Most used and most popular payment service provider
Every year, the online retailer survey conducted by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) examines the state of online retailing and current trends in this area. This year's study focused on the topics of sales growth, payment in e-commerce and artificial intelligence.
Trends in the e-commerce market: developments and emerging changes.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): The use of Artificial Intelligence in online commerce.
Payment methods: Insights into the current trends in payment methods.
Challenges: Problems and obstacles faced by online stores.
The online retailer survey is a comprehensive analysis of the Swiss e-commerce market: current trends, challenges, innovations and long-term prospects.
Payrexx is the most used payment service provider for the first time in 2025
In 2025, Payrexx is the most widely used payment service provider (PSP) in Swiss e-commerce for the first time. Payrexx is particularly impressive thanks to its user-friendly all-in-one platform, which combines online and POS payments in one solution. Many SMEs appreciate the simple integration, the large selection of supported payment methods and the transparent price structure.
Payrexx as the most popular payment service provider
Payrexx already emerged as the most popular payment service provider (PSP) for Swiss SMEs in the 2023 online merchant survey, outperforming PayPal, Saferpay and PostFinance . The steadily increasing market share and the remarkable growth rate made it clear that Payrexx's offering meets the requirements that Swiss SMEs have of a payment provider.
Focus Switzerland
A total of 643 online stores took part in the Online Retailer Survey 2025. The clear focus was on the Swiss market: 91 percent of participants came from Switzerland, supplemented by four percent from Austria, three percent from Germany and two percent from other European countries.
B2C: Business-to-Consumer
82 percent of the participating online stores operate in the B2C segment - many are increasingly relying on AI-based personalization and omnichannel strategies.
B2B: Business-to-Business
49% of the online stores surveyed operate in the B2B sector, while 37% also sell to end customers (B2C). The boundaries between B2B and B2C are becoming increasingly blurred.
D2C: manufacturer direct sales
Only 9 percent of the online stores surveyed still operate D2C sales - a decline compared to 2024. Manufacturers are increasingly combining D2C with marketplaces and B2B sales
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Publisher of the online retailer survey
The online retailer survey is a study conducted by the E-Commerce Lab at the Institute of Marketing Management at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW). It is being conducted jointly with the Management Center Innsbruck (MCI ).