Barriers to Online Shopping in Switzerland

Despite the collapse of the so-called digital economy, the Internet has developed into an established channel of distribution. Although Internet usage continues to grow at a significant pace, online retail sales of products and services lag behind considerably. This paper focuses on the underlying motivational factors that inhibit consumers from online purchasing, based on a review of current literature and the empirical findings of a survey among Internet users in Switzerland. Four distinct barriers to online shopping that exist between buying and non-buying Internet users were identified. Implications for the marketing management of online shopping channels are derived.