ASSESSING STRATEGIC POSITIONING OF
E-COMMERCE SITES:
ANALYSIS OF TURKISH RETAIL MARKET
Neslihan PAKER1
1. INTRODUCTION
E-commerce has become a global phenomenon, and its growth has been
expected to increase even more due to the shifting behavior of consumers
affected by the pandemic. It is estimated that 2 billion people purchased
goods or services online in 2020 resulting in a global e-commerce volume of
4.2 trillion US dollars (Statista, 2021). In this sense, Turkey has become a
desirable e-commerce market to be invested in by Turkish companies and
foreign partnerships due to its population exceeding 80 million (TUİK,
2021) and the accelerating e-commerce volume. According to the most
recent industry estimates, Turkey will lead the market with a compound
annual growth rate of 14.59 percent from 2020 to 2025 (Statista, 2021). As a
result, the rivalry in the Turkish e-commerce market has picked up rapidly in
recent years with e-commerce sites competing mainly through sales
campaigns. Thus, diversifying and differentiating e-commerce sites have
become more crucial than ever to ensure their long-term sustainability. As a
robust solution, strategic positioning can help e-commerce sites in terms of
developing their superior competitiveness in the market leading them to reap
numerous benefits including increased customer engagement, brand
recognition, and financial efficiency. On the other hand, it can be said that ecommerce practitioners have managed their businesses intuitively, and that
academicians have conducted a limited number of empirical studies on the
positioning strategies of Turkish e-commerce sites despite the
aforementioned growing importance.
The present study aims to assess through the lens of consumer
perception the market positioning strategies used by e-commerce sites in
1
Assist. Prof. Dr., İzmir Kavram Vocational School,
pakerneslihan@gmail.com, ORCID: 0000-0001-8087-7758.
Logistics
Program,
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Assessing Strategic Positioning: Of E‐Commerce Sites: Analysis Of Turkish…
Turkey and how they vary by revealing similar and differentiating strategies.
In the study, Trendyol, N11, Hepsiburada, Amazon Türkiye and GittiGidiyor
are discussed, which are Turkey's most favorite online shopping sites.
Qualitative research techniques were used with findings obtained from the
semi-structured interviews conducted on e-commerce customers analyzed
using the content analysis method via MaxQda 18.1.1 software. The key
findings demonstrate that the websites appear to be extremely similar in
terms of very secure shopping and sales incentives. On the other hand, their
product group expertise is the most diverse attribute. Moreover, the websites
stand out by offering innovative products and services despite the fact that
the sales campaigns can be replicated in terms of discount rates and
frequency. The following sections of the study provide an overview of the
theoretical background of market positioning strategies and e-commerce in
Turkey. The results of eight semi-structured interviews with customers are
also provided. the findings, recommendations, and limitations are discussed
at the end of the study.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. Market Positioning Strategies
The concept of market positioning popularized in consumer goods
market during the 1960s. In 1969, Ries and Trout, the pioneers of the
concept, described positioning as, “in the minds of target customers,
positioning is a plan for “staking out turf” or “filling a slot.” (Saqib, 2020).
In the following years, definitions that take into account the differentiation
of the company from its competitors with increasing competition in the
market started to gain popularity. As an example, Kotler and Keller (2012, p.
298) defined positioning as “the act of designing a company’s offering and
image to occupy a distinctive place in the minds of the target market”.
