Amazon Türkiye launched in 2018 as Amazon’s sixth marketplace in Europe. Over the past six years, it has achieved remarkable growth by offering opportunities to online consumers and SMEs in Türkiye. According to a survey conducted among young professionals and university students, Amazon Türkiye has become one of the “top three most sought-after companies in Türkiye.” A key contributor to this success is Richard Marriott! Serving as the “Country Manager of Amazon Türkiye” since 2019, Richard Marriott brings over 25 years of experience across various sectors, including consumer goods, telecommunications, retail banking, consulting, and energy.
In an interview with WORLDEF E-COMMERCE magazine, Marriott stated, “Our core principles are customer obsession, a passion for innovation, operational excellence, and long-term thinking.” He discussed the significance of Amazon’s famous “empty chair” in meetings, what customer obsession truly means, Amazon Türkiye’s goals, and its commitments to Turkish SMEs.
“Amazon is Defined by Four Core Principles”
Richard Marriott first elaborated on Amazon’s core principles: “At Amazon, we wear many hats, but fundamentally, I define Amazon as a company that operates based on four key principles. These principles guide everything we do. They are: customer obsession, a passion for innovation, operational excellence, and long-term thinking.”
“We Keep an Empty Chair in Meetings to Represent the Customer”
Marriott emphasized that customer obsession has been Amazon’s fundamental principle since its inception, a concept deeply understood by Amazon’s Founder, Jeff Bezos. “Everything we do is for our customers, which is why we always keep a famous empty chair in all our meetings to represent them. Every member of Amazon—more than 1.5 million employees worldwide—embraces this as a core value.”
“The Desire to Innovate for Our Customers Is in Our DNA”
“We always strive to nurture and enhance our passion for innovation. We love bringing new solutions to our customers,” said Richard Marriott, continuing: “At Amazon, the desire to innovate for our customers is embedded in our DNA. Regardless of their daily tasks, we expect everyone to play a role in innovation. If you ask me what Amazon’s greatest innovation is, I would say ‘Prime.’
Prime is a special program designed for our customers, built on the foundations of unlimited, fast, free, and flexible delivery. Today, Prime offers over 200 million members worldwide the best shopping and entertainment experience.”
“We Achieve 98% Delivery Accuracy”
Highlighting “operational excellence” as Amazon’s third core principle, Marriott stated: “For us, prioritizing operations is equivalent to prioritizing customer experience, as it is the key to ensuring that our customers trust our brand and the services we offer.” He emphasized that Amazon operates over 400 world-class logistics centers across cities and regions worldwide to deliver what customers need, exactly when they need it.
“We ship products to customers in over 200 countries and regions. This is no easy task, but if you define yourself as a ‘customer-obsessed company,’ you must execute every aspect of your business flawlessly. That is why we continuously invest in our operations, leverage technology, and innovate on behalf of our customers. We continue investing in our shipping capabilities, working with partners to establish a delivery network built on security, speed, and efficiency. Thanks to our investments, we now achieve 98% delivery accuracy.”
“We Never Prioritize Short-Term Gains Over Long-Term Customer Trust”
Amazon Türkiye Country Manager Richard Marriott emphasized long-term thinking as another fundamental principle: “We believe that the true value of our work lies in the long-term trust our customers, suppliers, and society place in us. We never prioritize short-term profits over long-term customer trust! Looking at our three most successful business areas—Amazon Prime, Amazon Marketplace, and Amazon Web Services—we see that all of them were established years ago. They went through testing phases, and it took five to ten years to achieve success. That’s because we have always focused on the long-term value we can offer customers, ensuring the sustained success of all our operations.”
“Amazon Türkiye Is Our Sixth Marketplace in Europe”
When asked about Amazon’s journey in Türkiye, Marriott shared: “Amazon Türkiye launched in 2018 as our sixth marketplace in Europe. While we are a global company, we recognize that each local market is unique and that every customer has distinct needs. That’s why we spent our initial years ensuring that we understood our customers in Türkiye and their expectations from us. We filled in the missing features, expanded our product selection, improved our pricing, and built a strong reputation for fast and reliable delivery, setting new standards for e-commerce in Türkiye.”
