The dress you saw on Instagram, the headphones promoted on TikTok, or the shoes you ordered via WhatsApp arrived, but they were not what you expected. When you contact the seller, the answer is often the same: “No returns, exchanges only.” This article explains exactly what you can do at that point.

A purchase made through social media is legally no different from a purchase made through a website. If the seller conducts the activity commercially, all safeguards under Consumer Protection Law No. 6502 and the Distance Contracts Regulation apply to you as well. Below, we explain these safeguards together with decisions of the Council of State, regional courts of appeal, commercial courts, the Advertising Board and RTÜK, including the latest amendments that entered into force on 1 January 2026.

1. Why Is a Purchase Made Through Social Media Considered a “Distance Contract”?

A sale in which the seller and buyer are not physically present in the same place at the same time and the order is placed through means of distance communication such as telephone, messaging or the internet is called a distance contract. Law No. 6502 defines it in Art. 48/1 as follows:

An Instagram account that posts products and takes orders by DM, a TikTok live stream where the seller says “comment and I’ll reserve it,” or sales through a WhatsApp catalogue all fall within this definition. An account that regularly promotes products, accepts orders and arranges shipments also satisfies the requirement of a “system organised for distance marketing”.

Who is protected? Consumer status is required

To benefit from this protection, the buyer must be a consumer, meaning a person acting for non-commercial or non-professional purposes. A company that purchases a product for use in its own business cannot benefit from the right of withdrawal even if the sales contract describes it as a “consumer”.

What if the seller is not a trader but an individual selling personal belongings?

The law requires the counterparty to be a seller acting for commercial or professional purposes (Regulation Art. 4/1-g). In a one-off purchase from an individual selling used personal belongings, consumer law does not apply; instead, the sale and defect provisions of Turkish Code of Obligations No. 6098apply, and there is no 14-day right of withdrawal. By contrast, an account that appears to be a “personal account” but continuously sells products, holds stock and organises shipping may be regarded as a seller due to the nature of the activity. What matters is not the name of the account, but how the activity is conducted.

2. The Seller’s Pre-Contractual Information Obligation: What Must You Be Told Before Ordering?

In a distance contract, the seller must inform you clearly and comprehensibly before you approve the order. Article 48/2 of Law No. 6502 regulates both this obligation and the burden of proof:

Mandatory information in the pre-contractual disclosure

Distance Contracts Regulation According to Art. 5/1, the information must include at least the following:

• The essential characteristics of the product,
• The seller’s name or trade name (and, if there is a platform, that of the intermediary service provider) together with its MERSİS or tax identification number,
• Open address, telephone number and other rapid-contact and complaint channels,
• The total price including taxes, all shipping and similar additional costs,
• Delivery period and information relating to delivery,
• The conditions, period and procedure for exercising the right of withdrawal and the designated carrier for returns,
• The open address or e-mail address to which the withdrawal notice must be sent,
• Information on any circumstances in which the right of withdrawal cannot be exercised,
• Information that, in the event of a dispute, an application may be made to a consumer arbitration committee or, after mediation, to a consumer court.

If additional costs such as shipping are not disclosed in advance, the consumer is not obliged to pay them (Art. 5/3). In addition, Law No. 6563 on the Regulation of Electronic Commerce Art. 3 requires everyone engaged in electronic commerce to keep their identifying information up to date and easily accessible to buyers. An account whose bio contains only a WhatsApp number does not satisfy this obligation.

The contract is not deemed concluded without confirmation

The seller must enable you to confirm, in a manner appropriate to the communication method used, that you have received the pre-contractual information; otherwise, the contract is deemed not to have been concluded (Regulation Art. 7/1). Immediately before approval, it must also be expressly stated that the order gives rise to an obligation to pay; if this is not stated, the consumer is not bound by the order (Art. 8/1).

Information must also be provided in live broadcasts and advertising content

The information obligation is not limited to written sales pages. Sales promotions made through audiovisual broadcasts are also subject to supervision.

Live-stream sales on social media are supervised primarily by the Ministry of Trade’s Advertising Board rather than RTÜK; however, the standard established by the decision is the same: in every medium in which sales are made, the seller must clearly state who it is, the total price and the right of withdrawal.

