15.10.2026
Your online shop’s up and running, but purchasing behaviour is changing: customers search differently, compare products more quickly and expect a simple purchasing process. Meanwhile, AI ’s increasingly influencing how products are found and selected. What’s actually relevant here for your SME? The online retailer survey 2026 shows what Swiss online retailers should focus on now. We’ve summarized the five key findings for you.
The University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland’s online retailer survey 2026, in partnership with PostFinance, highlights the latest developments in Swiss online retail. The focus is on AI, automation and the question of how AI agents could change search and purchasing in the future.
Based on findings from the online retailer survey 2026, AI is no longer just a future issue for online retailers. Of the retailers surveyed, 10% already describe agentic commerce – i.e. shopping using AI agents – as a sales-relevant channel. Meanwhile, 51% see visibility in generative AI systems as relevant or quite relevant. Traditional search is still important: search engine optimization (SEO) remains the most significant marketing tool for 88%.
What does this mean for your online shop? You don’t have to focus everything on AI. However, your products have to be found and understood where your customers are searching. You need up-to-date product information, helpful content and a purchase process that’s as easy as possible. The following five tips will show you where to start.
How much does the product cost? Is it available? When will it be delivered? Which size or variant is right for you?
Such information is crucial for your customers. Up-to-date and clearly structured information on products, prices and availability also helps search engines and AI systems to categorize your items correctly. If information’s missing or contradictory details are found on different channels, this makes it difficult for customers and AI agents to make a selection.
A good starting point is the products that are particularly relevant for your business. Check:
You don’t have to revise the entire range right away. Start with your most important products and add additional information step by step.
You know your products in detail. But your customers aren’t always looking for a certain item, but often an answer to a specific question. Such as: which printer is suitable for my small office? Which coffee machine is right for a team of ten employees? Which rain jacket is suitable for cycling in autumn?
This is where good content can help. It shows what a product is as well as who it’s suitable for, what benefits it provides and how it differs from other offers. This makes it easier to reach a purchase decision. Meanwhile, according to the online retailer survey, relevant content and clear website structures are becoming more important for visibility in AI systems.
Sales and service teams often already know which questions customers ask before making a purchase. So a simple question to your team could be extremely worthwhile. Ask them which five questions they hear time and again before a purchase is made.
Then check whether the questions are answered on your product pages. Comparisons, short videos, FAQs and blog posts, for example, may help if there’s not enough space. In short, good content doesn’t just describe products – it helps your customers choose the right product.
For entrepreneurs, which AI tool is new out on the market is less important than where AI can actually ease the strain of everyday work. The online retailer survey highlights a concrete benefit: 81% of those surveyed reported time savings when using AI, and 78% reported higher productivity or efficiency. In online shops, AI can help with tasks such as:
Getting started doesn’t have to be complicated for an SME. Instead of trying out several tools at the same time, start with a specific question: which recurring tasks currently cost us a lot of time and could be simplified by AI?
You can then test whether AI actually saves time and achieves the desired quality for this task.
Not every task needs to be done manually. According to the online retailer survey 2026, automation is already widespread in online retail: 57% of those surveyed monitor key figures such as revenue, orders and shopping basket values fully or semi-automatically. 56% automate the recording or preparation of data such as by merging information from different systems. Employees are often involved in checking results or processing special cases, for example. Standardized processes involving customer contact can also be automated, such as
This leaves more time for personal contact in areas where it’s particularly important: individual questions, complex advice or complaints. Personal availability and good advice strengthen trust and customer relationships.
Automation can also create added value after the purchase. If you buy a coffee machine, for example, you might receive tips on cleaning or de-calcifying it later on. After purchasing a sports item, care instructions might follow. It means your customers get useful information at the right time without your team having to send each message individually. Good automation saves time, while improving service.
Your products have been found, the information’s correct and the customer has made their decision. Now the purchasing process needs to be as easy as possible. Smartphones play an important role here. That’s why it’s worth regularly testing your own online shop on the go.
Order a product yourself via your smartphone and check:
What feels time-consuming to you might also be a hurdle for your customers.
At the end of the checkout process, the purchase shouldn’t be abandoned due to complex payment requirements. It’s not about offering as many payment options as possible. Payment methods that suit your customers, your business model and your markets are what matters most. So the payment process is part of the overall shopping experience – from the shopping cart and choice of payment method through to the payment, confirmation or a possible refund.
PostFinance offers Swiss companies online payment solutions. This allows you to integrate the right payment methods into your online shop and align the payment process with your business model.
You don’t have to tackle all five topics at once. Start where your company or your customers would benefit most today. You can do three things straight away:
By doing so, you’ve taken an important first step without having to redesign your entire online shop.
AI will continue to change online retail. For your SME, this doesn’t mean you have to follow every new trend. The key thing is to make sure your products are easy to find and understand, your customers receive the right information quickly and their purchases take place without unnecessary hurdles. AI and automation can provide support in areas where they take on specific work or improve the shopping experience.
If you’ve mastered these basic principles, you’ll be well prepared for the next changes in online retail.