Lovelock and Wright (2001) suggest that the company can use its marketing
efforts to promote different benefits if the primary benefits are identical to
those provided by competitors. Market positioning studies are considered
from various viewpoints in strategic marketing management literature, i.e.,
Porter's generic strategy, resource-based view, and market-driven policies
such as segmentation-targeting-positioning (Attia & Hooley, 2007; Hooley
& Greenley, 2005). All of them agree that strong positioning strategies are
essential for a market-oriented company, and empirical studies have been
conducted to determine the essential perceptions in the eyes of consumers
regarding the company's position. Subsequently, companies should evaluate
Neslihan PAKER
3
these findings in accordance with their targeted strategies and benchmark
with rivals to remain competitive in the market. The positioning of a firm
has a significant impact on how it operates and may act as a catalyst for
strategic planning. Furthermore, strategic positioning supports the execution
of communication strategy, since a well-positioned brand sets the company
apart from its competitors. The study by Iyer, Davari, Zolfagharian, and
Paswan (2019) revealed that the most essential drivers of brand success are
the alignment of positive market orientation with quality-based positioning
and responsive market orientation with brand image positioning. Moreover,
a company's financial strength can also be influenced by its positioning
(Coffie & Owusu‐Frimpong, 2014). It is seen that the companies have
positioned themselves by mixing multiple strategies rather than utilizing a
single strategy (Java, Blankson, & Kalafatis, 2007; Juga, Pekkarinen, &
Kilpala, 2008). Accordingly, empirical studies point out that "reliability,"
"attractiveness," "support," and "value for money" are widely used by
retailers in Accra Mall (Blankson, Ketron, & Coffie, 2017). The study by
Java et al. (2007) also puts forth that there is no single positioning strategy
that is significant across the Visa, MasterCard, Amex and Diners Club card
brands. However, there are many scales development studies (Blankson &
Kalafatis, 2004; Diwan & Bodla, 2011; Kalafatis, Tsogas, & Blankson,
2000) in literature with Java et al. (2007) point out that the contextual
specifics of services should be taken into consideration when assessing the
use of positioning techniques.
2.2. E-Commerce in Turkey
Electronic commerce emerged during the mid-90s with the development
of the internet. Amazon.com and e-Bay were launched in the United States
of America as the first e-commerce sites. As a result of the growing volume
of e-commerce, the average rate of online retail versus total retail has
reached 11.1% in developed countries in 2018 (DeloitteDigital, 2019). On
the other hand, Turkey is an emerging country that has caught a growth rate
in e-commerce after the 2000s, with several e-commerce sites starting to
provide service through domestic and foreign investments or partnerships.
Today, Trendyol, GittiGidiyor, N11, Hepsiburada and Amazon Türkiye,
Morhipo, Sahibinden.com, YemekSepeti, and Çiçeksepeti along with many
other Turkish e-commerce sites have offered numerous items to the
customers a wide variety comprising a 5.3% share of the total retail market.
The first Turkish e-commerce site, GittiGidiyor started to operate in 2001
and was acquired by eBay in 2011. GittiGidiyor now delivers its services to
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Assessing Strategic Positioning: Of E‐Commerce Sites: Analysis Of Turkish…
33 million registered users with 22 million products in 50 categories at
advantageous prices. Since 2001 Hepsiburada has been providing its clients
with over 50 million products in around 40 categories. Some new players
joined the market during the last decade. Trendyol was established in 2010
and received an investment from the Alibaba Group in 2018. The eCommerce website N11 was launched in 2012 in partnership with Doğuş
Group and the SK Group, one of the leading firms of South Korea. Lately,
Amazon Türkiye also joined the Turkish e-commerce market in 2018.
3. METHODOLOGY
3.1. Data Collection
An interpretivist approach was used in the study since market
positioning of the Turkish e-commerce sites has not been the subject of indepth discussions in the literature regarding customer perception. Data was
collected through eight semi-structured interviews. Interviewees were
chosen from among e-commerce customers via purposive sampling
techniques. Participants with different characteristics such as education
level, gender, age, income level, e-commerce experience and order
frequency were preferred in order to increase the research validity.
Interviews were concluded when no new comments for improving the
research were received. The questions were designed to gather information
on positioning strategies associated with the Turkish e-commerce sites.
Interview questions were prepared based on the study of Blankson, Iyer,
Owusu-Frimpong, Nwankwo, and Hinson (2020) on market positioning
strategies (i.e., top of the range, attractiveness, service, reliability, value for
money, country of origin) with further questions presented on the positioning
of e-commerce sites. The following questions can be presented as examples:
“With what factors do you think an e-commerce site should stand out in
order to be preferable?”, “Do you think e-commerce sites use similar
marketing elements or do they differentiate themselves from each other?”,
“What is the most important reason you like or dislike an e-commerce site?”.
Interviews were conducted from April to May 2021, with a total recording
time of 5.5 hours. The average duration of the interviews was 41 minutes.
3.2. Characteristics of the Respondents
Table 1 presents the characteristics for each respondent. Age, education
level, gender, and income level, e-commerce experience and order frequency
are mostly different among the respondents.
