Country divided over returns: French-speaking Swiss not amusés by shipping costs

Digitec Galaxus wanted to find out how shoppers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland feel about the returns service in online retail. In a representative GfK survey, more than 2,000 people from the DACH countries shared their opinions on the subject.

French-speaking Swiss tempted by free returns

67% of Swiss survey participants think returning items should generally be free of charge when shopping online. 36% of them would order more regularly if this were the case. French-speaking inhabitants in particular said they’d shop online more often if the return service were free: That the Romands are more price-sensitive than their German-speaking compatriots was already revealed by a GfK survey conducted in 2021. Women and younger respondents also stated that they shop online more often when there are no return shipping costs. 31% said their shopping behaviour would remain unchanged either way.

In Germany and Austria, just under 25% of respondents would order online more often if returns were free of charge. This number is significantly lower than among Swiss survey participants (36%).

Francs spent easier than euros – unless you’re Swiss French

Loosening those purse strings to return an online purchase rarely poses a problem for the majority of Swiss-German online shoppers. Only 31% of respondents thought returns should be free of charge. Not so in Western Switzerland: 62% aren’t prepared to pay for this service. Our neighbours in Germany and Austria are somewhere between the two extremes. 47% of respondents there said they wouldn’t shell out a single cent for returns.

So how much would customers be willing to pay for an item they want to send back? This is where Swiss online shoppers are the most generous: for 26% of respondents, the pain barrier is at three francs. For 16%, it’s at six francs. 19 in 100 people would be willing to cover the actual costs incurred by the online retailer for returns. If it were up to the Romands only, charging customers for returning purchases would be tough to establish.

In Austria and Germany, a quarter and a third of respondents, respectively, are prepared to pay up to three euros for returns. The upper limit for most is at six euros.

Who are Europe’s champion returners?

In Switzerland, 30% of survey participants said they occasionally order several products in one go, knowing that they’ll be returning at least some of them. 12% do this regularly. According to the study, it’s mainly young women from German-speaking Switzerland who use this shopping strategy. Online shoppers in Germany and Austria reported doing this occasionally, but not as frequently.

At Digitec Galaxus, the reality is different in this regard. According to Lauritz Fricke, Head of After Sales & Retail, the returns rate at Digitec Galaxus is in the low single digits. This is partly because the online retailer’s product portfolio is well balanced but mainly because its range features many consumer electronics. Mobile phones, laptops and video projectors are returned less frequently by online shoppers than clothing, for example.

30-days return period plenty

When it comes to the return period, the Alpine countries are on the same page: 97% of online shoppers in Switzerland are happy with a 30-day return period. The numbers are similar in the neighbouring countries. In Austria, more than 60% would also be OK with a 10- to 14-day right of right of return.

Good to know: returns at digitec and Galaxus

For customers in Germany and Austria, returns are free of charge. This is only applies in some cases for shoppers in Switzerland. Customers in Switzerland usually bear the postage costs when returning items. Unless they’re sending back clothing and shoes. Returns are also free when customers receive the wrong product or if the online retailer got something else wrong. Detailed information on the return policy is available here.

What are your experiences with returning items? Does the fee bother you? How often do you return products you’ve ordered? Thanks for letting us know in the comments!

Graphics made with Flourish.