If you live in Switzerland and want to order something from Amazon you might be wondering how it works? Or, if it is even possible at all!
As someone who has lived in Switzerland for over two decades, I have bought things from various Amazon websites as well as most of their competitors. So, I have a lot of experience with this topic and this post is all about sharing that with you.
Table of Contents
Does Amazon ship to Switzerland?
Yes, Amazon does ship to Switzerland but they do not offer the full range of products. Depending on which Amazon store you use, there will only be a limited selection of products you can order direct to Switzerland.
Which Amazon To Use In Switzerland
The simplest way to decide which Amazon to use in your situation is proximity.
- If you are in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, use Amazon.de
- The French part – Amazon.fr
- The Italian part – Amazon.it
Of course, this also means that you will likely speak or be learning to speak the language on these sites as well. So, that helps as well.
The challenge starts when you want specific products that are not available or do not ship from a particular Amazon to Switzerland. This is the biggest problem with using Amazon.
You can also use Amazon.co.uk or even Amazon.com and get things into Switzerland. However, shipping is often more expensive. You have to pay custom fees. And, often the products are not allowed to be shipped.
Options For Shipping To Switzerland
If the product you wish to buy is able to be shipped to Switzerland, the choice is quite simple. Use the option that suits you best – fastest, or cheapest. Or even free with Amazon Prime!
There are even specific pages on some Amazon sites like Amazon.com, where you can filter products that have international shipping available. Or, you can use Planet Express to do freight forwarding from a US warehouse address to work around the problem. However, given the costs of such a service, it is rarely worth it.
However, if you want to ship something that is not allowed to be shipped to Switzerland, you have to work around the block. The way to do this is to ship inside Europe, preferably to somewhere close to you or to a relative or friend.
If you don’t have someone to ship to, there are specific shipping services like Swiss Paket or My Paket Shop you can ship to near the German border, who then forward it to your address.
Amazon.de actually provides pickup point options although to be honest, I have never tried it.
Picking Up In Germany & Paying Taxes
If you do pick up your products in Germany, France or Italy you have to take into account customs and the 300 CHF limit. If your products are under 300CHF then you can just enter Switzerland. However, if it is over, you have to declare them on the Swiss side of the border and pay the appropriate taxes. Keep that in mind when you consider the price of something.
On the German side, you can actually get the taxes back which is worth it considering it can be as much as 19% tax. And the Swiss tax is way less at 7.7%. So, you can save around 10% or more on the taxes.
However, it can be complicated. Here is the rough process for claiming your German VAT tax back:
- At the border, on the German side, you have to fill out the German form and get it stamped
- Keep the form for later and claim it from the seller directly.
- If you are doing this with a brick and mortar store you can take it back there next time (if there is a next time)
So, you can’t get the money back or off the price when you buy it in Germany. It all has to be done later on. It might be worth trying this with Amazon.de (Here is a helpful article on how to do that), although I have not brought products from Amazon across the border (only other things I bought in Germany).
Amazon Alternatives In Switzerland
Given how hard it can be to buy everything from Amazon in Switzerland it is often better to just use Amazon alternatives.
To be honest, in most cases I will just buy what I need online in Switzerland. There is little benefit to messing around with Amazon and importing things.
There are cases where you just can’t find things in Switzerland, after all, it is quite limited compared to places like the UK and US (or even the EU). However, 90% of the time I just use the following Amazon alternatives.
Product Search Engine – Toppreise.ch
TopPreise is not a store per se, but rather a meta search that will show you most online stores in Switzerland and their current price for a product. So, if you are price shopping, go there first. Otherwise, use your new favorite Swiss store below :>
General Online Stores
Since Digitec revolutionized online retail in Switzerland over the last decade newer players have emerged. Some of them are quite specialised, and I have listed them separately below. However, the following are the ones you should use if you want to find a great Amazon alternative – ie. a one stop shop for just about everything!
Galaxus
Galaxus is actually the sister of Digitec, so you should use them in conjunction (or the site will mask this anyway) with one another. It is one of the first and best places to buy things you would otherwise have bought on Amazon.
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Languages: English, German, French, Italian
Microspot
Microspot were one of the next big things after Digitec if you ask me. They started with just electronicsbut now, they are a combination of Digitec and Galaxus. This actually happened in 2019 when they were bought out by Coop because their own online retail store was not going well.
Languages: English, German, French, Italian
Brack
Brack has become well known for its funny TV ads about testing products, at least that is how I know them. They have a decent selection in almost every department, so are a place you can find most things online. They were also focused on electronics in the past but changed their tack in 2019 to become an all-round online retailer.
Languages: German, French
Online Food Shopping
Of course, both the major supermarkets in Switzerland have online options. And since the pandemic, they have become much more reliable and user-friendly.
Electronics
Electronics was the first area to be truly put online in Switzerland with the advent of Digitec. They started it all in my eyes, and everyone else followed. One of the things I have noticed since they opened their doors is that electronics are now as cheap or cheaper in Switzerland than just about anywhere else in the world.
I no longer buy anything electronic when I travel or outside the country. There is no point. Between Digitec and their competitors, you will always get the best deals and next day shipping right in Switzerland.
Digitec
Digitec was one of the first alternatives to Amazon in Switzerland that was really worth using. They are perhaps the most well-known and used, with stores in many large cities for easy pickup as well as their huge online store.
They are no longer the cheapest in every situation, but they will always have what you are looking for. They also have a lot of reviews, price history and useful blogs. Their next best competitor is actually Microspot, but I have mentioned them above because they do more than just electronics.
Languages: English, German, French, Italian
Conrad
Like Digitec, Conrad also does electronics, however, they focus more on smaller electronic components.
Languages: German, French, Italian
Mediamarkt
Mediamarkt were a little later to the online game because their stores used to be the best place to find just about anything electronic. However, in the last few years, I have noticed that they are quite competitive and quick with delivery. Definitely worth checking if you want to do a price comparison.
Languages: German, French, Italian
Clothing
I won’t give you a huge list of online clothing retailers here because just about every brand has an online store these days. However, the “go to” shop most people use is Zalando. In fact, they are so pervasive that I see Post vans full of almost only Zalando boxes roaming our neighborhood!
Outdoor Gear & Cycling Gear
Outdoor gear has become easier and cheaper to order online in Switzerland over the last few years especially. Here are the stores I use, with the lower ones being for cycling gear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there no Amazon in Switzerland?
There is no Amazon in Switzerland for a range of reasons. Switzerland is in general very protective of local industry with many regulations and taxes in place to favor Swiss businesses. On top of that. Amazon prefers to work in larger markets so only has stores in nearby countries like Germany, France, Spain and other European places.
Does Amazon operate in Switzerland?
Amazon does not operate a specific Amazon online shop for Switzerland, however, you can get some products shipped to the country from many of the other Amazon stores.
Why did Amazon leave Switzerland?
Amazon did not leave Switzerland because they were never actually there. Instead, residents of Switzerland usually use other neighboring Amazon stores instead.
Is Amazon big in Switzerland?
Amazon is not as big in Switzerland as in other countries, however, the company does rank in the top e-commerce stores in the country. Swiss citizens often tend to shop in more local stores, however the allure of Amazon is always there for many people.
What is the biggest eCommerce in Switzerland?
Digitec together with it’s partner store Galaxus are by far the biggest eCommerce stores in Switzerland. With a revenue exceeding one billion dollars in 2021, it has an impressive hold on Switzerland.
Thanks for this information. Very helpful. But what about health and gardening products? Are there online stores for those in Switzerland?