Between 2010 and 2017, the online commerce market grew exponentially in Switzerland. Indeed, nearly three out of four Swiss people (72% of the population aged 15 to 88) made an online purchase in 2017. In 2010, the rate was only 50%, according to a study by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) carried out on a panel of 3000 people.
However, the figures vary according to the criteria. The study thus explains that age, level of education and region of residence must be taken into account to understand the disparity in these figures. An elderly person living in the countryside will shop online less often than a young working professional living in the city. The gaps should gradually narrow according to the FSO, which explains that in the categories where the proportion of online shoppers is lowest, growth is faster than average.
Online sales of train and plane tickets soared during this period, as did those of clothing and holidays. As for cultural products, their consumption actually doubled between 2014 and 2017 thanks to the digitisation of books, films and magazines. With 90% of respondents having bought only one product or fewer per week, thus indicating “significant growth potential” according to the FSO, this trend is not expected to run out of steam.