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Neslihan PAKER
Table 1. Characteristics of the Respondents
Respondent
Education
Level
R1
PhD
Gender Age
Male
49
R2
R3
Master
Female 26
Undergraduate Male 33
R4
Undergraduate Female 24
R5
R6
R7
Undergraduate Male
Undergraduate Male
High School Male
R8
PhD
27
58
29
Female 34
Income
Level
Upper
Midlevel
Midlevel
Midlevel
Upper
Midlevel
Midlevel
Midlevel
Midlevel
Upper
Midlevel
E-Commerce
Order
Experience Frequency
(years)
(in a month)
>20
3-4
5
12
3-4
>4
5
>10
8
6
10
2
1
>10
16
>30
3.3. Data Analysis
The interviews were conducted and analyzed by a single researcher. In
accordance with the suggestions by Krippendorf (2013), the researcher
assessed the interviews via audio recording on several occasions in order to
increase intra-coder reliability. The researcher followed an iterative approach
by reviewing previously identified topics, fusing or separating them, and
then stopping the process upon obtaining consistent results. There were two
sequential stages to the coding process (Neuman, 2006). During the open
coding stage, a rough coding schema was created, describing essential
phrases and the hierarchy of codes. There were three main themes with a
total of 15 sub-codes. Subsequently, the coding schema was adjusted by
unifying two sub-codes with the other codes, and the axial coding step
yielding the final version of the schema. The researchers also doublechecked the purpose of the member checking procedure with their
participants by sharing the tentative summarized results at the end of the
interviews in order to increase credibility (Given, 2008). MaxQda software
version 18.1.1 was used to analyze the data. Table 2 shows the 153 codes
obtained under three main themes: factors of preference, reasons for
affective attitude, perceived similarities and differences.
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Table 2. The Final Coding Table
Factors of
Preference
1.Top of the range
2.Service
3.Value for money
4.Reliability
5.Attractiveness
6.Country of Origin
THEMES
Reasons for Affective
Attitude
1.Reasons for liking
2.Reasons for disliking
Perceived Similarities and
Differences
1.Top of the range
2.Value for money
3.Reliability
4.Attractiveness
5.Country of Origin
4. FINDINGS
The following sections present three main themes, related sub-themes,
figures, and comments received on obtained themes.
4.1. Factors of Preference
The respondents classified the factors affecting their web site
preferences into six categories: service, reliability, top of the range, value for
money, attractiveness, and country of origin, which are consistent with the
study of Blankson et al. (2020). The interviewee state that they expect the
websites to be simple and understandable with clear directions for
navigation, and that it should have convenient payment options, as well as
appropriate product information accompanied by scaled photographs. They
typically emphasized the importance of prompt response, particularly when
confronted with a crisis that requires personal attention. In addition, the
respondents stated that they perceive the entire e-commerce service as a
single package. Thus, in addition to providing direct services like selling,
web sites should ensure that their mediated services, such as cargo
transportation, are of high quality. The return policy should be
straightforward, and customers should be able to return products that do not
match their expectations without hesitation. Furthermore, there must be a
considerable number of positive and negative customer comments for
ensuring the trustworthiness of websites. The brand name is significant since
it establishes the trustworthiness of the e-commerce site. The respondents
also prefer the e-commerce site where the best prices are offered. Web site
design in terms of attractiveness and country of origin were also mentioned
as affecting factors, however they were not stated as frequently as the others.
Figure 1 depicts the factors to preference expressed during the interviews,
whereas Table 3 contains quotations.
Neslihan PAKER
Figure 1. Factors of Preference
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Table 3. Preference Factors of E-Commerce Sites with Quotations
Themes
Service
Ease of use
Sufficient
Content
Complaint
Handling
Search speed
Personal
Attention to
Customer
Quotations
“I want the product I'm looking for to be easily found.
Sometimes I don't even know what keywords to use to find the
product, waiting for the site to guide me. For example, I don't
know how to search for a shirt collar t-shirt. If the site directs
me to the product I am looking for, I think this site is
successful” (R1)
“The website should contain sufficient explanation and
information about the product I am looking for. For example,
when I want to buy an electronic product, I should be able to
find the information I need, such as how to use it and warranty
conditions” (R2)
“There should be all kinds of information about that product
and a photograph from every angle so that I can be sure that I
do not buy a product different from the image” (R4)
“When a problem arises, it is important that my problem is
solved immediately and that I receive some feedback” (R4).