Pre-ticked additional charges

Any fee in addition to the main price requires the consumer’s separate express consent. If options such as “express shipping” or “gift wrapping” are pre-selected and payment is made as a result, those amounts must be refunded immediately (Regulation Art. 19).

3. The 14-Day Right of Withdrawal: Ending the Contract Without Giving a Reason

The consumer’s strongest tool in a distance contract is the right of withdrawal. Because you cannot see and touch the product in a store before buying it, the law gives you a period after delivery to reconsider and change your mind.

The Advertising Board has repeatedly restated the same rule in social-media and e-commerce complaints: the consumer “has the right to withdraw from the contract within fourteen days without giving any reason and without paying any penalty” (Advertising Board Decisions Nos. 2022/1032, 2017/1943 and 2017/2388).

When does the period begin?

• For sales of goods, the period starts on the day you or the person designated by you receives the product (Regulation Art. 9/2).
• For products delivered separately under a single order, the date the last product is received applies; for goods delivered in parts, the date the last part is received applies (Art. 9/3).
• The seller’s handing the product to the carrier does not count as delivery to you (Art. 9/4). The defence that “we shipped it, so the period started” is invalid.
• You may also withdraw before the product arrives (Art. 9/2, final sentence).

The right of withdrawal does not depend on the product being defective. The size did not fit, you disliked the colour, or you simply changed your mind; none of this matters, and the seller may not question why you are returning it.

Advertising Board, Decision No. 2015/1884

Before the 14-day period expires, it is sufficient for the withdrawal notice to be directed

in writing or by means of a durable medium to the seller (and, if there is a platform, to the intermediary service provider) (Regulation Art. 11/1). You may use the sample withdrawal form annexed to the Regulation, or a message clearly stating your decision to withdraw is sufficient (Art. 11/2). E-mail and text messages are durable media (Art. 4/1-c). Attention: You bear the burden of proving that you exercised the right of withdrawal

Trying the product, opening its box, or putting it on to see how it fits are forms of ordinary use. If you use the product during the withdrawal period in accordance with its functioning, technical specifications and instructions for use, you cannot be held liable for resulting changes or deterioration (Law No. 6502 Art. 48/4, Regulation Art. 13/2).

Advertising Board, Decision No. 2017/2388

If the seller did not properly inform you about the right of withdrawal, you are not bound by the 14-day period; the right expires one year after the end of the 14-day period (Regulation Art. 10/1). If the information is provided later within that one-year period, the 14-day period starts on that date (Art. 10/2). Since pre-contractual information is often not provided at all in social-media sales, this rule is very important in practice.

Blocking a customer for making many returns is also an unfair commercial practice

Advertising Board, Decision No. 2026/887

Sellers often say, “this product is not returnable.” However, the exceptions to the right of withdrawal are exhaustive and are only those listed in

the Regulation Art. 15/1. The seller cannot add a new category to the list on its own. The exceptions most commonly encountered in social-media shopping are: Exception (Art. 15/1)

This decision is often misread as meaning “once packaging is opened, there is no return.” Regulation Art. 15/1-ç and (e) establish no such general rule. Opening packaging removes the right of withdrawal only for goods unsuitable for return for health/hygiene reasons and for books, digital content and computer consumables supplied on a tangible medium. Opening the box of a coat, pair of shoes or headphones does not eliminate your right of withdrawal.

Mobile phones, tablets, smart watches and computers

The subparagraph (i), added to the Regulation by the 2022 amendment and excluding delivered mobile phones, smart watches, tablets and computers from the right of withdrawal, after its entry into force was postponed several times, was repealed by the amendment dated 24 May 2025 (Official Gazette No. 32909). Accordingly, unless another exception applies, these products are also subject to the 14-day right of withdrawal.

The Council of State’s 2026 annulment decision

As a result, there is no longer a special withdrawal exception in the Regulation for products sold through “live auction” procedures or products installed by the seller. The finality status of this decision and any subsequent regulatory amendment should be monitored separately.

5. How Long Do You Have to Return the Product and Who Pays Return Shipping?

After exercising the right of withdrawal, you are obliged to return the product. Unless the seller offers to collect it itself, from the date you send the withdrawal notice you must return the product within 14 days to the seller or a person authorised by the seller (Regulation Art. 13/1). Before 1 January 2026, this period was 10 days.

