Trends in omni-channel retail 2026

The Shopping behaviour in Switzerland is changing. While online shops and high-street shops remain equally important, smartphones are gaining significance. At the same time, loyalty to retailers and brands is declining. Despite growing attention being paid to artificial intelligence, its influence on shopping remains limited at present. Migros remains the country’s best-known omni-channel retailer. Online shops, search engines and physical shops remain decisive, as shown by the study conducted by researchers Prof. Dr Thomas Rudolph and Dr Christopher Schraml at the Institute for Retail Management at the University of St. Gallen (IRM-HSG). 

•  The retailer’s online shop remains the most important touchpoint. Its importance is now on a par with that of the physical shop. This is followed by search engines, as well as competitors’ online shops and physical stores. AI applications such as ChatGPT have so far played only a minor role in shopping. They are currently used in only around 5 per cent of all omnichannel purchases.
• The high affinity for online shopping in Switzerland is striking. Purely online shopping has continued to grow and now accounts for 39 per cent of all purchases surveyed. Traditional in-store shopping without the use of additional online touchpoints accounts for 33 per cent and has also seen slight growth. · In contrast, hybrid purchasing paths are losing significance. Only 16 per cent of Swiss consumers now search in-store and then buy online. For the reverse approach – searching online and buying in-store – the share stands at just 12 per cent. · In the ranking of the best-known omni-channel retailers, Migros remains clearly at the top. 14.8 per cent of respondents named it as their preferred retailer. It is followed by Coop, Digitec Galaxus, Interdiscount, H&M, Manor, MediaMarkt, IKEA, Fust and C&A.
• The use of devices for online shopping has changed particularly significantly. At 49 per cent of all online purchases, the smartphone is now the most important shopping device in Switzerland. Laptops and desktop computers account for 45 per cent, and tablets for 6 per cent. In 2017, the smartphone share stood at just 12 per cent. · At the same time, the number of abandoned purchases is falling. Just under 38 per cent of omni-channel customers report having abandoned a purchase within the past three weeks. Around 70 per cent of these abandonments occur in online shops. The main reasons are prices that are too high, uncertainty about the purchase decision, or a lack of sizes and colours.

The study also shows that Swiss consumers rate the product ranges and prices of online shops more highly than those of high-street shops. Another striking trend is the declining predictability of purchases. Only 70 per cent of Swiss customers now plan their purchases with a specific retailer. In 2021, this figure stood at 78 per cent. Brand loyalty is also declining. Only 63 per cent now specifically plan to buy a particular brand, compared with 67 per cent in 2021. Spontaneous purchases are therefore becoming more important. It is becoming increasingly important for retailers to inspire customers at an early stage and engage with them across various channels. The data collection was supported by the Swiss Retail Federation and HANDELSVERBAND.swiss. The authors of the study, Prof. Dr. Thomas Rudolph and Dr. Christopher Schraml at the Institute for Retail Management at the University of St. Gallen (IRM-HSG), are available for background discussions and interviews. The full study, “Omni-Channel Management 2026,” is available free of charge from the IRM-HSG online store.

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