Overview
For a long time, simply selling online was almost enough to signal modernity. Today, that is no longer really the issue. The real challenge lies elsewhere: experience, trust, speed, proximity and the ability to create a coherent relationship between digital and physical channels.
And perhaps this is where 2025 marks a quiet turning point for the Swiss market.
Swiss E-commerce reaches CHF 15.8 billion in 2025
In 2025, Swiss consumers spent CHF 15.8 billion online, compared to CHF 14.9 billion in 2024. A growth of +6%, representing nearly CHF 900 million in additional spending injected into the Swiss digital economy.
This figure confirms a trend that has already been established for several years: online shopping is no longer a “complementary” behavior. It has now become part of everyday life.
But what stands out most… is the maturity of the market.
Growth continues, yes. Yet it no longer has the explosive momentum of the post- Covid years. We are entering another phase. A phase where the battle is no longer fought solely through acquiring new customers, but through the ability to retain attention, simplify customer journeys, and create brand preference in a saturated environment.
- The companies performing best today are not necessarily those that “digitize” the fastest, but those that make their experience more fluid, more coherent… almost invisible.
Effective digital is not the one people notice, it is the one that removes friction and many players still underestimate this shift in logic.
Swiss platforms are holding their ground against international competition
Out of the CHF 15.8 billion spent online, CHF 13 billion came from purchases made through Swiss companies, compared to CHF 2.8 billion from direct orders abroad.
The figure is interesting because it nuances a frequently repeated idea: that the Swiss market is entirely dominated by international giants.
Of course, Amazon, Temu, Shein and Alibaba heavily influence consumer habits. But Swiss consumers still, to a large extent, place their trust in local platforms.
Why? Probably because price does not explain everything.
Service quality, delivery, transparency, ease of returns, or even the feeling of proximity still play a huge role in purchasing decisions. And in a sometimes more challenging economic context, that trust becomes almost a strategic asset.
- We believe Swiss companies still hold a significant competitive advantage… provided they do not try to copy international models.
The true local strength often lies elsewhere: customer knowledge, operational quality, relationships, and a certain credibility that global marketplaces sometimes struggle to replicate.
The challenge is therefore not only technological. It is also becoming an issue of identity.
Overseas purchases are slowing down significantly
Cross-border purchases are still growing in 2025 (+8%), but the pace has slowed considerably compared to 2024, when growth reached +18%.
It is a subtle signal… but probably an important one.
Yes, small Asian parcels continue to flood the market. Yes, consumers remain sensitive to aggressive pricing. But the enthusiasm surrounding ultra low-cost shopping seems to be starting to stabilize.
Perhaps because consumers are becoming more attentive to the actual quality of products. Perhaps also because long delivery times, complicated returns, or repeated disappointments eventually begin to weigh on the overall experience.
Price attracts, experience often determines whether customers come back.
- Many Swiss brands sometimes tend to enter a price war that is impossible to win against Asian platforms.
We believe that is not the right battle.
Differentiation will rely more on: trust, content, customer experience, service, and the ability to build a lasting relationship.
In other words… creating more perceived value rather than simply lowering prices.
80% of Swiss internet users shop online every month
In 2025, 80% of Swiss internet users make online purchases every month. The main purchasing drivers remain free delivery (60.5%) and promotions (38.9%).
This figure shows just how ordinary e-commerce has become in daily habits. And paradoxically, that may be exactly what makes the market more difficult.
When everyone sells online, how do you stand out?
Consumers are now used to high standards: fast delivery, simple customer journeys, seamless payment, mobile availability, and instant communication.
Tolerance for friction has decreased dramatically.
A slow website, a confusing experience, or a poorly designed checkout process can cause a customer to leave within seconds… sometimes without the brand even truly understanding why.
- We still see many companies investing heavily in marketing acquisition while their digital journeys remain fragile. Yet attracting traffic without optimizing the experience often amounts to filling a leaking bucket.
The issue is no longer simply about being visible. Companies must be fluid, credible, and reassuring at every interaction.
The fashion sector is finally returning to growth
After two difficult years (-7% in 2023 and then -7% again in 2024), the fashion sector is slightly recovering with +2.5% growth in 2025.
The increase remains moderate… but it changes the narrative.
For several years, the sector seemed caught between multiple pressures: inflation, competitive pressure, the explosion of marketplaces, advertising saturation and rapidly evolving purchasing behaviors.
The current rebound may show that the market is entering a more selective phase. Consumers continue to buy, but in a more thoughtful way.
Less impulsive, more deliberate.
- In fashion, we believe the brands that will succeed tomorrow will not necessarily be those with the largest number of products, but those capable of building the most coherent brand universes.
Brand identity is becoming central again and this goes far beyond design: storytelling, omnichannel experience, community, content, loyalty, personalization…
Everything is becoming interconnected.
More moderate growth expected in 2026
For 2026, analysts expect Swiss e-commerce growth to reach around +5%, slightly lower than the level observed in 2025.
This relative slowdown does not mean the market is weakening. Quite the opposite.
It rather reflects a gradual normalization. E-commerce is becoming a stable, integrated, mature consumption infrastructure.
And in mature markets, competition often becomes more demanding.
Companies must therefore work with greater precision: operational efficiency, data, logistics, customer experience, and adaptability.
The gaps rarely widen dramatically… but they still widen nonetheless.
- We believe the coming years will not be dominated solely by the most digital companies, but by those capable of aligning technology, operations, internal culture, and customer experience.
Digital transformation is no longer a project isolated from the rest of the company.
It is becoming a way of operating.
Conclusion
The Swiss e-commerce market therefore continues to grow but behind the numbers, another reality is gradually emerging: the market is becoming more mature, more demanding, more competitive… and sometimes more subtle than it appears.
Consumers are buying more online, yes. Yet they are also making more trade-offs they compare more, expect more and change quickly.
In this context, the companies that will succeed will probably not be those that simply multiply tools or campaigns, but those capable of creating a coherent, credible and lasting experience.
And ultimately, perhaps that is the real issue of digital today: no longer simply selling “online”… but building a relationship that continues naturally, regardless of the channel.
Contact us for more information.
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