“I should be able to reach the contact persons of the company
when there is a problem. In addition, the quality of the
communication they establish with me is also very important.
”(R5)
“It is important that the site has ranking criteria. Many
websites are very inadequate in this regard” (R1)
“We may have digitized shopping, but our expectation is the
care we are used to in face-to-face shopping” (R6)
“If I am going to buy a special product that is dependent on the
product, for example, if I say to the seller, please send the raffia
with care and they send it with such care, even if they say that
we do not have this color but another one, it is a wonderful
thing for me” (R8)
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Assessing Strategic Positioning: Of E‐Commerce Sites: Analysis Of Turkish…
Themes
Supplier
Performance
Quotations
“The site should not give me any trouble in terms of cargo
delivery. So the website should serve me well with all business
stakeholders” (R4)
“I do not prefer a site where I had a shipping problem before”
(R6)
Reliability
No problem
return policy
“There are products from different vendors on their website,
and I'm disappointed with some of them. I want to be able to
return such products without any problems. For example,
Amazon is very successful in this regard, it accepts returns
immediately” (R1)
Security
“Most importantly, the security of my credit card information
and my information is important. Like everyone else, I register
my card information on the site for easy shopping. In this sense,
I should have no worries” (R4)
“The security of electronic sites is still not fully settled in my
mind. I go to sites that I think are safe. Virtual channel or
security password applications are a bit of a relief” (R6)
Update and
Reliable
Information
“Sometimes after ordering, the product is out of stock, it cannot
be supplied. This is confidence breaking. The site should share
out-of-stock information before ordering” (R2)
Product
Originality
“It is very important that the product sold on the site is not an
imitation. My cousin had a similar problem last year. I need to
be able to trust the site in this regard” (R3)
Customer
Reviews
“If there are no reviews on a product, I stay away from that
product. I want to see both positive and negative comments on
the site” (R3)
"The presence of positive-negative user comments on the site
directly affects my decision" (R5)
Top of The
Range
The brand
name
“It should be a site that everyone knows and uses. In this sense,
I also trust that site”(R4)
“Even if I find the product on other sites under more favorable
terms, it is important to have a site whose name I know. Maybe
I will shop from the other one without any problem, but I can't
trust it" (R5).
A Wide Range
of Choices
“The fact that the site offers me various options has a positive
effect on my choice. I would also like to see different sellers of
the same product” (R4)
Leader in The
Market
“Trendyol has many innovative applications. For example,
Trendyol wallet. Not only me, but many of my friends prefer this
site for this feature” (R4)
Neslihan PAKER
Themes
Value for
Money
Sales
Promotions
Value for
money
Quotations
9
“Recently I wanted to buy a sunscreen. Two products were sold
at a website for the price of one. I prefer such campaigns” (R2)
“I have purchased more than 7000 TL from a site since
January, they did not even give a 10 TL gift check. Why should I
prefer it?" (R5)
“I prefer whichever site gives the best price. I even bought the
white goods of my house online” (R3)
“Definitely the first thing I look at is price” (R8)
Attractiveness
Elegant
Appearance
Impressive
Images
Country of
Origin
Patriotism
Country of
Origin
“I think the website should be simple and not too tiring.
Campaigns or something should be defined within the product,
not on the home page, it creates a feeling of confusion” (R2)
“I love the orange colors of Hepsiburada. For example, this is
very attractive to me, it affects me positively” (R7)
“The product should not be orange with a red background. The
image used and the page should be compatible and pleasant”
(R2)
“Some websites dress up the models and upload the photo,
some just show the product. Of course, the image is much more
attractive when it is on a fashion model” (R8)
"I prefer Turkish web sites, I don’t like foreign sites" (R4)
“The fact that Gittigidiyor is in partnership with E-Bay gives
me confidence. I think it is positive that it is a part of such
global companies” (R5)
“If you place an order from Amazon, you know that it will be
delivered to you. We are happy that they have started to serve
our country”(R7)
4.2. Reasons for Affective Attitude
The reasons for affective attitude are categorized as illustrated in
Figure2. Although the most advanced reasons are the best price offer, userfriendliness and numerous options, failure to deal with complaints and costly
options, long delivery times are frequently mentioned as reasons for dislike.
