New partnerships where e-commerce application evolved during the pandemic process: Fourth party logistics

Before and after the global pandemic, various sectors around the world had to undergo different experiences. It was not possible for our country to remain unaffected by this process. Our country could not remain unaffected by this process. The process, in which many habits have changed and perspectives on the world have diversified, has brought about negative impacts in various fields. However, in certain sectors such as e-commerce, it has led to developments far beyond predictions. During lockdown periods, unlike the negatively affected face-to-face trade structure, e-commerce became dominant in many sectors. The shipping and transportation services diversified and advanced during the lockdown periods. Logistics services became more detailed, and their scopes expanded. Many businesses engaged in face-to-face trade also became involved in the e-commerce process, thereby overcoming the constraints of a more restrictive environment. In this study, businesses that particularly highlighted the concept of e-commerce during the pandemic were examined. Factors such as changes in businesses' e-commerce structures, their adaptation speeds, and challenges faced in transactions on high-traffic e-commerce platforms were investigated. The study focused on 12 different small and medium-sized enterprises that operate as sellers within large-scale e-commerce platforms by opening stores through the provided e-marketplace services. Data were collected through mutual interviews within the context of nationwide activities of these major e-commerce platforms. The development of the performance of these businesses in the field of e-commerce, particularly within the context of the fourth-party logistics concept, is explained. The study aims to examine the current situations of seller businesses on e-commerce platforms, which play a significant role in our country's commercial life and enable small and medium-sized enterprises to sustain and expand their commercial activities as fourth-party logistics partners. The understanding of the process and the implementation of the fourth-party logistics were made possible through data obtained from real businesses and real e-commerce applications.