“We Reached Our Annual Prime Membership Target in Just 48 Hours”
Marriott noted that Amazon Prime’s launch in Türkiye in 2020 was a defining moment in their success: “This was the second-fastest launch in Amazon’s history, and we reached our annual Prime membership target within just 48 hours. We knew that customers in Türkiye loved Amazon’s services, and it was time to scale and expand our business. That’s why in 2022, we opened our first Amazon-operated logistics center in Tuzla, Istanbul, with an investment of over $100 million. This was a key moment for us, demonstrating our commitment to Türkiye and our long-term strategy in the region.”
“We Are One of the Top Three Most Desired Companies in Türkiye”
Reflecting on Amazon Türkiye’s growth, Marriott stated: “Today, our business has grown significantly in every aspect, and we continue to enhance our customer experience. In just six years, our team in Istanbul has expanded from 50 employees to nearly 1,000. In fact, independent research shows that among young professionals and university students, Amazon is one of the top three most sought-after companies in Türkiye.”
“More Than 50,000 Turkish SMEs Sold Over 30 Million Products on Amazon in 2023”
Richard Marriott emphasized the importance of SMEs for Amazon and the services provided to support them. He pointed out that more than 61% of sales on Amazon’s marketplaces worldwide come from independent sellers, the majority of whom are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In Türkiye, over 50,000 SMEs are selling on Amazon, and in 2023 alone, these SMEs sold more than 30 million products.”
“We Bring Customers to SMEs!”
Amazon Türkiye Country Manager Richard Marriott shared details about the services Amazon provides to SMEs, stating: “We bring customers to SMEs! We have hundreds of millions of customers worldwide, over 200 million Prime members, and we deliver products to customers in more than 200 countries and regions. We provide SMEs with the most effective and accessible tools and services, such as Amazon Logistics and Amazon Ads, to help them reach these customers. Amazon Logistics is an optional service that allows sellers to focus on growing their business while we handle storage, packaging, shipping, returns, and customer service on their behalf.”
“More Than 15,000 SMEs in Türkiye Use Amazon Logistics”
Marriott noted that more than 15,000 SMEs in Türkiye currently use Amazon Logistics and added: “In addition, Amazon Ads helps brands reach customers no matter where they are. Our advertising solutions are designed not only to reach shoppers within our stores but also to engage them outside of Amazon. By capturing consumers’ attention where they prefer to spend their time, we create opportunities for brands to reach new customers and interact with them across various devices, retail, and media channels.”
“In 2023, Turkish SMEs’ Export Sales Exceeded 21 Billion TL”
Discussing Amazon’s approach to cross-border e-commerce and international trade, Marriott responded to the question, “How do you help SMEs expand beyond borders?”
Referring to the Ministry of Trade’s goal to increase e-exports to 10% of Türkiye’s total exports by 2028, he stated: “We fully support the Ministry’s vision. We believe Amazon is uniquely positioned to help SMEs in this area. Today, more than 35,000 SMEs from Türkiye sell internationally through Amazon. This means that over 65% of Turkish SMEs selling on Amazon (50,000 in total) are engaged in exports. In 2023 alone, these SMEs achieved export sales exceeding 21 billion TL. The top export categories for SMEs in Türkiye were home and beauty products, while the top export destinations included the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the UK, and Germany.”
“Our Global Infrastructure Helps SMEs Reach Customers Anywhere”
Marriott continued: “Last year, in collaboration with PwC, we released a report on the e-commerce habits of SMEs in Türkiye, both domestically and internationally. We asked SMEs about the most common challenges they face in e-export activities. The top three challenges were: (1) market research and access, (2) marketing and promotion, and (3) logistics.
The good news is that Amazon offers solutions to all of these challenges. Over the past 20 years, we have invested billions of dollars in people, resources, and services to help businesses succeed. For example, reaching new markets is never an issue with Amazon. Our global infrastructure ensures that SMEs can reach customers regardless of where they are.”