Regulation Art. 12/5 is clear regarding return-shipping costs:

• If you return the product using the carrier identified by the seller in the pre-contractual information, you cannot be held responsible for the return cost.
• If the seller has not identified any carrier for returns, no return cost may be charged to you.
• If the designated carrier has no branch in your location, the seller must arrange collection of the product from you without requiring any additional cost.
• If the product is defective, return-related costs may under no circumstances be charged to the consumer.

6. Refunds: When and How Must the Seller Return the Money?

One of the most common problems in social-media sales is that the product is returned but the money is not refunded, or the consumer is fobbed off with suggestions such as “we will credit points to your account” or “choose another product.” A significant amendment entered into force on 1 January 2026.

Before and after 1 January 2026

The Council of State and Advertising Board decisions below were issued under the former regime, when the notification date was used. The principle established by those decisions — that all payments received, including delivery costs, must be refunded — remains valid today; only the starting point of the period has changed.

In a single payment, without cost, and through the same payment method

The seller must make the refund in a manner compatible with the payment method you used when purchasing, without imposing any cost or obligation on you and in a single payment (Regulation Art. 12/4). If you paid by credit card, the card issuer must add the amount transferred to it back to your card limit in a single transaction. You are not obliged to accept an offer to refund the money as a “gift voucher”, “store credit” or in instalments.

The refund obligation in court decisions

7. “No Returns”, “Exchanges Only”, “No Returns for Cash on Delivery”: Are These Rules Valid?

No. The right of withdrawal under consumer law is mandatory; statements placed by the seller in its bio, stories or a DM message labelled “our rules” cannot eliminate this right. Moreover, such statements may be subject to administrative sanctions under Law No. 6502 Art. 61 (commercial advertising) and Art. 62 (unfair commercial practices). The Advertising Board’s decisions on this point are very clear.

“No returns” and a 7-day return period

“No returns, size exchange available within 24 hours”

“No returns for cash-on-delivery and bank transfer/EFT orders”

Return restrictions on discounted and promotional products

8. Fake Discounts, Posts Without Advertising Disclosure, and Unauthorised Use of Images

Problems in social-media sales are not limited to returns. False discounts, pressure tactics such as “only 3 left”, influencer posts that conceal their advertising nature, and unauthorised use of celebrities’ photographs may also be unlawful.

This decision primarily concerns the rights of celebrities and brand owners rather than consumers; however, it is also an important signal for consumers: a social-media seller that creates the impression “they use it too” by using a well-known person’s photograph risks both unfair-competition and misleading-advertising liability.

9. If the Product Is Defective or Different from the Photograph: Defective Goods and the Consumer’s Alternative Rights

The right of withdrawal does not depend on the product being defective; the provisions on defective goods apply where the product is defective. If a product purchased through social media is different from what was advertised, incomplete, defective or damaged, it is a defective good under Law No. 6502 Art. 8:

The photographs and videos in the post function here as the “agreed sample or model”. A bag shown as leather in the photograph but delivered in synthetic material, delivery of a different colour from the video, or dimensions that differ from the listing are defects.

Four alternative rights

Under Law No. 6502 Art. 11, the consumer chooses one of the following rights:

• Rescission of the contract: Declaring that you are ready to return the product and recovering the entire price paid,
• Reduction of the price: Keeping the product and requesting a reduction proportionate to the defect,
• Free repair: If it does not require disproportionate expense, requesting repair with all costs borne by the seller,
• Replacement with a defect-free equivalent: Where possible, requesting replacement of the product with a defect-free equivalent.

The choice belongs to the consumer; the seller cannot steer you toward another remedy by saying “we only offer exchanges.” All costs arising from exercise of the alternative rights are borne by the seller. Unless a longer period is provided, liability for defective goods is subject to a two-year limitation period from delivery (Law No. 6502 Art. 12); if the defect was concealed through gross fault or fraud, this period does not apply.

This decision is based on the TBK; the consumer rights under Law No. 6502 Art. 11 are likewise built around the same four options. In transactions that are not consumer transactions, such as a purchase from an individual selling second-hand personal property, TBK Art. 227 applies directly.

This type of defence is common in practice: the seller or intermediary leaves the decision to the “service centre”. However, under Law No. 6502 Art. 11, it is the consumer who chooses the alternative remedy; a service report merely establishes whether a defect exists and does not determine which remedy may be exercised.

