Selling from Türkiye to Germany: 8 things to change in your store

When you sell to customers in Germany, your store is read against German and EU rules. Some of these rules are about texts; others are about how the store works: what the button says, what appears next to the price, which information sits on the product page.

The list below says three things for each item: what changes, who does the work, and the source. Your lawyer or legal‑text provider prepares the legal texts; this post does not replace them. For an overview of the market, see the Selling to Germany page.

In Germany the order button must state the obligation to pay clearly: it says “zahlungspflichtig bestellen” or wording that is just as clear.⁠³ Accepted payment methods and delivery restrictions must also be clearly visible at the latest at the start of the order process.⁠³

Since 19 June 2026, EU countries have required a withdrawal function for online sales.⁠⁵ In Germany this is a button labelled “Vertrag widerrufen” (withdraw from contract) or something equally clear, easy to find throughout the withdrawal period. The customer enters their details and confirms with “Widerruf bestätigen” (confirm withdrawal); the seller immediately sends an acknowledgement with the date and time on a durable medium.⁠⁴

Test both buttons from start to finish with a test order on a phone. The withdrawal period is 14 days.⁠²

The price states that it includes VAT and other price components; if there are freight, delivery or shipping costs, this is stated, with the amount if it can be calculated in advance.⁠⁶ For products sold by weight, volume, length or area, the unit price (Grundpreis) also appears next to the total price, clearly and legibly.⁠⁷

The EU’s General Product Safety Regulation requires at least the following in an online offer: the manufacturer’s name, postal and e‑mail address; if the manufacturer is outside the EU, the name, postal and e‑mail address of the economic operator established in the EU; information that identifies the product (picture, type and any other product identifiers); warnings and safety information in a language the customer understands.⁠⁸ For a product whose manufacturer is in Türkiye, settle who this operator will be before you start selling.

A business that sells packaged goods to end users in Germany registers its packaging (LUCID) before the first sale; this is a personal obligation.⁠⁹ Since 12 August 2026, businesses that sell directly into Germany without a branch there appoint an authorised representative and enter the representative’s details in the registration before the first sale.⁠⁹

For shipments up to €150, VAT can be declared and paid through the EU’s Import One‑Stop Shop (IOSS); the value is calculated per shipment.⁠¹⁰ From 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2028, €3 customs duty is charged on these shipments for each product type in the customs classification; the seller or importer making the declaration pays it.⁠¹¹

One detail matters for Türkiye: the EU exempts goods that benefit from the customs union from this duty, but only if the VAT was not collected through IOSS and the shipment was declared with a standard declaration (H1).⁠¹¹ For low‑value e‑commerce shipments from Türkiye, the A.TR movement certificate can be issued electronically.⁠¹² Work out which route suits you with your tax adviser and your customs broker.

Product pages, order e‑mails and legal texts are in German, and customer questions arrive in German too. Decide at the start who will handle customer correspondence; customer messages are not part of our work.

Offer payment methods at checkout that customers in Germany know. According to the Deutsche Bundesbank’s 2025 study of payment behaviour, PayPal’s share among internet payment methods is about 86%.⁠¹³ Ask your payment provider in advance whether your company in Türkiye can take payments from customers in Germany.