Marriott added: “We tell SMEs: ‘Here are hundreds of millions of active customers shopping on Amazon. All you need to do is start selling your products!’ And we make this process as easy as possible. For instance, if a seller from Türkiye wants to start selling in Europe, they can list their products in nine Amazon marketplaces with a single account, reach customers in 28 countries, and manage all their listings and inventory across Europe seamlessly.”
“SMEs Never Have to Worry About Shipping with Amazon Logistics!”
Expanding on Amazon’s logistical solutions, Marriott stated: “If you’re struggling with marketing your products, Amazon Ads can help. Moreover, SMEs never have to worry about shipping with Amazon Logistics!” He further explained: “Amazon Logistics is a world-class, cost-effective service available to businesses selling on our platform. For example, in the U.S., shipping with Amazon Logistics can reduce costs per unit by up to 30% compared to standard shipping options offered by major U.S. carriers. Today, even a small business owner in Türkiye can store a single product in an Amazon fulfillment center for international sales and only pay for storage on a daily basis.”
“Language Barriers Are No Longer an Obstacle for SMEs”
Marriott also pointed out that language barriers often pose a challenge when entering new markets: “Take Europe, for instance—it consists of over 28 countries, many with their own languages. However, to sell on Amazon, you don’t need to be fluent in any European language. We offer sellers free listing and translation tools to effectively eliminate language barriers between them and their customers.
Amazon Logistics is also a game-changer in this regard. One of the biggest advantages of using Amazon Logistics is that Amazon handles shipping and return-related inquiries in the local language of the marketplace. Questions like ‘Where is my product?’ often make up the majority of customer interactions. By using our Amazon Logistics service, SMEs can instantly reduce the time and resources spent on translations and customer support.”
“We Are Aware of the Challenges Faced by Our SMEs”
Highlighting the incredible benefits of Amazon Prime for customers, Marriott stated: “However, since Prime customers tend to search for Prime-eligible products more frequently, this also helps sellers increase their sales. Displaying your products as Prime-eligible can significantly boost your chances of conversion.” He concluded by emphasizing Amazon’s commitment to supporting SMEs in Türkiye: “Ultimately, we are aware of the challenges our SMEs face; however, we also recognize the vast opportunities in Türkiye. We truly believe that the Ministry’s target is achievable, and we are here to support SMEs with our tools and services.”
“We See Türkiye as a Major Opportunity for Amazon”
In June, Amazon Türkiye Country Manager Richard Marriott participated in the WORLDEF ISTANBUL 2024 event, where he spoke at a panel titled “From Local to Global: How Amazon Empowers Small Businesses to Grow in Global Markets?” Discussing Amazon’s services and strategic initiatives specifically designed for the Türkiye market, Marriott stated:
“Türkiye has a large, well-educated, young population with strong knowledge of the internet, mobile technology, and e-commerce. We see Türkiye as a major opportunity for Amazon. On a global scale, Türkiye is an incredibly important country for Amazon. Turkish customers are remarkably smart and highly informed. They truly appreciate great opportunities. That’s why we are working even harder to offer outstanding deals in Türkiye—because these matter to Turkish customers.”
Marriott also shared his thoughts on the event, saying: “It was fantastic to highlight our commitment to Türkiye and the benefits of our Prime membership program. A huge thank you to WORLDEF for hosting such an amazing event and to everyone who attended the session. We are excited to continue making progress and creating new opportunities for businesses in Türkiye!”
Who Is Richard Marriott?
Richard Marriott serves as the Country Manager of Amazon Türkiye and has over 25 years of experience across various sectors, including consumer goods, telecommunications, retail banking, consulting, and energy. Originally from the UK, Marriott graduated from Oxford University, where he studied Politics, Philosophy, and Economics.
He began his career at Unilever in 1996 and later held various executive positions at leading companies such as The Coca-Cola Company, HBOS, Lloyds Banking Group, Nationwide Building Society, and British Gas. In 2015, he joined Amazon UK, where he led multiple product categories as a Category Director in the Retail division. He later took on various commercial roles in Amazon UK’s Seller Services and Marketplace teams. Since 2019, Richard Marriott has been leading Amazon Türkiye, overseeing Amazon’s products and services in the country. He is married and a father of three sons.