Right of withdrawal or defective-goods remedies?

If the 14-day period has not expired and the product is defective, you may choose which route to use. Exercising the right of withdrawal often produces a faster result for defective goods; if 14 days have passed, the defective-goods provisions apply.

10. The Order Never Arrived, Arrived Late, or an Entirely Different Product Arrived

The seller must deliver within the period promised from the date it receives the order. Except for goods prepared according to the consumer’s request or personal needs, for sales of goods this period may under no circumstances exceed 30 days (Regulation Art. 16/1).

• If delivery is not made in time, you may terminate the contract (Art. 16/2).
• Upon termination, the seller must refund all payments, including delivery costs, from the date the termination notice reaches it, within 14 days together with statutory interest (Art. 16/3).
• If performance becomes impossible, the seller must notify you in writing or through a durable medium within 3 days from learning of the impossibility and refund all payments no later than 14 days after the notice. Lack of stock does not constitute impossibility (Art. 16/4).
• The seller bears the risk of loss and damage until the product is delivered to you (Art. 17/1). A product broken in transit is the seller’s risk.

An entirely different product is sent from the one ordered

In this type of case, the issue often goes beyond an ordinary return dispute. If the product is never sent, a different product is sent and the account is then closed, or the same method is used against many people, in addition to consumer-law applications, filing a criminal complaint with the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office should also be considered.

11. If the Sale Was Made Through a Marketplace or Payment Infrastructure: Liability of the Intermediary Service Provider

Some social-media sellers direct an order to a marketplace store, e-commerce infrastructure or payment link. In that situation, alongside the seller there is also an intermediary service provider .

General rule: the intermediary is not obliged to monitor content

Exception: joint and several liability introduced by the 2022 amendment

Some of the decisions above concern the period before the 2022 amendment. By the amendment published in the Official Gazette dated 23.08.2022 and numbered 31932, the Distance Contracts Regulation imposed direct obligations toward consumers on intermediary service providers in contracts concluded through platforms:

• The intermediary is, for providing, confirming and proving the pre-contractual information, jointly and severally liable with the seller (Art. 5/7, Art. 12/A-3). If the intermediary enters the data, it is directly responsible for deficiencies in mandatory information.
• The intermediary must establish and continuously keep available a system through which withdrawal, termination, refund, record requests and delivery complaints may be submitted (Art. 12/A-1).
• If the intermediary facilitates collection of the price and the amount has not yet been transferred to the seller, upon withdrawal it is jointly and severally liable with the seller for the refund (Art. 12/1, Art. 12/4, Art. 12/A-7).
• If the missing information about the return carrier is attributable to the intermediary, the intermediary bears the return cost (Art. 12/5).
• The intermediary is responsible for non-fulfilment of commitments in campaigns it organises without the seller’s approval and for consistency between advertising information on the platform and the pre-contractual disclosure (Art. 12/A-8, 9).

These two lines are not contradictory. Laws No. 6563 and No. 5651 do not impose a general duty on the intermediary to monitor content; consumer legislation, however, places the intermediary alongside the seller for specific matters such as pre-contractual information, withdrawal and refunds. By way of assessment, in a classic Instagram sale where orders are taken only by DM and payment is made directly to the seller’s IBAN, the social-media company itself will generally not be an “intermediary service provider” in this sense; joint and several liability is more likely to arise for marketplaces and platforms providing order and payment infrastructure.

12. Identifying the Seller and Preserving Evidence Correctly

In social-media disputes, the counterparty is often only a username. A consumer arbitration committee and a court, however, need a natural or legal person. A few steps taken immediately after the purchase can therefore save weeks later.

• Save the trade name in the seller’s bio, MERSİS or tax number, address and telephone information (Regulation Art. 5/1-b and c, Law No. 6563 Art. 3).
• Keep the name/surname or trade-name information associated with the IBAN to which you made payment together with the payment receipt; with an unidentified seller, this is often the first lead.
• Take dated screenshots of the product post, price and any statements such as “no returns”; accounts and posts can easily be deleted.
• Export all correspondence or preserve it by screen recording.
• Keep the shipment tracking number, delivery date and return-shipment receipt; time limits are calculated by reference to these dates.
• If the product is defective, record video while opening the package and take photographs showing the defect.