The respondents also stated that excessive sales campaigns bother them
rather than convincing them to make a purchase, and limited number of
reviews also made customers reluctant to have confidence in e-commerce
sites. Figure 2 shows the reasons for the affective behavior of interviewees
and quotes are presented in Table 4.
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Assessing Strategic Positioning: Of E‐Commerce Sites: Analysis Of Turkish…
Table 4. The Reasons for Affective Attitude with Quotations
Quotations
Reasons for
Liking
Value for money
Easy to use
A wide range of
choices
No problem
return policy
Convenient
“It gives the best prices, I always prefer it” (R5)
“I find what I am looking for easily” (R1)
“It is very simple to use; I automatically open up that
website” (R2)
“It is very easy to use. I can easily order through my mobile
phone, and I know that everyone uses it frequently. ”(R4)
“I prefer this site because it offers me more options
regarding the product group I'm interested in” (R3)
“It's amazing that I can easily return it. Money is
transferred to my Trendyol wallet instantly” (R4)
“My credit card or something is defined there. I do my
shopping right away, it's very practical” (R1)
Reasons for
Disliking
Complaint
Handling
Value of money
Delivery time
Excessive price
campaigns
No problem
return policy
Patriotism
Customer
Reviews
“Years ago I had a problem. I made very long phone calls
and kept calling the site, they never called me and were not
interested. Never again did I shop from that site ”(R2)
“I do not prefer the prices because they are more expensive
than other sites” (R4)
“I think the delivery time of this site is long” (R3)
“They are making an excessive price campaign. I find the
campaigns psychologically oppressive” (R1)
“I don't like the return process, it's problematic” (R4)
“I dislike companies with headquarters in America” (R4)
“They censor customer reviews” (R5)
Figure 2. Reasons for Affective Attitude
Neslihan PAKER
4.3. Perceived Similarities and Differences
11
When asked to evaluate the similarities and differences between five ecommerce sites (Trendyol, N11, Hepsiburada, Amazon Türkiye,
Gittigidiyor) the participants indicated the highly similar websites in terms
of highly secure shopping and sales promotions. They explained that the
most diverse features of e-commerce sites are their expertise in product
groups. For instance, Trendyol is considered as a web site for textiles, N11
for electronics. Although the sales campaign is defined in terms of discount
rates and frequency in a similar manner, the websites differ through the
innovative products they offer. Trendyol wallet, self-service cargo delivery
promotion, options for using different credit cards for the same order,
specialized debit card for the e-commerce site, and quick discounts for 3-4
hours are some examples of such innovations. Respondents also stated that
they perceived e-commerce websites differently in terms of personalities.
However, while all e-commerce sites are trustworthy, respondents have
mentioned that some of them, in particular, perform exceptionally well in the
order return process. Furthermore, they stated that some the design of the
website can be a differentiator. Colors, well-chosen photos, and image
placements are sometimes highlighted as attributes that contribute to the
elegance of the e-commerce site. In addition, some e-commerce sites
positioned themselves by emphasizing their Turkishness in advertisements,
as reported by respondents. Figure 3 depicts perceived similarities and
differences between e-commerce sites by customers, and Table 5 contains
quotes.
