E-Commerce Lab
The E-Commerce Lab is the leading competence center for digital sales in Switzerland. We conduct interdisciplinary and applied research projects and provide continued education for professionals in the area of e-commerce.
Research areas
The E-Commerce Lab conducts research according to academic standards on current topics in digital marketing and sales such as:
- E-commerce/digital commerce
- Cross- and omnichannel sales in B2C, B2B, and D2C
- Services (e.g., virtual tours, configurators, live chat/chat bots, payment solutions)
- Social commerce and live shopping
- Cross-border e-commerce
- Technologies and tools
- Customer acquisition and -retention
- Sustainability in e-commerce (e.g., re-commerce, sharing commerce, circular economy)
- Challenges and success factors in e-commerce
The E-Commerce Lab Framework
The E-Commerce Lab Framework is a descriptive model that categorizes all elements of e-commerce as either “Digital Commerce Management”, “Processes & Instruments”, or “Infrastructure & Systems”. A further differentiation is made between “Digital Marketing” and “Digital Commerce”. We apply the E-Commerce Lab Framework to the complex issues of the fast-moving world of digital commerce, and it has proven an intuitive and powerful tool for our diverse activities in education, research, and consulting.
Consulting and projects
The E-Commerce Lab supports you in different aspects to strengthen and expand your business:
- Contract research: outsource your company-specific research question.
- Innovation projects: we provide insights and guidance for your product-, process-, or service innovation.
- Academic studies: in collaboration with companies and associations we draft and conduct quantitative and qualitative studies on e-commerce and digital marketing.
- Next-level e-commerce: together we take your e-commerce business to the next level.
- Audit & consulting: we analyze the usability of your online shop as well as the market segments in your industry.
- Second opinion: we develop independent expert opinions on critical business questions (e.g., marketplace integration, expansion, positioning)
- Bachelor’s & master's theses: let our students tackle your e-commerce business challenges in a thesis.
- Inhouse training: we provide well-founded know-how for your employees.
Do not hesitate to contact us for further information. We are looking forward to hearing from you!
Recent studies
Learn more about our recent studies:
Research partners
- Worldline Schweiz AG
- CRIF AG
- HANDELSVERBAND.swiss
- Handelsverband - Verband österreichischer Handelsunternehmen
- availabill AG
- bob Finance
- PAYREXX AG
- Carpathia
- BSI Business Systems Integration AG
- TWINT AG
- JMC Software AG
- Swisscom AG
- Digital B2B Forum
- Webrepublic AG
- treibauf AG
- GARAIO AG
- Mayoris AG
- Brain & Heart Communication
- webalyse marketing & consulting GmbH
Continued education
Learn more about our continued education programs for professionals:
Our team
Darius Zumstein holds a PhD in economics and has been a lecturer at the ZHAW Institute of Marketing Management (IMM) since October 2018. He teaches and researches digital commerce, marketing, and analytics and is Head of the E-Commerce Lab. Before joining ZHAW, Darius worked for several years at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and as a team leader and consultant in various companies.
Carmen Oswald studied general management and specialized in marketing. She has been a research associate with the IMM since 2019. In this role, she is involved in various research projects (e.g., the Online Retailer Survey) and works as a lecturer. Before joining ZHAW, Carmen worked for an agency as a junior consultant.
Fabian Oehninger studied business and economics at the University of Basel. As a research associate at the IMM, he collaborates on various studies and teaches at the BSc level. Before joining ZHAW, Fabian worked as a project manager and as a content and online shop manager in the e-commerce environment.
The E-Commerce Lab maintains a unique network throughout Switzerland with close ties to over 4,000 online shop managers.