Social Commerce: Just hype or a true revenue driver for Swiss Comerciantes?
The integration of e-commerce functions into social media is more than just a trend; it is a change in the way we discover products. But what does the reality really look like for Swiss online retailers in 2026? Is it worth entering for you? We take a look at the current figures.
Linda Rajan
Rajan
Table of Contents
What is Social Commerce?
Which Platforms are Right for You?
Benefits for Online Merchants
Challenges and Best Practices
Users spend several hours every day on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and co. It is therefore only logical that companies want to use these platforms to sell their goods directly to their target audience. This is where social commerce comes into play: this sales practice is designed to close the gap between inspiration ("Oh, I want that!") and purchase ("Ordered!").
The Online Merchant Survey 2025 shows an exciting picture here: while digital marketplaces are growing, social commerce in Switzerland has levelled off at a stable level. What does this mean for your sales strategy as an online merchant?
If you want to study the Online Merchant Survey in detail, you can download it here.
1. What is Social Commerce?
You may have heard the term before, but are not quite sure what lies behind it. Put simply, social commerce refers to the sale of products and services directly via social media platforms such as Instagram or Facebook.
In contrast to traditional social media Marketing, where you "only" direct customers to your online shop via a link, here the shopping experience merges with social interaction.
The three core features of social commerce are:
In-app checkout: Customers can purchase products directly via a shop tab, clickable product tags in images and videos, or via live shopping features.
Personalisation: The platform algorithms analyse the user behaviour of users and suggest products that might suit them.
Social interaction: Purchasing decisions are directly influenced by likes, comments, recommendations from friends, the community or influencers.
The Role of Social Commerce in Switzerland
For a long time, social commerce was seen as the big "online shop killer". However, the Online Merchant Survey 2025 shows that social commerce does not (yet) replace a webshop, but rather complements it.
Development of the Sales Relevance of Social Commerce
Since 2022, the sales relevance of social commerce has remained constant at around 30 per cent. This means that although this channel is considered important by a third of Swiss merchants, noticeable growth is lacking. Although social commerce is established, its full potential has not yet been fully unlocked in Switzerland.
The main reason is highly likely to be the lack of platform features. Many features that make social commerce so successful abroad are not yet available in Switzerland. For example, the TikTok shop was introduced in many EU countries from the beginning of 2025, while its market entry in Switzerland has so far failed to materialise (as of January 2026).
In the US and parts of Asia, the entire purchasing process often takes place within the social media app (in-app checkout). However, this option no longer exists in Switzerland, as the Instagram shop tab was discontinued in mid-2023. Today, merchants can only link to their shop in their profile. Accordingly, Instagram and Facebook are primarily used by Swiss merchants as a digital shop window: the inspiration starts on social media, but the completion of the purchase and payment then take place in your online shop.
This does not make social commerce less valuable, but simply changes its role. Instead of acting as a direct sales channel, in Switzerland it acts primarily as a powerful Marketing and inspiration tool to boost your sales in the online shop.
2. Which Platforms are Right for You?
Each platform offers you different tools to showcase your products. Here is an overview of the possibilities (as of December 2025):
Shop link in profile, live shopping (limited), product catalogue (ads), shoppable posts and stories, product tagging, Shop the Look
Shop link in profile, product catalogue (profile & ads), marketplace integration (Marketplace)
Product pins, Shop the Look, visual search
TikTok
TikTok shop (regionally restricted), live shopping, product links in videos
YouTube
Live shopping (limited), product links in video descriptions (often affiliate links)
Product Catalogue: The digital shop window
On Facebook and Instagram (Meta), you have the option of creating a product catalogue. On Facebook, it serves as a shop window on your profile and can be used for your advertisements. On Instagram, you can only use the catalogue for ads. For both channels, the actual purchase takes place in your online shop.
Shoppable Posts and Product Tags: The interactive price tag
On Instagram and Pinterest, you can attach small tags to your product photos. The big advantage is that this allows your products to be linked directly in the image. When your customers click on a tag, they are immediately redirected to the appropriate product page in your webshop.
Shop the Look: The digital fashion magazine
“Shop the Look” is similar to shoppable posts, but goes one step further: here, it is not just individual items that are displayed, but an entire outfit or a completely furnished room. All visible items in the image are linked directly or in the caption. A click on the respective product leads directly to the shop. This feature is particularly popular on Pinterest.
Live Shopping: Teleshopping 2.0
Do you remember the classic sales channels on TV? Live shopping works in exactly the same way, only more interactively. A person (e.g. an influencer or Comerciante) presents products in a livestream, tries them out or demonstrates them. Viewers can ask questions live and buy the featured product immediately with one click while the show is running. This feature is currently only fully available in the TikTok shop.
