DE / EN

BUSINESS NEWS

JENS BERGERMANN

You've taken the leap into the Swiss e-commerce market, listed your products on platforms like Galaxus, Manor, or Zalando, but the expected success hasn't materialized? Your sales are stagnating or even declining, and you're wondering why. Rest assured, you're not alone in facing this challenge. The Swiss market is affluent and attractive, but it operates by its own set of rules.

Many international retailers underestimate the specific requirements and make mistakes that could easily be avoided. In this post, we'll show you the five crucial levers you can use to sustainably boost your sales success on Swiss marketplaces.

How Can You Tell if Your Sales on Swiss Marketplaces Aren't Performing?

Stagnation in e-commerce is rarely a sudden event but usually the result of several small yet significant problems. Before we look at solutions, an honest assessment is crucial. The following points serve as a checklist for you to accurately evaluate your current situation.

Your Personal Self-Checklist:

• Stagnating or declining sales figures: Your sales numbers have been moving sideways or even downward for several weeks or months, even though the market is actually growing.

• Low visibility of your products: Your items only appear on the back pages for relevant search queries and generate hardly any impressions.

• Low conversion rates: You get clicks on your products, but only a fraction of visitors actually complete the purchase.

• High cart abandonment rates: Customers add products to their cart but abandon the checkout process before paying – often an indicator of unexpected costs (e.g., customs duties) or long delivery times.

• Negative customer reviews: You're receiving more negative feedback related to long delivery times, unexpected fees, or complicated returns.

• Low repurchase rate: Customers order only once and do not return, which indicates an unsatisfactory overall experience.

If you answered yes to one or more of these points for your business, it's time to review your strategy and set the crucial levers in motion.

Lever Number 1: Choosing the Right Platform

Choosing the right marketplace is the foundation for your success in Switzerland. A common mistake is to cast a wide net without analyzing the target audience and product environment of each platform. Not every marketplace is suitable for every product. While Galaxus has established itself as an "online department store" for a wide range of products from electronics to household goods, Zalando is the undisputed leader in the fashion sector, and Home24 is the specialist for furniture and home accessories.

Incorrect placement not only leads to low sales but can also damage your brand perception. Carefully analyze where your target audience is and which platform best fits your brand identity and price structure. An informed guide on which is the best sales platform in Switzerland for your specific products can make the difference between stagnation and growth. For retailers with prior experience, a comparison of Amazon vs. Galaxus is also relevant, as the platforms differ fundamentally in their functionality and requirements.

Instead of looking for a generally "surprising" product category, the key to success often lies in specifically uncovering niches that are not yet heavily occupied. An effective method is to analyze the category structure of a marketplace: Navigate from a main category (e.g., Sports) deeper and deeper into the subcategories (e.g., Sportswear > Socks). Here, it often becomes clear that certain segments, like "running socks" with thousands of items, are oversaturated, while more specific niches, like "golf socks," have only a small number of products. Brands that fill such "gaps" in the assortment with high-quality items have a much better chance of quickly achieving high rankings and standing out from the competition.

Lever Number 2: Considering Local Conditions

The biggest strategic mistake is treating Switzerland like just another EU market. Switzerland is not part of the EU customs union, which has fundamental consequences for your entire sales process. Issues like customs duties, the correct declaration of VAT, and currency conversion (EUR to CHF) must be handled professionally from the start.

When end customers are suddenly faced with unexpected customs bills upon delivery, it inevitably leads to frustration, bad reviews, and a high return rate. A well-thought-out strategy for cross-border e-commerce is therefore not an option, but a necessity. You must ensure that all prices are transparent and the customer knows exactly what they will pay in the end. This requires a deep understanding of Swiss import regulations and tax rates.

Lever Number 3: Optimizing Your Product Listings

Your product page is your digital salesperson. On a competitive marketplace, details often decide between a click and a bounce. High-quality images from different perspectives, meaningful titles, and precise product descriptions are crucial for conversion. But optimization for the Swiss market goes deeper.

Use language that resonates with the Swiss target audience. Consider Swiss peculiarities and formulate value propositions clearly and understandably. Your titles should contain the most important keywords, while bullet points make the key benefits quickly graspable. Even if the differences are subtle, they contribute to local authenticity.

“When a Swiss customer reads an eszett (ß), they immediately know: this is a German retailer. You give yourself away right away. While such details are only a small contribution to conversion, they support the feeling of buying from a local provider.”

– Jens Bergermann (Founder of SURS)

This includes, for example, consistently avoiding the "ß" (eszett), which is replaced by "ss" in Switzerland, or using local phrasing. These adjustments signal to the customer that you understand and take the market seriously. Invest time in optimized product descriptions, as they not only build trust but are also a key factor for your products' ranking in the marketplace algorithm.

Lever Number 4: Designing an Efficient Logistics Strategy

Inefficient logistics is one of the most common reasons for failing e-commerce ventures in Switzerland. Shipping from a warehouse in the EU inevitably leads to long delivery times of several days or even weeks. However, Swiss customers are accustomed to next-day delivery from local providers like Digitec Galaxus. Those who can't keep up here lose customers to the competition.

The financial damage of a suboptimal logistics strategy goes far beyond mere shipping costs. A delivery time of seven days or more drastically reduces the conversion rate – that's direct lost revenue. Added to this are costs for refunds when customers cancel their orders due to the long wait. In the worst-case scenario, you could even face the suspension of your seller account by marketplaces like Galaxus or Amazon, which demand high delivery reliability. A poor logistics strategy thus not only causes high costs but also permanently destroys the customer experience and, with it, your reputation. A local warehouse in Switzerland is therefore a crucial competitive advantage.

Lever Number 5: Finding a Local Partner

All the levers mentioned – from platform selection and customs clearance to logistics – require specific expertise and local infrastructure. Instead of trying to overcome these complex hurdles on your own, collaborating with a specialized local sales partner is often the most strategically intelligent and economical solution.

A partner like SURS acts as your local arm in Switzerland. We not only handle the connection to all relevant marketplaces but also take care of the entire logistics, including warehousing, fast shipping to the end customer, and all returns management. You benefit from our expertise in handling customs and taxes and can enter the Swiss market efficiently and with minimal risk. Find out about the advantages of a sales partnership to understand how you can reduce complexity and fully concentrate on your core business.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the biggest mistake I can make as a retailer in Switzerland?

The biggest and most costly mistake is assuming that Switzerland can be treated like an EU country. The lack of adaptation to local conditions – especially the absence of a strategy for customs, VAT, and fast, local logistics – almost always leads to dissatisfied customers, high costs, and ultimately, the failure of market entry.

How can I increase my visibility on marketplaces if sales are stagnating?

In addition to optimizing product listings (titles, images, texts), the automation and centralization of your product data is an important lever. A system that consistently and flawlessly distributes your information to multiple marketplaces improves data quality and thus your ranking. Furthermore, a presence on multiple marketplaces relevant to your products significantly increases reach. A partner can manage this process for you and ensure that your products are optimally presented everywhere.

Is selling on Swiss marketplaces even worth it?

Yes, absolutely. The Swiss market is characterized by high purchasing power, excellent digital infrastructure, and a high affinity for online shopping. However, success depends crucially on the right strategy and professional execution. With the right setup and an experienced partner by your side, you can overcome the challenges and fully tap into the enormous potential of this attractive market.

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