13. Remedies: Consumer Arbitration Committee, Mediation, Consumer Court and Advertising Board

The monetary value of the dispute determines where you must apply. According to the communiqué published in the Official Gazette dated 23 December 2025 and numbered 33116, in 2026 disputes valued below TRY 186,000 must be submitted to the provincial or district consumer arbitration committee.

14. Step by Step: How Do You Return a Product Purchased Through Social Media?

1. Note the date. Check the day you received the product in the shipment record; the 14 days start on that date.
2. Make your withdrawal notice in writing. Send a clear DM such as: “I am exercising my right of withdrawal in respect of the … product delivered to me on ….” Take a screenshot; if the seller has an e-mail address, send it there as well.
3. Ask which carrier the seller designated. If one was designated, send it through that carrier; if none was designated, the return cost cannot be charged to you.
4. Return the product within 14 days and keep the shipment receipt.
5. Track the 14-day refund period. The period starts on the date the product is handed to the designated carrier.
6. If the payment is not made, make one final written demandand then, depending on the amount, apply to the consumer arbitration committee or mediation.
7. If there is a “no returns” statement also file a complaint with the Advertising Board.

15. For Sellers Operating on Social Media: Basic Rules That Reduce Sanction Risk

Most of the decisions discussed in this article are also, in effect, a checklist of warnings for sellers. A business selling through Instagram or TikTok should pay attention to the following:

• The profile should contain the trade name, MERSİS/tax number, open address and contact information (Law No. 6563 Art. 3, Regulation Art. 5).
• Before the order, the total price, shipping fee, delivery period and information on the right of withdrawal should be provided, and confirmation should be obtained through a durable medium (Arts. 5-7).
• Statements such as “no returns”, “exchanges only”, “discounted products cannot be returned”, or “no returns for cash on delivery” should not be used.
• A return carrier should be designated; if none is designated, return-shipping costs cannot be charged to the consumer.
• The refund should be made in a single payment within 14 days after the product is handed to the carrier.
• In collaboration posts, the advertising nature should be clearly disclosed; discount and stock information should reflect reality.
• Information and documents relating to transactions should be kept for three years (Regulation Art. 20).

16. Why Is It Important to Conduct These Cases Correctly?

The amounts involved in disputes arising from social-media shopping may often appear small, but what determines the fate of the case is procedure, not the amount. An application to the wrong authority, a notice not made within time, or a counterparty whose identity cannot be established may leave a valid claim without a remedy.

From the consumer’s perspective

• Correct authority: Disputes below and above the TRY 186,000 threshold follow different routes; choosing incorrectly means dismissal for lack of jurisdiction and loss of time.
• Evidence: The consumer proves that the withdrawal notice was made, while the seller proves that the pre-contractual information was provided. Knowing which evidence operates in whose favour forms the backbone of the petition.
• Identification of the counterparty: Identifying the seller through IBAN records, MERSİS information and platform records; in platform sales, including the intermediary service provider in the application as jointly and severally liable where applicable.
• Interest and costs: Ensuring that items such as statutory interest for undelivered orders and all costs to be borne by the seller for defective products are not omitted from the claim.
• Criminal-law dimension: In files involving non-delivery or systematic deception, pursuing the civil/consumer-law remedy together with a criminal complaint.

From the perspective of seller businesses

• Updating the pre-contractual information text, distance sales contract and return policy in accordance with the provisions that entered into force on 1 January 2026,
• Preparing defences in Advertising Board investigations and pursuing actions against administrative fines,
• Not missing the 15-day objection period against consumer arbitration committee decisions.

Areas we serve

2M Law Firm is located in Tuzla and handles consumer disputes before consumer courts and consumer arbitration committees at the Istanbul Anatolian Courthouse and Kocaeli courthouses. On Istanbul’s Anatolian Side, where e-commerce and shipping volumes are high, Tuzla, Pendik, Kartal, Maltepe, Ataşehir, Ümraniye, Kadıköy, Üsküdar, Sancaktepe and Sultanbeyli; on the European Side, Esenyurt, Başakşehir, Bağcılar, Küçükçekmece and Beylikdüzü; and in Kocaeli, Gebze, Çayırova, Darıca, Dilovası, İzmit and Körfezwe work on files for consumers and sellers from these areas. Because a consumer may apply to the consumer arbitration committee and consumer court at his or her own place of residence, the city in which the social-media seller is located will, in most cases, not prevent you from seeking your rights where you live.

