Social Commerce: Just hype or genuine revenue driver for Swiss Comerciantes?
The integration of e-commerce features into social media is more than just a trend; it is a change in the way we discover products. But what does the reality look like for Swiss Online Comerciante in 2026? Is it worth getting started for you? We take a look at the current figures.
Linda Rajan
Rajan
Users spend several hours every day on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and the like. It is therefore only logical that companies want to use these platforms to sell their goods directly to their target audience. This is where social commerce comes into play: this sales practice is intended to close the gap between inspiration (“Oh, I want that!”) and purchase (“Ordered!”).
The Online Comerciante Survey 2025 paints an exciting picture in this regard: while digital marketplaces are growing, social commerce in Switzerland has leveled off at a stable level. What does this mean for your sales strategy as an online Comerciante?
If you would like to study the Online Comerciante Survey in detail, you can download it here:
1. What is social commerce?
Perhaps you have already heard the term, but do not know exactly what it entails. Simply put, social commerce refers to the sale of products and services directly via social media platforms such as Instagram or Facebook.
In contrast to traditional social media marketing, where you “only” direct customers to your online shop via a link, here the shopping experience merges with social interaction.
The three core features of social commerce are:
In-app checkout: Customers can purchase products directly via a shop tab, clickable product tags in images and videos, or via live shopping features.
Personalisation: The platforms' algorithms analyse user behaviour and suggest products that might appeal to them.
Social interaction: Purchasing decisions are directly influenced by likes, comments, and recommendations from friends, the community, or influencers.
The Role of Social Commerce in Switzerland
For a long time, social commerce was seen as the major “online shop killer”. However, the 2025 online comerciante survey shows that social commerce does not (yet) replace an online shop, but primarily complements it.
Development of Revenue Relevance of Social Commerce
Since 2022, the revenue relevance of social commerce has remained steady at around 30 percent. This means that while this channel is considered important by one third of Swiss comerciantes, noticeable growth remains absent. Although social commerce is established, its full potential has not yet been fully realised in Switzerland.
The main reason most likely lies in the lack of platform features. Many features that make social commerce so successful abroad are not yet available in Switzerland. For example, TikTok Shop was introduced in many EU countries starting in early 2025, while the market entry in Switzerland has not yet taken place (as of January 2026).
In the US and parts of Asia, the entire purchasing process often takes place within the social media app (in-app checkout). In Switzerland, however, this option no longer exists, as the Instagram Shop tab was discontinued in mid-2023. Today, comerciantes can only link their shop in their profile. Accordingly, Instagram and Facebook are primarily used by Swiss comerciantes as a digital shop window: inspiration occurs on social media, while the purchase completion and payment take place in your online shop.
This does not make social commerce any less valuable; it merely changes its role. Rather than acting as a direct sales channel, in Switzerland it functions primarily as a powerful marketing and inspiration tool to boost your sales in the online shop.
2. Which platforms are suitable for you?
Each platform offers you different tools to showcase your products. Here is an overview of the options (as of December 2025):
Linking the shop in the profile, live shopping (restricted), product catalogue (ads), shoppable posts and stories, product tagging, Shop the Look
Linking the shop in the profile, product catalogue (profile & ads), marketplace integration (Marketplace)
Product pins, Shop the Look, visual search
TikTok
TikTok Shop (regionally restricted), live shopping , product links in videos
YouTube
Live shopping (restricted), product links in video descriptions (often affiliate links)
Product catalog: The digital storefront
On Facebook and Instagram (Meta), you have the option to create a product catalog. On Facebook, it serves as a storefront on your profile and can be used for your advertisements. On Instagram, you can only use the catalog for ads. The actual purchase takes place in your online shop on both channels.
Shoppable posts and product tagging: The interactive price tag
On Instagram and Pinterest, you can attach small labels (tags) to your product photos. The major advantage is that your products can be linked directly on the image. When your customers click on a tag, they are immediately redirected to the corresponding product page in your online shop.
Shop the Look: The digital fashion magazine
“Shop the Look” is similar to shoppable posts, but goes one step further: instead of just displaying individual items, it shows an entire outfit or a fully furnished room. All visible items in the image are linked directly or in the caption. A click on the respective product leads directly to the shop. This feature is particularly popular on Pinterest.
Live shopping: teleshopping 2.0
Do you remember classic television shopping channels? Live shopping works in exactly the same way, just more interactively. A person (e.g., an influencer or Comerciante) presents products in a livestream, tests them, or demonstrates them. Viewers can ask questions live and immediately purchase the featured product with a single click while the show is running. This feature is currently fully available only in the TikTok Shop.
