Retail revolution in Turkey

Abstract

This thesis covers the changes and analysis in Turkey's retail industry. It can be called “a retail revolution” due to the big structural changes in trade and consumer behaviors. Until the 1980s, the change was slow. It turned into a revolution after the liberalization of the economy and the significant increase in income levels. First, the shopping culture and the historical development of shopping in Turkey are discussed. Focusing on the contribution of Akhism culture to the retailing sector and today’s modern commercial life, the past and the present are compared in certain respects. Another focus is the economic data of Turkey to understand the change in the retailing industry dealt together with the impacts of the economy on daily lives. The new Turkish economy is led by consumption. Why women and even children are more important in terms of shopping and to what extent the shopping activity is done by a whole family together are examined. Then new retailing which is an emerging sector in Turkey is another subject of this study. The interests of domestic and international players in retail and its positive outputs for Turkish end users are examined as new players. Consumers make decisions about where, how and how much they will spend to meet their required and other needs. These tendencies and decisions shape retail markets. New ways of payment methods, rapid dissolution in rural areas and new relations of spending led by urbanization and changing consumer tendencies are the basics of the retail market in Turkey. Also, the change in retail trade channel is the main reason of the change in Turkey’s retail industry. These new-generation retailers operate in the areas of motivated consumptions in large scales through shopping malls. Finally, assumptions and projections are covered for retail world of the 2010’s in Turkey. The expected consolidations, threats and opportunities are examined for the players in this channel. Also a close look into Turkey’s retail market caused by the economic crises is another important topic which is analyzed in this thesis. Turkey’s power in global economy and its chance of competition in the future as a country that has gone through a rapid transformation in the last two decades are the last but not the least issues.