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Originally published on August 27, 2020, updated February 14, 2024
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Famous for its world-renowned cuisine and widespread cultural diversity, the sovereign city-state of Singapore was the first southeast Asian country to get its own Amazon marketplace: Amazon.sg. And why not? As one of the “Four Asian Tigers,” Singapore has a powerful enough economy to justify outside merchants breaking in — and the fact that most Singaporeans speak English (or Singlish) doesn’t hurt either.
But the question is, how can you break into this influential world marketplace, or should you in the first place? How much would it cost to sell in Amazon Singapore and what products or sales strategies would be most beneficial? In this guide, we break down how to sell on Amazon Singapore and give advice for getting started.
First things first, is the Singapore eCommerce market viable for your brand? As lucrative as it is, not every merchant can benefit from its distinct shopping trends. Let’s start by stepping back and taking a look at the big picture of commerce in Singapore.
Even before Amazon entered the fray in late 2019, Singapore’s eCommerce industry was full of fierce competition and high-stakes selling. According to Statista, Singapore’s eCommerce market revenue will reach $2.33 billion in 2020, with a whopping 28.4% year-over-year growth. Not only that, but the market’s 3 million shoppers have an Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) of US$760.95.
But those tantalizing figures also lead to more competition, especially the Alibaba-funded Lazada, the country’s top eCommerce market. In fact, in 2019 Amazon Singapore was only the 8th largest online market, even falling behind eBay Singapore. But considering Amazon’s international presence and options for FBA, it’s still the ideal market for outsiders to carve a foothold.
No matter whether you’re only considering an expansion into Amazon Singapore or if you’re full-steam ahead, your first step should be to visit the sites above to learn the lay of the land. Pay attention to top sellers, pricing, shipping, returns policies, and even just the tone of the writing to isolate the differences between selling in Singapore and selling elsewhere.
Every culture has its particular shopping behaviors, from Europe to Mexico. The shopping culture of an area has an enormous impact on your selling decisions, from how much shoppers are willing to pay, how long they’re comfortable waiting for delivery, and which products become best sellers.
Data company Datareportal published some interesting findings on Singapore's online shopping behavior. You can learn a lot about what to expect from these two statistics:
What can we take away from these facts? For starters, Singaporeans seems ready to participate in eCommerce. That’s good news for the future, meaning right now is a suitable time to expand. Moreover, mobile eCommerce seems to be quite popular in Singapore. Online retailers should make sure their sites are designed responsively for mobile screens. Luckily, the Amazon app handles that for you.
Starting to sell on Amazon.sg now will give you an early mover advantage. While currently sales are slow, the marketplace is expected to pick up in a couple of years.Meghla Bhardwaj
Even though Singapore is a small country with about 6 million population, eCommerce penetration is extremely high at about 70%.
In addition, unlike most other Amazon marketplaces, sellers on Amazon Singapore get an account manager to guide them and help if they’re stuck.
Another advantage of starting now is that Singapore can be a gateway to the rest of the southeast Asian markets, where eCommerce is booming.
One of the most important considerations when expanding your business to a new country is whether there’s enough demand for your products to sustain yourself. In Singapore, the most in-demand products categories, according to Datareportal, are:
However, keep in mind which categories are the fastest-growing. Positioning yourself in one of these categories now can pay off massively in the long-run.
If these products are your big sellers, you might be in a good position to break into the Singapore market. If not, you might want to consider adding them to your product range before expanding.
After reviewing the facts, if you’re still ready to start selling in Singapore, signing up is pretty straightforward. After registering in Seller Central, you’re free to start listing on the Amazon.sg market. Just follow the steps listed here to set up your Amazon Singapore page.
The product restrictions are mostly uniform with other markets, although Amazon Singapore requires approval for all Automotive products and may also request approval for specific products in other categories.
As with most foreign markets, we recommend taking advantage of a fulfillment service to avoid transcontinental shipping fees. Amazon FBA seems like the obvious choice, although you’re free to explore other options. You may also want to consider freight shipping when you initially deliver your inventory across seas.
You can learn even more about the Amazon Singapore marketplace in this fantastic video from The Asian Seller.
No matter how well you prepare, it’s always a little scary to expand into a new market. The good news is that you don’t have to go out there alone. The FeedbackFive software you know and love is available for the Amazon Singapore marketplace.
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