Product Links in Videos: The digital shortcut
This format is particularly popular on TikTok and YouTube: someone presents a product in a video, for example a new coffee machine. Instead of viewers having to laboriously search for the name on Google, a link pops up directly in the video or in the description. One click on it takes customers on the fastest path to the checkout or to the product page.
Relevance of the Platforms
If you are wondering which channels you should focus on, the figures from the Online Merchant Survey 2025 can help you. In the figure below, you can see which platforms the survey participants find most relevant from their perspective.
Instagram & Facebook
Meta's product catalogues (Instagram and Facebook) are still the most widely used channels for social commerce and were perceived as the most relevant in terms of sales.
Instagram is relevant or rather relevant for 43 per cent of the surveyed merchants.
Facebook follows closely behind with 41 per cent.
Features such as product tags (tagging) in posts and stories work very well here to drive traffic to your shop.
The Facebook Marketplace also stands out as a relevant platform in the survey. You can think of it as a huge digital flea market where used and new things are bought and sold (similar to eBay or Ricardo).
TikTok
TikTok is talked about a lot, but its relevance for Swiss retail is (still) low. The in-app marketplace "TikTok Shop" is only classified as relevant by 9 per cent of merchants. So for the vast majority, the platform is currently not yet an issue. This is probably also due to the fact that features such as the TikTok shop are not yet available or established in Switzerland (as of January 2026). For you, this means: keep an eye on TikTok, but don't stress if you haven't been active there yet.
3. Benefits for Online Merchants
Even if sales are not always generated directly through the platforms, social commerce offers benefits that you should not miss out on. The practice offers opportunities for brands of all sizes.
According to the Online Merchant Survey 2025, merchants see the following points in particular as a benefit:
Direct connection with target customers
59 per cent of merchants appreciate being able to reach their target audience directly. Unlike a newspaper advert, which all readers see, you can filter surgically on social media. For example, if you sell hand-thrown ceramics, you don't just show your vases to "everyone", but specifically only to users who are interested in "interior design" and "sustainability". Thanks to personalisation, you reach exactly the people who are most likely to buy your products. This saves advertising budget and you reach your customers faster. In addition, potential customers have to click, search or wait less and are therefore less likely to abandon their purchases. This leads to higher conversion rates.
Encouraging impulse buys
54 per cent of respondents see the greatest leverage here. Social media is a place of inspiration. A user may not even be actively looking for a new coffee mug, but sees an aesthetic image in your feed and immediately thinks: "I have to have that!" Through visual presentation, you trigger needs that were not there before. The emotional impulse leads directly to the purchase before rational doubts ("Do I really need this?") arise.
More interaction with (potential) customers
Social commerce goes beyond pure transactions. It allows you to build a lively community around your brand. You get direct feedback through comments and likes ("Which colour do you prefer? Blue or red?"). Customers can ask questions, exchange ideas and make recommendations. This closeness builds trust and retains customers in the long term. This is something that an anonymous online shop usually cannot offer.
In the following graphic, you will find further benefits mentioned by online merchants:
4. Challenges and Best Practices
Challenges
As promising as social commerce sounds, it is not a self-runner. In day-to-day operations, you will run into hurdles that you should be aware of:
Logistics and expectations
Social media is extremely fast-paced. Anyone who sees a product there and clicks spontaneously often expects lightning-fast processing of their purchases. Your customer service and logistics must be able to keep up with this pace. This also means that you have to react to questions in comments or direct messages (DMs) much faster than to a classic email.
The data jungle
The technological connection is often trickier than expected. Connecting data from Instagram and co. cleanly with your own CRM system or online shop can quickly become complex. Without clean data management, you risk losing track of stock levels or maintaining customer data twice.
The constant battle for attention
The competition never sleeps and your customers' feed is full. To remain visible, it is not enough to occasionally upload a product photo. You need continuous creative and authentic content that entertains and stands out. Posting once and waiting is not enough – community management takes time and resources.
"Invisible" products have a harder time
Not everything can be sold equally well visually. While fashion or decorative items shine in pictures, "invisible" products have a harder time. Complex B2B software or abstract services are often more difficult to market via purely visual channels than lifestyle products that can simply be photographed.
Best Practices
Authenticity always wins:
Glossy promotional photos are often ignored. Instead, use user-generated content (UGC), i.e. photos and videos taken by your real customers. If you work with influencers, make sure they really fit your brand and are credible.
Optimise the mobile experience:
Forget the desktop. Social commerce takes place almost exclusively on smartphones. Make sure that the checkout process on mobile phones is absolutely flawless and lightning-fast. Nothing kills the buying mood faster than a page that cannot be operated on a small display.
