Singapore Expats

I was thinking about this a few days ago. While recognizing that retailers have enormous rents here, their price gouging has won them no sympathy over the years.

It's not just Singapore that has this problem, take a look at what's happening in the USA.

http://www.businessinsider.sg/the-ameri ... cIzQwEH.97

and Amazon is coming up with a 7/11 clone that could soon put 7/11 out of business.
pretty cool huh?

https://www.amazon.com/b?node=16008589011

Two stores where I spend money/time in Singapore are Uniqlo and Crocs. Even with these two companies, I think I spend more money on their online store rather than in stores.

1. Unless at their "flagship" stores, the smaller stores (near my home) do not carry everything.

2. They run some good online-only sale/special (especially Crocs) that are much better than in-store promotions.

3. convenience factor - order online and have it shipped to my office within few days. Often within 3 to 4 days and often with free shipping. If I order over the weekend, I usually have them by Wednesday.

I also buy a lot of (useless) stuff from Amazon USA and have them shipped to me (most of time, free shipping). They take about two weeks but there can be more choices on Amazon and with much better price. I sometimes buy cheap stuff on AliExpress but they take about a month to arrive.

I go to USA at least once a year and buy small but expensive stuff there and bring them back (e.g. vitamins, nuts, electronics). I "save" many non-free shipping items on Amazon for later purchase and have them delivered and ready for me when I get back home.

I buy my prescription medicines in Thailand.

Local stores cannot compete in stock/choices or price.

HH and I think alike. I just ordered some motorbike tyres on Amazon to be delivered to my SIL house in NC to pick up in June on my USA trip. Even with excess (unlikely) it's cheaper and I can only find the type I want in the US.

PNGMK wrote:Even with excess (unlikely) it's cheaper and I can only find the type I want in the US.

I can't remember what it was (probably some latest electronic stuff) but I wanted it badly. I purchased it on Amazon and paid duty and shipping (duty/tax automatically calculated by Amazon for over $400 SGD) and it was still cheaper than local price. This scenario plays over and over again for me.

HMV used to have two stores on orchard road about 5 years ago.. I used to enjoy buying cd's and t shirts from there until they closed down. now I get all my cd's and music from Amazon. (Yes i still buy cd's because buying MP3's plain suck! )
as for Clothes, I still prefer buying them in a store, however what i see in Singapore is a cookie cutter model, the same damm boring stores selling the same damm substandard things at overpriced rates.
Bangkok is so much better when it comes to actual retail shopping because of the unquieness of nearly every shop.

rajagainstthemachine wrote:HMV used to have two stores on orchard road about 5 years ago.. I used to enjoy buying cd's and t shirts from there until they closed down. now I get all my cd's and music from Amazon. (Yes i still buy cd's because buying MP3's plain suck! )
as for Clothes, I still prefer buying them in a store, however what i see in Singapore is a cookie cutter model, the same damm boring stores selling the same damm substandard things at overpriced rates.
Bangkok is so much better when it comes to actual retail shopping because of the unquieness of nearly every shop.

I buy CD's as well. I don't know how to buy music online and I don't own any apple products which seems to be how people do it.

I buy CD's as well. I don't know how to buy music online and I don't own any apple products which seems to be how people do it.[/quote]

I hardly buy any music anymore. My Amazon Prime membership gives me millions of songs to download without cost. But mostly, I pay $75 per year to stream endless commercial free music. Usually off my phone, Bluetoothed into my audio receiver, or outdoor speaker, or the audio system in my car. Eezy-peezy.

Strong Eagle wrote:
I hardly buy any music anymore. My Amazon Prime membership gives me millions of songs to download without cost.

I will look into that. So far, I only used it for the free shipping

earthfriendly wrote:

Strong Eagle wrote:
I hardly buy any music anymore. My Amazon Prime membership gives me millions of songs to download without cost.

I will look into that. So far, I only used it for the free shipping

You can also stream from many channels as well. I prefer RadioTunes as the channels are curated by a human but the wife listens to Amazon streams all the time on our Echo Dot... again, connected to our AV system via BlueTooth.

why you are going to purchase music online. there is lots of online option you can download music.

m2m wrote:why you are going to purchase music online. there is lots of online option you can download music.

:facepalm:

m2m wrote:why you are going to purchase music online. there is lots of online option you can download music.

O.... k .....