e-commerce in Switzerland is experiencing a steady growth phase, offering significant opportunities for both consumers and merchants.
Despite the fact that Switzerland is often perceived as a relatively small market compared to neighbouring countries such as Germany or France, its unique characteristics make it particularly attractive for eCommerce, with high purchasing power and a strong inclination to shop online. Suffice it to say that in Switzerland, for certain product categories, eCommerce can generate up to 20% more sales than in other markets.
In this article we analyse all the latest data on eCommerce in Switzerland, exploring the main trends in Swiss eCommerce and providing an overview for merchants interested in this market.
Internet users and eShoppers in Switzerland
How many Internet users are there in Switzerland?
Switzerland has a population of about 8.7 million people, of which almost 8.6 million use the Internet regularly. In fact, 93% of the Swiss have a smartphone, a device with which 85.5% of them regularly connect to the Internet; 83% a computer and 50% a tablet.
These figures highlight a strong technological penetration that is the basis for the growth of eCommerce in the country.
How many eShoppers are there in Switzerland?
In 2021, 56% of the population over the age of 15 will have made at least one online purchase; a percentage that reflects the increasing spread of digital commerce in the country.
Moreover, according to data fromDPD’s E-Shopper Barometer 2023, more than 9 out of 10 online purchases in Switzerland are made by regular eShoppers, i.e. those who buy at least one item online per month.
Men account for 60% of online shoppers, compared to 50% of women. Every week, about 44.5% of the Swiss population completes at least one online purchase of goods and services.
How much eCommerce is worth in Switzerland
In 2021, the total value of eCommerce in Switzerland exceeded USD 15 billion, with an annual growth rate of 6.5%. The average expenditure per capita is around $2,400 per year, making the Swiss among the most active consumers in Europe when it comes to online shopping.
Most purchased products online
Among the most popular product categories, fashion (clothing and shoes) dominates the Swiss market with sales of $43 billion and annual growth of 8%. This is followed by electronic products (27 billion, +7.5%) and furniture and furnishings (26 billion, +1%). A strong growth sector is also games and hobbies, with a turnover of 12 billion and an annual increase of 4.5%. Beauty products also find a particularly interested market in Switzerland (according to Dpd data, this is in fact the third largest product sector for online sales in the country).
Finally, eCommerce related to everyday shopping and ready-to-eat food delivery is also worth noting, since as many as 2.3 million Swiss people habitually order groceries online and the trend is growing year-on-year by more than 10%, with a turnover of more than USD 300 million.
What makes Swiss eCommerce a particularly attractive market for merchants?
One of the aspects that makes Switzerland certainly one of the most attractive markets on the European scene (although, to the less attentive, the most unsuspected) is the high purchasing power of Swiss eShoppers.
Average salaries are in fact among the highest in the world, which makes Swiss consumers particularly inclined to spend more than their European neighbours. However, local prices are often higher than in other countries, especially for products manufactured domestically or subject to customs duties.
Suffice it to say that for product categories such as clothing and personal care products, people in Switzerland pay between 35 and 97 per cent more for the same products than, for example, in Germany.
This factor therefore drives many Swiss to shop abroad, taking advantage of cross-border e-commerce. Mail order shopping in Europe is indeed a welcome opportunity for Swiss citizens to save money, and in 2023, according to DPD data, 82% of regular eShoppers made online purchases from foreign websites.
As a consequence, foreign merchants, especially those from neighbouring countries – including, of course, Italy – also benefit from the online shopping propensity of Swiss eShoppers.
The main eCommerce players in Switzerland
Two main marketplaces dominate the eCommerce landscape in Switzerland: Manor and Amazon.
However, local retailers such as Galaxus – which offers its customers over one million SKUs (Stock Keeping Units), enabling them to almost always find what they are looking for – are also rapidly gaining ground, offering a constantly growing variety of products.
Deliveries in Switzerland, a central issue for Swiss eShoppers
The topic of deliveries and their management from a logistical point of view plays a particularly important role for Swiss eShoppers, who have very clear needs and demands in this respect. This latter element makes Switzerland an extremely interesting market for our analysis because, as we will find out in a moment, Out Of Home deliveries also play a role.
Swiss consumer preferences
As mentioned above, Swiss consumers have very clear and specific demands and needs with regard to the delivery of products purchased online: as many as 63% of Swiss eShoppers, in fact, state that they particularly appreciate free delivery. Moreover, for 33% of Swiss online consumers, the ease of return plays a central role in their purchasing preferences and choices.
Another highly appreciated feature – even decisive in 28% of cases – is next-day delivery after the online purchase. In general, Swiss eShoppers want to be able to select the day and window of delivery, as well as the possibility to redirect the delivery.
The issue of sustainable delivery is also not unimportant: 71% of Swiss eShoppers say they prefer online shops that offer environmentally friendly delivery options, while for a significant proportion of consumers, the possibility to enjoy multiple delivery options plays a decisive role.
A fact, the latter, which explains and justifies the strong interest of Swiss eShoppers in the world of Out Of Home deliveries.
The network of Lockers and Pick-up Points in Switzerland
Although home delivery of online orders is still the preferred location for Swiss eShoppers, the percentage of users choosing to receive their purchases directly at home has dropped significantly in recent years, from 87% to 58%.
By contrast, delivery at Pick-up Points and Lockers is steadily increasing. In 2023, 38% of all shipments were delivered at Out of Home points (in 2022 this was 24%), and interest in these options continues to grow.
In more detail, 16% of eCommerce shipments were routed to Parcel shops in 2023 (in 2022 it was 7%); the same percentage also applies to shipments to post offices and vendor stores (so-called Click&Collect). 15% of shipments were directed to Lockers available in Switzerland, as well as shipments to the place of work or a ‘safe place’ agreed with the courier.
As mentioned, however, Swiss eShoppers like to be able to choose where to have their parcels delivered and to take advantage of all the options available, so much so that more than half of eShoppers (51%) say they use different delivery methods, depending on their needs.
But that is not all: DPD also drew a sketch of the eShopper who habitually makes use of out-of-home delivery solutions.
The identikit of the eShopper who habitually uses Out Of Home delivery solutions
OOH users would generally be more connected than eShoppers who choose more ‘traditional’ delivery options, research the latest trends and are more informed than regular customers.
In general, the Swiss eShopper choosing an OOH delivery method is male (66% of cases), with an average age of 35 years, lives in urban areas and is married (57% of cases).
In short, Out Of Home deliveries are increasingly popular in Switzerland, which is why in the near future we will continue to keep an eye on this small country that is proving to the giants of Europe that a sustainable and efficient alternative is indeed possible.
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