DE / EN

BUSINESS NEWS

JENS BERGERMANN

You already run a successful webshop and have full control over your brand and customer experience. But when it comes to expanding into new, attractive markets like Switzerland, the question often arises: Is your own shop the only path to success? In addition to your own webshop, there are many valid reasons to also offer your products on Swiss marketplaces. In this article, we'll explain why this combined strategy can significantly increase your reach and revenue.

Why Your Webshop Alone Isn't Enough for Switzerland

Your own webshop is the heart of your brand. It gives you the freedom to tell your story and build a direct relationship with your customers. However, when entering a non-EU country like Switzerland, this approach can hit its limits. Building a local infrastructure, handling complex customs formalities, and meeting the logistical expectations of Swiss customers involve significant effort and substantial investment.

This is where the right distribution policy becomes crucial. It determines not only how your products find their way to the customer, but also that this happens efficiently, profitably, and in line with local conditions. Simply shipping from abroad can quickly lead to long delivery times, unexpected costs for the customer, and a high return rate.

What Advantages Do Swiss Marketplaces Offer Your Webshop?

Selling on established Swiss marketplaces isn't a replacement, but a powerful multiplier for your business. Instead of starting from scratch, you connect to existing ecosystems and immediately benefit from several advantages:

• Instant Reach and Visibility: You leverage the multi-million user reach and established customer base of leading marketplaces like Galaxus, Manor, Zalando, or Decathlon. Your products are seen by a large, high-spending target audience that you would only reach through your own webshop with a high marketing budget.

• Strengthened Customer Trust: Swiss customers prefer to buy on platforms they know and trust. Established payment methods, reliable delivery promises, and local customer service are standard here. Your products directly benefit from this advance of trust.

• Reduced Entry Barriers: You bypass many of the complex tasks that come with a direct entry into the Swiss e-commerce market. Issues like local warehousing, complex customs procedures, and connecting to the Swiss Post are already covered by the platforms or a partner like SURS.

The Perfect Synergy: How Your Webshop and Marketplaces Complement Each Other

The strategic question is not “webshop or marketplace?” but “How do I intelligently combine both channels?”. A well-thought-out multichannel strategy leverages the strengths of both worlds:

• Marketplaces as an Acquisition Channel: Use the enormous reach of marketplaces specifically for new customer acquisition. Customers who may have never heard of your brand discover your products in the environment of a trusted platform. A good example is niche markets: it is very costly to target customers with specific hobbies like fishing with your own webshop. However, these people are certainly active on a large marketplace like Galaxus, where they also buy their socks or diapers. Thus, marketplaces provide even highly specialized brands with access to a broad and relevant customer base.

• The Webshop as a Brand Hub: Your own shop remains the place where you have full control. Here, you tell your brand story, present your entire product range, and deepen customer loyalty through exclusive content or promotions. The central challenge is to bind customers acquired on the marketplace to your own brand. There are clear rules here:
  
  “It's against the terms of service to include promotional materials like flyers that direct customers to your own webshop in the package. Marketplaces like Galaxus and Amazon are very strict about this and even conduct test orders to check for compliance.” – Jens Bergermann (Founder of SURS)
  
  Successful strategies therefore rely on indirect methods such as building a community via social media channels or, above all, on outstanding product quality and strong branding. A convincing product leads customers to actively google the brand and thus find their way to the webshop – a tactic that has successfully transformed brands like Snox from an Amazon seller to an established e-commerce brand.
   

• Marketplaces as a Test Market – A Misconception? The idea of using Switzerland as a simple test market for new products is often not effective in practice. The Swiss market is very unique due to its specific customs regulations, regulatory requirements, and special consumer behavior. The effort for a professional market entry – from correct declaration to logistics – is too high to undertake just for a short test. Instead of serving as a pure test market, the platforms are therefore more suitable for making validated products accessible to a new, affluent audience.

The Challenges in the Swiss E-Commerce Market and How We Solve Them for You

Selling in Switzerland is attractive, but the operational hurdles are real: customs, VAT, complex logistics, and high customer expectations. This is where we at SURS come in as your local sales partner. We have made it our mission to take these hurdles off your hands. With our comprehensive services, we handle all logistics and administration for you.

• Customs and Taxes: We are experts in Swiss import regulations and take care of the correct and efficient handling of all customs and tax processes, so your customers face no unexpected costs.

• Local Warehousing and Fulfillment: With our warehouse in Switzerland, we guarantee short delivery times (often the next day), which is a crucial factor for customer satisfaction. We handle the entire process from storage and picking to shipping.

• Central Market Access: Instead of having to deal with each marketplace individually, we offer you access to all relevant Swiss platforms through a single connection. We manage product listings and ensure that your brand is presented optimally.

Conclusion: Your Growth Through a Smart Marketplace Strategy

The strategic combination of your webshop with leading Swiss marketplaces is the key to sustainable growth in the Swiss market. You maximize your reach, acquire new customers, and strengthen your brand, all while minimizing operational risks and initial investments. With a strong partner like SURS by your side, the path into the lucrative Swiss market becomes not only easier but, above all, more successful.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the main difference between running a webshop and selling on a marketplace?

Your own webshop gives you full control over your brand, pricing, and the entire customer experience. However, you are solely responsible for generating traffic, marketing, and the entire infrastructure. In return, marketplaces offer you immediate access to a large customer base and a ready-made sales infrastructure, but they charge a commission and impose stricter guidelines.

Is it possible to sell on Swiss marketplaces without having a warehouse in Switzerland?

Theoretically, yes, but in practice, it is highly inefficient and customer-unfriendly. Direct shipping from abroad leads to long delivery times, complicated customs processes for the end customer, and high shipping costs. A local warehouse is therefore essential for success. A partner like SURS solves this challenge by handling fulfillment and warehousing directly on-site in Switzerland for you.

How does a partner like SURS help me coordinate my webshop and marketplace strategy?

We act as your extended arm in Switzerland. We not only handle operational tasks like warehousing, shipping, and returns management for your marketplace sales, but we also provide strategic advice. We help you select the right marketplaces for your products and ensure that your brand presence is consistent across all channels and that synergies are optimally utilized.

Can I keep my own online shop if I sell on marketplaces?

Yes, absolutely. It's not only possible but is the recommended strategy. A well-thought-out multichannel strategy, where your own webshop and your presence on marketplaces exist in parallel, is often the best solution. The channels complement each other ideally: marketplaces serve to increase reach and acquire new customers, while your own shop acts as the center for brand building and customer loyalty.

Surs AG - Warehouse
Alte Buchserstrasse 10
8108 Dällikon
Switzerland

Surs AG - Billing
Alte Buchserstrasse 8
8108 Dällikon
Switzerland

©Surs AG 2025, Design by Surs

AT WORK