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E-Commerce & AI – How is Artificial Intelligence Changing Online Retail?
The Revolution is Here: Why AI is Becoming Indispensable in E-Commerce
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept but is now defining the gold standard in global e-commerce. Any brand that wants to grow sustainably and remain competitive today can no longer avoid automating central processes. Technological development has reached a speed that often makes manual procedures seem inefficient and prone to error.
For you as a decision-maker, this change primarily represents an opportunity for massive efficiency gains. Through the targeted use of AI, operational costs can be significantly reduced while simultaneously improving the customer experience. Current data underscores this development: 51% of e-commerce companies already use AI technologies today, especially for personalized shopping experiences. The global market for AI in retail is projected to reach a volume of about $51.5 billion by 2030.
Applications of AI Along the Value Chain
A central area of application is content creation. AI tools can generate drafts in seconds, but caution is advised for actual sales success. At SURS, we always emphasize that optimized product texts still require human quality control. Nevertheless, AI is fundamentally changing the operational structure: where large content teams, graphic designers, and photographers were once necessary for every single product, specialized LLMs (Large Language Models) and image AIs now take over a large part of the work—from image editing to categorization.
Particularly in multilingual Switzerland, AI plays to its strengths. We primarily rely on advanced LLMs and tools like DeepL, as they offer significantly higher linguistic consistency and precision compared to conventional services like Google Translate. Excellent language quality in German, French, and Italian is essential for the trust of Swiss consumers. We observe that modern AI models are now superior to 95% of all manual translations in terms of speed and quality.
"In e-commerce, we operate in a mass market with millions of products. Here, AI allows us to generate the necessary content not only faster but also more consistently than manual teams ever could."
- Jens Bergermann (Founder of SURS)
AI on Swiss Marketplaces: The Galaxus Example
The Swiss market is technologically highly developed. Leading marketplaces like Galaxus are already heavily relying on artificial intelligence to process the data volumes of thousands of retailers. An important element for sellers is the Galaxus AI feature, which shows how platforms use AI to automatically enrich product data.
At SURS, we use AI-powered analyses to identify the most relevant keywords for each new product. These are then specifically integrated into the product titles and description texts—consistently in all four national languages. Although short-term fluctuations may occur, experience shows that an AI-optimized keyword strategy massively increases visibility and findability on marketplaces in the long run. The marketplace algorithms favor products whose data quality is so high that they promise a high probability of conversion.
Challenges and Opportunities for Retailers from the DACH Region
Despite the enormous possibilities, a fundamental hurdle remains: data quality. The principle of "Garbage In, Garbage Out" applies. An AI is only as good as the input it receives. A common mistake—a true "data sin"—that we see with new partners is the lack of data structuring in their ERP or shop systems. Often, attributes like color, size, weight, and material are simply copied into a single description field without any context.
However, for efficient AI processing and export to Swiss marketplaces, it is essential that each attribute has its own, cleanly defined field. Only then can the AI correctly assign, translate, and filter the information for the end customer.
"A clean data structure is the foundation. Anyone who maintains each product attribute—from the target group to the application area—in separate fields can easily import their data into new systems and marketplaces at any time."
- Jens Bergermann (Founder of SURS)
How SURS Supports You in the Technological Transition
The rapid developments in the field of AI can be intimidating for individual brands. This is exactly where we come in. SURS AG positions itself as your partner who takes on this technological complexity for you. We integrate tools like ChatGPT and specialized analysis software directly into our workflows for product copywriting, keyword research, and market analyses.
Our approach is simple: you provide the product, we take care of the optimal placement using state-of-the-art AI tools—from structured data management to logistical processing in our Swiss warehouse. You benefit from our expertise and infrastructure without having to invest in expensive software solutions or specialized personnel yourself.
Conclusion: AI as a Driver for Your Swiss Export
Artificial intelligence massively lowers the barriers to entry for exporting to Switzerland—as long as it is used correctly. It enables a scale and precision that would be nearly impossible to achieve manually. The focus shifts from purely manual creation to the intelligent structuring and monitoring of automated processes.
Do you want to enter the Swiss market efficiently and on a solid technological footing? Use the expertise of SURS AG for your market entry. We bring your brand to the leading marketplaces in Switzerland with the right tools.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can AI completely replace human-written product descriptions?
AI provides an excellent and data-driven basis that is often already very precise. We use it intensively for the basic framework and keyword optimization. However, human oversight remains important to ensure that the brand identity is preserved and the texts meet the high standards of the target audience.
What role does AI play in translation for Switzerland?
It is crucial for scalability. AI makes it possible to prepare thousands of SKUs for the French- and Italian-speaking parts of Switzerland quickly and cost-effectively. We rely on market-leading models that are often superior to traditional translation agencies in terms of consistency and speed.
What is the most important prerequisite for using AI in e-commerce?
The organization of your data. The more granular and clean your product data is stored in your system (separate fields for attributes, URLs for images), the more effectively AI tools can process and optimize it for the Swiss market.
What specific tools does SURS use for market entry?
We use a combination of established LLMs like ChatGPT for copywriting and research, as well as specialized tools for keyword analysis and automated translation. This enables us to achieve an extremely fast and precise market entry for your products.
Surs AG - Warehouse
Alte Buchserstrasse 10
8108 Dällikon
Switzerland
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Alte Buchserstrasse 8
8108 Dällikon
Switzerland
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