Sourcing in Turkey • 1 min read
Sourcing in Turkey: what European buyers miss
Turkey is not China. Lead times, certifications, incoterms — everything differs. What your suppliers won't tell you upfront.
Most European buyers arrive in Turkey with reflexes calibrated for Southeast Asia: standardised catalogues, low MOQ, 30-day delivery. That model does not work here.
Real lead times
A serious Turkish manufacturer works on a made-to-order basis. Allow 10 to 15 working days production for standard flat-pack furniture, plus 4 to 7 transit days to Marseille or Genoa. Total lead time remains competitive against China (30–45 days), with the added benefit of the EUR.1 certificate for the Turkey-EU preferential regime.
What EXW incoterm really means
Most factories in Inegöl or Kayseri work EXW (Ex Works). The buyer covers loading, transport to port, Turkish customs clearance and sea freight. Without a local agent or freight forwarder familiar with Turkish customs procedures, cost overruns are the norm.
At Eurasia Habita, we operate FOB Mersin or CIF destination port depending on volume — the client handles nothing until delivery.