every shortlisted supplier and ask them to quote using the same quantity, packaging and delivery term (for example FOB Mersin or EXW factory). Ask for unit price, minimum order quantity, lead time, sample cost and validity of the offer. Only then are the numbers comparable.
5. Approve a sample
Order a pre-production sample and check it against your brief. Record the approved version with photos, measurements and a reference code. This "golden sample" becomes the standard the bulk order will be inspected against.
6. Agree payment and shipping terms
Common arrangements are a deposit with balance before loading, or payment against documents. Link each payment to something you can verify: an approved sample, production photos, an inspection report or the bill of lading. Agree the Incoterm, who books freight, and which documents the supplier must provide, such as the commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin.
7. Inspect, ship and clear customs
Inspect the goods before the final payment and before loading. Then confirm with your freight forwarder and customs broker that the paperwork matches the destination's requirements, so the shipment does not sit at the port.
Start with the right partner
Importing from Turkey is straightforward when each step is documented. TurkLink helps international buyers find, verify and work directly with Turkish manufacturers, so you can move from first enquiry to first shipment with fewer surprises.
Cover photo: In Ambarli - Crain Gottwald - MV KAPTAN ERGUN - panoramio by ---=XEON=---, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
