Swiss e-shoppers are environmentally conscious, but return a lot of items

Most have the goods delivered to their home. Two-thirds of Swiss e-shoppers think that companies should pay more attention to the environment, and half of them would be willing to pay more for it. An above-average number of Swiss shoppers also return goods, like to shop in foreign e-shops and are guided by influencers.

A representative study by DPDgroup shows that 13.5 percent of Swiss purchases are now made online, which is exactly the same as the European average. 83 percent of all Swiss e-shoppers regularly store online, 44 percent buy online every month. This puts Switzerland in the European midfield. Ahead of it are countries such as Poland (1st place), Austria, Ireland, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Romania, Lithuania and Belgium. Spain and Portugal bring up the rear.

87 percent have the goods delivered to their home, 12 percent pick them up at a post office, 11 percent at work and 9 percent from a parcel service.

The experience of e-shopping is positive for Swiss e-shoppers, albeit slightly below the European average (for 70 percent of them, their last shopping experience was good compared to the European average of 78 percent).

Half of e-shoppers would pay more for environmental protection

69% of regular e-shoppers believe that brands and companies should take responsibility for the environment. However, only 51 percent buy environmentally friendly products and 52 percent would be prepared to pay more.

Social media and influencers influence purchasing behavior

59 percent of all Swiss e-shoppers are influenced by social media and influencers when choosing the websites on which they shop - this is not far off the European average (60 percent).

Time and money play a role - mainly clothes are bought

74% of Swiss e-shoppers are convinced that online shopping saves time, while 53% want to save money. Clothes (63%), shoes (48%) and books (42%) were the most popular items shopped online in 2019. Fashion is above the European average of 58%.

86 percent of Swiss online shoppers have already purchased goods from foreign e-shops. This figure exceeds the European average by a full 24%. 88 percent of them bought goods in Europe, 46 percent in China.

However, the Swiss are top of the class when it comes to returning goods - 14 percent of respondents have returned their last order. Across Europe, the figure is 9 percent.

Shopping in advance on the smartphone - loyalty programs still rarely used 

Most purchases are made on the smartphone. 62 percent use their cell phone to place orders. This puts Switzerland in line with the European average. Only 15 percent use loyalty programs.

Different profiles, different expectations

Some e-shoppers can be divided into three different profiles: Routinier, connoisseur and ecology-savvy.

Routinier are experienced and very frequent e-shoppers. They like the convenience of e-shopping and believe that they can buy almost all the products they need online. They buy many things online, including fresh food. Above all, they expect visibility (real-time information), flexibility and precise deliveries. They make up 8 percent of all Swiss e-shoppers.

Connoisseurs tend to be young online shoppers. They are very active and are looking for ways to make their lives easier. Online shopping is a means to this end, but they still buy less frequently and more selectively than the Routiniers. They are very demanding in terms of delivery, which they consider less easy than Routiners. They make up 9 percent of all Swiss e-shoppers.

The eco-savvy e-shoppers are more likely to be occasional shoppers, with a more limited number of products they buy online. They are willing to pay a premium for greener products and services, but remain receptive to good deals. Visibility, flexibility and accurate delivery are important. Above all, they prefer home deliveries. They make up 20% of all Swiss e-shoppers.