Selling to Switzerland: unique rules, strong potential. The Swiss e-commerce market offers highly attractive conditions for international sellers. Swiss consumers are digitally savvy and have high purchasing power. Online revenue per capita stands at €2,667 – just behind the European leader, the United Kingdom. In addition, return rates are comparatively low, at just 12 to 14%. With a value-added tax of only 8.1% and a well-developed logistics infrastructure, Switzerland is a highly appealing target market – especially for sales via digital marketplaces.
Marketplaces play a central role in Switzerland: Eight of the ten highest-grossing online retailers are platforms. Zalando leads the fashion segment with CHF 1.65 billion in revenue in 2023. Even higher is Digitec Galaxus AG, with total revenues of CHF 3.23 billion across its two platforms: Digitec (electronics) and Galaxus (general merchandise). This market structure clearly demonstrates: marketplaces are not only well established -they define the very framework of Swiss e-commerce.
Leading Marketplaces for Selling to Switzerland
Zalando.ch is the leading platform for fashion and accessories. Although Zalando does not publish country-specific user numbers for Switzerland, its Europe-wide reach – over 51.8 million active customers – suggests a strong Swiss presence. Zalando.ch offers both wholesale and partner models. Over 7,000 partners participate in its Europe-wide “Connected Retail” program – including Swiss sellers. Retailers in Switzerland can also benefit from Zalando’s fulfillment and marketing services.
Digitec.ch and Galaxus.ch impress with a broad assortment, technical expertise, and strong customer loyalty. Galaxus.ch offers everything from household goods and personal care to electronics, with CHF 1.35 billion in revenue in 2023. Digitec.ch focuses on IT and consumer electronics, reaching CHF 1.05 billion in the same year. According to the company, Digitec Galaxus had around 4.5 million active customers in 2024, approximately 3.3 million of them in Switzerland. It is estimated that 4,000 to 5,000 sellers operate on the platform. They benefit from marketing services like Sponsored Products and Brand Shops, as well as platform-integrated fulfillment and customer service.
Amazon remains a major player in Switzerland, despite not operating a local .ch domain. In 2023, revenue from Swiss customers reached approximately CHF 952 million. Depending on language region, Swiss shoppers use Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, or Amazon.it. For sellers, Amazon remains easily accessible through its international programs like FBA, advertising tools, and multichannel features.
eBay.ch is only available in German and plays a relatively minor role compared to other countries. According to Carpathia, eBay generated a stable revenue of CHF 180 million in 2023, ranking 15th among the largest online shops in Switzerland. Nevertheless, eBay can still be relevant for niche products or cross-border trade.
Ricardo.ch is Switzerland’s leading C2C marketplace, with around 5.75 million monthly users. The platform offers features such as a sales assistant, automated auctions, and integrated payment processing – making it attractive to both private individuals and professional resellers.
Other relevant platforms include international providers like AliExpress, Temu, and Shein. According to the e-commerce database ECDB, they rank 6th, 7th, and 9th among Swiss marketplaces and are especially popular with price-sensitive and younger audiences.
You can find a full overview of the most relevant marketplaces in Switzerland in our Country Quadrant Switzerland.
Challenges Due to Non-EU Status
Despite many opportunities, selling to Switzerland is more complex than trading within the EU. Key considerations include:
- Customs Processing & DDP Obligation: Comprehensive customs handling is essential when selling to Switzerland – especially under the DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) model. This internationally recognized commercial term requires the seller to assume all responsibilities related to cross-border goods movement, from organizing transport to paying import duties, customs fees, and taxes. This ensures that the buyer receives the goods without additional costs or bureaucratic hurdles. DDP requires detailed product data, including the tariff code (HS code) for classification, net and gross weight for duty calculation, dimensions and packaging details, declared value, country of origin, and a detailed product description.
- Tax Registration: If a seller provides taxable goods or services in Switzerland and exceeds the global revenue threshold of CHF 100,000, they must register for Swiss VAT (UID) with the Federal Tax Administration (ESTV) – even if only a small portion of the revenue comes from Switzerland. Foreign businesses are also generally required to appoint a fiscal representative based in Switzerland to handle their local tax matters.
- Product Safety & Compliance: Swiss regulations for certain product categories such as dietary supplements, cosmetics, and electronics differ from EU standards. For instance, cosmetic products must include warning labels in at least one of Switzerland’s three official languages.
- Returns Management: While not legally required, providing a local return address in Switzerland is highly recommended for international sellers. Returns sent from Switzerland abroad are subject to customs procedures and may involve extra costs and paperwork for customers. A local return solution significantly simplifies the process, improves customer satisfaction, and allows for efficient consolidation and return shipping.
- Marketplace Requirements (SLAs): Swiss marketplaces like Digitec Galaxus and Zalando place strong emphasis on meeting specific service level agreements – such as delivery times, return windows, tracking information, and customer support response times. Sellers who fail to meet these standards risk poor ratings, limited visibility, or even removal from the platform.
Conclusion: Marketplaces as the Key to Swiss E-Commerce
Digital marketplaces offer international sellers structured access to the Swiss market – featuring established processes, broad reach, and reliable conditions. However, Switzerland’s status as a non-EU country demands professional handling of customs, tax, and logistics. Sellers who invest early in automation and marketplace expertise can lay the foundation for long-term success. External service providers like exporto offer operational support, such as marketplace integration, DDP-compliant fulfillment, local returns handling, and compliance with marketplace-specific SLAs. Find out more at https://www.exporto.de/en.