Turkish Generalist Classifieds Platform Sahibinden Hit with $1.5M Antitrust Fine

After a two-year investigation by the country's antitrust authority the Turkish generalist online classifieds platform Sahibinden has been fined TL 40.2 million (around $1.5 million).

According to a report issued by the authority, Sahibinden "holds a dominant position" in the real estate and vehicle sales categories.

The report says that the Istanbul-based company used its position to make it harder for customers to use other portals and imposed illegal contractual exclusivity with some clients.

The watchdog has imposed a series of conditions and sanctions on Sahibinden going forward:

• A fine of TL 40.2 million over its gross annual revenues from 2021.
• Sahibinden must redraw contracts with its corporate clients and remove the exclusivity clauses.
• It must set up the necessary infrastructure to ensure that corporate clients can port their real estate and vehicle listings to other portals free of charge.
• Sahibinden must document everything for the antitrust authorities and submit yearly reports on its progress for three years.

Sahibinden has 60 days to appeal the decision.

Founded in 2000 by the influential Aksoy Group, Sahibinden is the leading general classifieds platform in Turkey and was one of the first e-commerce sites in the country.

The accusations and report's findings are similar to those of a recent case from South Africa which saw strict antitrust conditions imposed on the country's leading portals.