Product links in videos: The digital shortcut
This format is particularly popular on TikTok and YouTube: Someone presents a product in a video, such as a new coffee machine. Instead of viewers having to tediously Google the name, a link pops up directly in the video or in the description. A click on it takes customers directly to the checkout or product page via the fastest route.
Relevance of the platforms
If you are wondering which channels to focus on, the figures from the Online Comerciante Survey 2025 can help you. The figure below shows which platforms the survey participants consider to be the most relevant from their perspective.
Instagram & Facebook
Meta's product catalogues (Instagram and Facebook) remain the most widely used channels for social commerce and were perceived as the most relevant to revenue.
Instagram is relevant or rather relevant for 43 percent of the surveyed comerciantes.
Facebook follows closely behind at 41 percent.
Features such as product tagging in posts and stories work very well here to drive traffic to your shop.
The Facebook Marketplace also stands out as a relevant platform in the survey. You can think of it as a huge digital flea market where used and new items are bought and sold (similar to eBay or Ricardo).
TikTok
There is a lot of talk about TikTok, but its relevance for Swiss retail is (still) low. The in-app marketplace “TikTok Shop” is classified as relevant by only 9 percent of comerciantes. For the vast majority, the platform is therefore currently not an issue yet. This is likely also because features like TikTok Shop are not yet available or established in Switzerland (as of January 2026). For you, this means: Keep an eye on TikTok, but do not stress if you have not been active there yet.
3. Benefits for online merchants
Even if revenue is not always generated directly via the platforms, social commerce offers benefits you should not miss out on. The practice provides opportunities for brands of all sizes.
According to the Online Merchant Survey 2025, comerciante:innen primarily see the following points as an advantage:
Direct targeting of target customers
59 percent of comerciante:innen value being able to reach their target audience directly. Unlike a newspaper advert seen by all readers, you can filter surgically on social media. For example, if you sell handmade pottery, you do not simply show your vases to “everyone”, but specifically to users interested in “interior design” and “sustainability”. Thanks to personalisation, you reach precisely those people most likely to purchase your products. This saves advertising budget and allows you to reach your clientele faster. In addition, prospective customers have to click, search or wait less, and therefore abandon their purchases less often. This leads to higher conversion rates.
Encouraging impulse buys
54 percent of respondents see the greatest leverage here. Social media is a place of inspiration. A user might not actively be looking for a new coffee mug at all, but sees an aesthetic image in your feed and immediately thinks: “I must have that!” Through the visual presentation, you awaken needs that did not exist before. The emotional impulse leads directly to the purchase before rational doubts (“Do I really need this?”) arise.
More interaction with (prospective) customers
Social commerce goes beyond the pure transaction. It enables you to build a lively community around your brand. You receive direct feedback via comments and likes (“Which colour do you prefer? Blue or red?”). Customers can ask questions, exchange ideas with each other, and make recommendations. This closeness creates trust and binds customers to your brand in the long term. This is something an anonymous online shop usually cannot offer.
The following graphic shows further benefits mentioned by online comerciante:innen:
4. Challenges and Best Practices
Challenges
As promising as social commerce sounds, it is not a self-runner. In day-to-day business, you will encounter hurdles that you should be aware of:
Logistics and expectations
Social media is extremely fast-paced. Anyone who sees a product there and clicks spontaneously often expects lightning-fast processing of their purchases. Your customer service and logistics must be able to keep up with this pace. This also means that you need to respond to questions in comments or direct messages (DMs) much faster than to a classic email.
The data jungle
The technological integration is often trickier than expected. Seamlessly linking data from Instagram and similar platforms with your own CRM system or online shop can quickly become complex. Without clean data management, you risk losing track of inventory levels or maintaining duplicate customer data.
The constant battle for attention
The competition does not sleep, and your customers' feed is full. To remain visible, it is not enough to occasionally upload a product photo. You need continuously creative and authentic content that entertains and stands out. Posting once and waiting is not enough – community management takes time and resources.
“Invisible” products have a harder time
Not everything can be sold equally well visually. While fashion or decorative items shine in pictures, “invisible” products have a harder time. Complex B2B software or abstract services are often harder to market via purely visual channels than lifestyle products that can simply be photographed.
Best Practices
Authenticity always wins:
Glossy advertising photos are often ignored. Instead, use User-Generated Content (UGC), meaning photos and videos that your real customers have created. If you work with influencers, make sure they genuinely fit your brand and are credible.
Optimize the mobile experience:
Forget the desktop. Social commerce takes place almost exclusively on the smartphone. Ensure that the checkout process on mobile works completely flawlessly and lightning fast. Nothing kills the buying mood faster than a page that cannot be operated on a small display.
