For the seventh time, the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), together with the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) for the first time, conducted the annual online retailer survey. The comprehensive study regularly provides important insights into the trends and challenges in e-commerce and is therefore considered essential reading for interested online Commerce providers.

If you want to study the online retailer survey 2024 in detail, you can download it here.

This year, 624 online shops from Switzerland, Austria, and other countries were surveyed on various topics – such as which payment methods they offer, which sales channels they serve, or which payment providers they rely on. In terms of the latter question, Payrexx performed very well and continues to be one of the most popular payment service providers among Swiss SMEs and online Comercio providers with 18 percent of the mentions.

Asian marketplaces increase the pressure

The probably most important part of the survey is the so-called “E-commerce Worry Barometer,” in which the Commerce providers talk about their biggest challenges. As in 2023, the current market situation is the main concern this year: Competition is steadily growing, and price pressure keeps increasing.

The worry barometer of this year's online retailer survey shows: The current market situation, including increasing competition, particularly troubles Swiss online Comercio providers.

A significant event was the elimination of industrial tariffs on January 1, 2024: Previously, duties were levied on certain imported goods to protect domestic producers from foreign competition. Now, however, Asian platforms like Temu or Shein can import their goods into Switzerland without additional costs and offer them at even lower prices.

So how can you, as a Comercio provider, stand up to the increasing competition from Asia? The online retailer survey 2025 also provides important inputs and strategies, which we will summarize for you below.

1. Promise quality – and deliver!

The product looked great in the pictures, but shortly after arrival at home, disillusionment follows: The goods are poorly made, smaller than promised, or look completely different than in the pictures. You can use precisely these negative experiences to your advantage. Also, 78 percent of the surveyed Comercio providers try to differentiate themselves through the quality of their products. You should accordingly convey this in the product description.

The following points speak for the quality of your goods or service:

• The manufacture of your products is fair, sustainable, and environmentally friendly.

• Your products are handmade and unique.

• You guarantee the functionality of your goods and offer guarantees.

• Your quality is underpinned by positive reviews and quotes from customers.

2. Be reachable, by email, phone, or live chat

A major shortcoming of the Asian giant markets is their impersonal touch. Customers are processed quickly, receive AI-generated mass emails, and often struggle with support for hours. At the same time, more and more people are seeking a positive shopping experience. 62 percent of the surveyed online Comercio providers stated that they distinguish themselves through top-notch customer service.

This is how you can improve customer service:

Treat your customers always friendly and with understanding.

• Treat your customers always friendly and with understanding.

• Treat your customers always friendly and with understanding.

• Provide a range of low-threshold contact options, such as a live chat on your website.

• Be available not only via email but also by phone for your customers.

  
  
  

  

The online retailer survey 2024 lists numerous possible USPs (Unique Selling Propositions) through which Swiss SMEs can stand out.

3. Deliver quickly and accept returns

A significant disadvantage of the Asian competition is their geographic distance: Those who order from Temu and Co. often have to wait weeks for their products. You, on the other hand, can benefit from short transport and distribution routes. 44 percent of all participants in the online retailer survey 2024 stated that they stand out from foreign platforms through fast delivery. With 39 percent of the mentions, a lenient return policy also seems important.

To differentiate yourself in these areas, the following steps may help:

• Strive for prompt shipping of your products, ideally on the same day. For this, if necessary, work with a professional logistics partner.

• Communicate the expected delivery times and be realistic about them.

• Allow your customers to track the status of their shipment live.

• Take back damaged or unwanted goods without much discussion and provide compensation for the affected customers – either through a discount on the next purchase or a refund of the purchase price.

4. Offer a wide range of payment methods

The ordering process at Temu and Co. involves several hurdles. On one hand, buyers have to provide a lot of data – including address and phone number – and on the other hand, the selection of payment methods is quite limited. Apart from credit and debit cards, the only options are TWINT, PayPal, Google Pay, or Klarna for purchase on invoice.

All these are also included in your Payrexx account and much more. This is how you optimize the payment process for your customers with Payrexx:

• Find out which payment methods are preferred by your clientele and offer them specifically and without much effort.

• Thanks to Payrexx, gain access to over 200 national and international payment methods and thus expand your customer base.

• Use the increasingly popular mobile wallets such as PostFinance Pay, Apple Pay, or Samsung Pay, which can all be quickly and easily integrated into your online shop thanks to Payrexx.

• Benefit from the highest security standards for you and your customers.

Together with Payrexx, you can make the payment process for your customers as quick and easy as possible. So that they will also prefer to shop in your online store in the future, rather than with one of the Asian giant retailers.