Switzerland Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in switzerland, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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eCommerce
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Assessment of Current Buyer Behavior in Market

Switzerland is one of the top five European countries in the proportion of online purchases. In 2020, the online share of retail sales in Switzerland was 13% before falling slightly to 11.8% in 2021.  In the areas of media, home electronics, and fashion, the share of sales generated on the internet is significantly above this average, whereas home, do-it yourself, and sports are the fastest growing areas.  In 2021, sales in Switzerland of Swiss online retailers continued to grow faster than those of their foreign counterparts.  In total, Swiss residents spent CHF 13 billion ($13.35 billion) in local online shops in 2021, and around CHF 2.1 billion ($2.16 billion) in foreign online shops.

E-commerce sales are expected to grow further in 2022, according to industry observers.  To boost sales and improve the customer experience, manufacturers and brands invest substantially in their own online formats, according to the Swiss Mail Order Association, which unites over 330 online retailers that generate about 50% of Swiss B2C online sales.

The Association’s website provides information and statistics on the Swiss retail market. The Swiss government’s SME Portal includes a section dedicated to eCommerce resources.

Local eCommerce Sales Rules & Regulations

An eCommerce site must provide certain information to internet users so that it is legally secure, including information about the operator and specific product information. The ordering process must be optimized and clear, and the order confirmation must include specific information. Details of these requirements can be found on the Swiss SME portal here. The Federal Tax Administration has a summary of relevant issues for mail-order trade here.

Swiss legislation does not guarantee customers the right to change their mind and return a product after an online purchase; the right of withdrawal only exists if sellers grant it on their own initiative. In this case, the webshop must explicitly state its conditions.

The Swiss Parliament adopted the revision of the Swiss Data Protection Act (DPA) in September 2020. The revised DPA includes numerous alignments with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The territorial scope of the new DPA includes companies based abroad if they process personal data that has an impact in Switzerland. In addition, companies without a registered office in Switzerland may be required to designate a representative in Switzerland if they process the personal data of individuals in Switzerland. This obligation is triggered if the data processing is related to the offering of goods or services (so-called targeting) or the behavioral monitoring of these persons, if the processing is extensive, regular and involves a high risk to the individual data subjects. It is not yet known when the new data protection law will come into force.

Local eCommerce Business Service Provider Ecosystem

The Swiss Commerce Association offers information on the Swiss online business ecosystem, and members can utilize framework contracts with association conditions for package delivery, card payments, credit checks, debt collection and other services. They also have a calendar of upcoming events in Switzerland related to eCommerce at their website.

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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