Table 5. Perceived Similarities and Differences Among the Web Sites with
Quotations
Themes
Quotations
Top of The
Range
Expertise in
product groups
“N11 stands out in electronic products, for example. If I'm
going to buy a printer, I prefer N11, but if I'm going to buy
household items, I prefer Gittigidiyor”(R1)
Innovative
“Trendyol is releasing a lot of new applications. For example,
Trendyol Wallet provides easy returns and a small return on
money. I also like the Delivery Point application, I always use
it. But others imitate them soon after” (R4)
“Hepsiburada can distribute spending on multiple credit cards
as you wish. This feature is not available anywhere else, I really
like this innovative feature” (R5)
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Themes
Brand
Personalities
Quotations
“All of these websites have different personalities. For example,
Amazon is like the rich kid on our site. ….Gittigidiyor used to
be a local shopkeeper, now he is doing this job” (R1)
Reliability
No Problem
Return Policy
Security
Customer
Reviews
“I think Trendyol is the most comfortable and easy site in this
sense. For example, they refund your money immediately thanks
to Trendyol Wallet” (R2)
“Amazon returns your money based on your sales history,
without asking for a refund” (R5)
“You can return the product you bought from Amazon within 1
month. No other site does this” (R7)
“I think that they are all at a high level in terms of security and
do not differentiate” (R2)
“I think Trendyol and Gittigidiyor differentiates from the others
in terms of rich customer comments” (R3)
“Trendyol stands out with its rich customer reviews. Other sites
have very few customer reviews” (R4)
Attractiveness
Web Sites
Design
Impressive
Images
Value for
Money
Sales
Promotions
Cargo Fee
“I find Hepsiburada and Trendyol very similar in terms of the
color and product grouping they use. However, others differ
slightly” (R2)
“Some websites can improve their search filters so that you can
find the product you are looking for very quickly and easily”
(R6)
“I like the colors of Hepsiburada. The fonts are big, they have
distributed the products. I think it differs from others” (R7)
“I think there are 3 clusters as Amazon, Trendyol and others. It
is as if we learned the design of the website from Trendyol ...
Trenyol is like a reference point to evaluate others "(R8)
“Trendyol uses its own fashion models with meticulously
arranged photographs. But other sites are not like this” (R3)
“I think they all do the same thing as sales campaigns. For
example, someone starts a spring campaign, and then the other
does it too” (R2)
“They all copy each other. Legendary Friday, Fabulous Sale
etc. they do it back to back. Amazon is differentiating a little”
(R5)
“Sales campaigns are very similar. A product goes on sale on
one site, then you look at it and it's on another” (R7)
“Trendyol has special campaigns as fast as 15 minutes, 3
hours” (R8)
“They have different practices for displaying the shipping price.
For example, some add the shipping fee when the product is
added to the cart, while others add the shipping fee after
placing the order” (R2)
Neslihan PAKER
Themes
Country of
Origin
Patriotism
Quotations
13
“I think Trendyol highlights the Turkish identity” (R3)
“Trendyol advertises that its sellers and products are Turkish”
(R4).
Figure 3. Perceived Similarities and Differences
4.4. The Assessment of Strategic Positioning of
E-Commerce Sites
Respondents were asked to rate the importance of each positioning
strategy (e.g., attractiveness, top of the range) from 1 to 5 (i.e., 1-the least
important and 5-the most important) and they rated Trendyol, N11,
Hepsiburada, Amazon Türkiye, and Gittigidiyor e-commerce sites based on
their perception. The importance level of the strategy was calculated by
taking the average rating of all respondents into account. According to the
interviewees, the most important factors for choosing an e-commerce site for
shopping were reliability and service, with respective scores of 4.9 and 4.8
out of 5. They were followed by value for money (4.1) and attractiveness
(3.4). Almost all respondents indicated that the country of origin has no
bearing on their purchasing decision. Subsequently, they evaluated the
aforementioned strategies for these e-commerce sites. According to the
findings, Amazon Türkiye is the most distinct in terms of positioning
strategies such as top of the range, service, value for money, and reliability.
Trendyol, on the other hand, is the far most appealing e-commerce site with
Hepsiburada distinguishing itself from other web sites by their Turkishness.
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Assessing Strategic Positioning: Of E‐Commerce Sites: Analysis Of Turkish…
The acquired results are presented in Table 6 with Figure 4 depicting a
perception map of strategic positioning of e-commerce sites by comparing
the importance level of strategies.
Figure 4. Strategic Positioning of E-Commerce Sites
Top of the Range
5,0
4,0
Country of Origin
3,0
Service
2,0
1,0
Attractiveness
Value For Money
Trendyol
HepsiBurada
GittiGidiyor
Reliability N11
AmazonTürkiye
Importance Level of the Strategy
5. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
The aim of the present study was to examine the market positioning
strategies of e-commerce sites in Turkey and to discern how they differ by
exposing comparable and differentiated methods through the lens of
consumer perception. Based on the obtained results, Amazon Türkiye stands
out as the best in terms of positioning strategies such as the top of the range,
service, value for money, and reliability. Hepsiburada, on the other hand,
distinguishes itself from the other websites through Turkishness, and
Trendyol is by far the most attractive e-commerce site. Blankson et al.