17. Frequently Asked Questions

Can I return a product I bought on Instagram without giving a reason?

Yes, if the seller sells the product for commercial or professional purposes. A sale concluded through Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or WhatsApp is a distance contract; within 14 days from the day you receive the product, you may withdraw without giving any reason and without paying any penalty (Law No. 6502 Art. 48/4, Distance Contracts Regulation Art. 9).

The seller’s page says “no returns”. Do I still have a right to return?

Yes. Statements such as “no returns”, “exchanges only” and “returns within 7 days” conflict with mandatory provisions and do not eliminate your right of withdrawal. The Advertising Board treated these statements as unfair commercial practices in Decisions Nos. 2015/1884, 2017/1943 and 2021/773.

Can I return a product purchased by cash on delivery or EFT?

Yes. The payment method does not affect the right of withdrawal. In Decision No. 2022/1032, the Advertising Board characterised the statement “No product returns for cash-on-delivery and bank transfer/EFT orders” as misleading and an unfair commercial practice.

Can discounted or promotional products be returned?

Yes. Discounted products are not among the exceptions listed in Regulation Art. 15. In Decisions Nos. 2021/773 and 2023/119, the Advertising Board found refusal to accept returns of promotional products contrary to law.

Who pays the return-shipping fee?

If the product is returned using the carrier identified by the seller in the pre-contractual information, the return cost cannot be charged to the consumer; if the seller did not identify any carrier, no return cost can be demanded from the consumer either (Regulation Art. 12/5). If the product is defective, return costs are in all circumstances borne by the seller.

When must the seller refund the money?

Under Regulation Art. 12/1 applicable from 1 January 2026, the seller must, within 14 days from the date the product is handed to the designated return carrier, refund all payments including delivery costs in a single payment, without cost, and in a manner compatible with the payment method used. If you sent it using a different carrier, the period starts on the date the product reaches the seller.

The product I ordered never arrived. What can I do?

The seller must deliver within the promised period and, in any event, within 30 days from the order. If that period is exceeded, you may terminate the contract; within 14 days from the date the termination notice reaches it, the seller must refund the amount you paid together with statutory interest (Regulation Art. 16).

The product that arrived is different from the photograph or defective. What rights do I have?

The product is considered defective goods (Law No. 6502 Art. 8). You may choose one of the rights to rescind the contract, request a reduction in price, request free repair, or request replacement with a defect-free equivalent (Law No. 6502 Art. 11). The seller bears all costs required by the remedy you choose.

Can I return a product after opening its packaging?

As a rule, yes; opening the packaging to inspect the product does not eliminate the right of withdrawal. The products that cannot be returned once packaging is opened are only those listed in Regulation Art. 15/1, such as goods unsuitable for return for health and hygiene reasons and books, digital content and computer consumables supplied on a tangible medium.

I cannot reach the seller and the account has been closed. What should I do?

First preserve the correspondence, listing, payment receipt and shipping records. The IBAN or payment-institution record used for payment may help identify the seller. If the account is closed without the product ever being sent, in addition to legal remedies, filing a criminal complaint with the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office may also be relevant.

Up to what amount can I apply to the consumer arbitration committee in 2026?

According to the communiqué published in the Official Gazette dated 23 December 2025 and numbered 33116, in 2026 it is mandatory to apply to the provincial or district consumer arbitration committee for disputes below TRY 186,000. For disputes at or above this amount, mediation must be attempted first and, if no agreement is reached, the consumer court is the next route.

Can a mobile phone, tablet or smart watch be returned?

The subparagraph excluding these products from the right of withdrawal (Regulation Art. 15/1-i) was repealed by the amendment dated 24 May 2025 and never became applicable. Unless another exception applies, the 14-day right of withdrawal may also be exercised for these products.

18. Decisions and Legislation Referred to in the Article

This article has been prepared for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice for specific matters. The decisions cited are based on the texts in the sources in which they were published; before being used in a petition or application, they should be verified through UYAP or official judicial-decision databases.