(2017) reported that retailers generally follow the same strategies, which
makes it difficult to distinguish one from the others. In general, although
Turkish e-commerce sites have shared similar strategies, they also have
different attributes for using positioning in customer perception. Firstly, in
terms of very secure shopping, the websites appear to be very similar. In
fact, aside from being the most popular one, reliability is an essential
Neslihan PAKER
15
strategy that every e-commerce site should implement and being a good
brand will contribute to this strategy. Many studies support these findings.
As an example, the study conducted by Yılmaz and Karakadılar (2019) also
revealed that the biggest concern of Turkish customers is security in ecommerce shopping. Moreover, Huseynov and Yıldırım (2017) along with
Nisar and Prabhakar (2017) mentioned that the risk of monetary loss and the
danger of loss of privacy are significant concerns if the online retailers are
untrustworthy. Furthermore, a lack of reviews makes buyers hesitant to trust
e-commerce companies. Turkish e-commerce sites are considered as reliable
based on the interview findings. Castelli, Manzoni, Vanneschi, and Popovič
(2017) highlight that e-commerce managers who provide customers with the
option to rate a product and rating current reviews will have a competitive
advantage over e-commerce companies that do not offer these capabilities.
Thus, availability of many customer reviews and hassle-free return policy
will also increase the impact of this positioning for e-commerce sites.
On the other hand, it was observed that high service quality is the
strategy that can make a differentiation in the market. According to the
results, the service scores of e-commerce sites have not met the expectations
of the customers and it has been found that Amazon Türkiye has the highest
score with 4.4. The findings also illustrate that the customers do not perceive
e-commerce sites differently regarding service positioning strategy. Hence,
all Turkish e-commerce sites should improve their service performance to
provide sufficient content and customer relationship in addition to faster
cargo delivery. In addition, the competence of Turkish e-commerce sites in
product groups is perceived as the most diversified attribute. Thus, ecommerce sites may continue to strengthen some product lines at least to
gain a competitive edge in some areas.
Value for money and attractiveness come in second and third
respectively in terms of having an impact on customer preference. These
results were in accordance with the results of the study on Accra Mall
retailer, in which "reliability," "attractiveness," and "value for money" were
among the widely used strategies (Blankson et al., 2017). The respondents
did not mention the significant importance of the value of money. However,
they stated that innovative sales campaigns such as quick discounts,
Trendyol wallets are the differentiator attributes of websites. Actually, even
though the sales campaign is repeatable in terms of discount rates and
frequency, the Turkish websites stand out by offering innovative products
and services. Nisar and Prabhakar (2017) state that e-commerce is also being
used as an innovation method to help businesses become more competitive.
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Assessing Strategic Positioning: Of E‐Commerce Sites: Analysis Of Turkish…
The customers perceived these sites as market leaders since they were
among the pioneers in this field and product line expansion was evaluated
with a very welcoming approach for preference of websites. Parallels can be
drawn between this finding and the results of the study by Filson (2004) on
Amozon Company. Some of the respondents also claimed that excessive
sales pitches irritate them rather than enticing them to make a purchase.
Huseynov and Yıldırım (2017) emphasized that there are different customer
segments in the e-commerce market. Each identified customer segment was
discovered to have distinct traits. For example, coupon redemption
consistently receives higher-than-average ratings for the transient segment
customer, gets less attention for need-based segment customers. Thus, ecommerce companies should keep using these strategies intensively,
however, just for their target segments. Moreover, elaborate designs of the
websites make them attractive in the eyes of the customer despite the fact
that it actually has a low importance level with a score of 3.4. It was
observed that Trendyol has positioned itself differently since they utilize
their model for textile products promotions. Thus, e-commerce sites can use
that kind of well-designed image to be perceived differently. Moreover,
although the top of the range had a low score, it is mentioned with the
trustworthiness towards of e-commerce sites. Thus, having a well-known
brand name will instill trust in the customers as well. Interestingly, the
country of origin did not influence the purchasing decision of customers.
Finally, despite no significance, e-commerce sites emphasize their country of
origin in their advertisement campaigns. It can be suggested that they can
eliminate this kind of promotion for cost down of promotion expenditure.
The sample size and use of qualitative research techniques were the
most significant limitations of the study. Future studies can be conducted
with larger sample sizes to validate the findings of this study.
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