Top 10 eCommerce Platforms In Singapore
By Sam Nguyen
In this article, we’ll explore the 10 leading platforms in Singapore that promise to redefine your digital success in this country’s market.
eCommerce in Singapore: An Overview
Despite its small population of around 6 million, Singapore stands tall among the world’s economic giants.
As of the latest available data, the e-commerce market in Singapore is on significant growth, with a projected revenue of US$8.23 billion by 2023, according to Oom.com.
The country has a high internet penetration rate of 98% and a smartphone penetration rate of 93%, as reported by ITA, highlighting an affluent population comfortable with online transactions.
10 Best Online Selling Platforms in Singapore
Create Your Own Website
As Singapore’s digital marketplace thrives, Shopify and Wix emerge as top-tier choices for crafting powerful and visually stunning online stores.
Shopify
Shopify is the top e-commerce platform, offering versatile solutions for building attractive websites and enhancing online presence. It’s designed to manage the entire e-commerce process, supporting business growth for small startups and large enterprises.
As of the last quarter of 2023, Shopify maintains a robust presence in Singapore, boasting 13,695 active stores, according to data provided by Storeleads. Entrepreneurs and businesses in the region continue to gravitate towards Shopify.
The key features of Shopify fall into two main sectors:
Website creations:
- Intuitive interface: Shopify’s drag-and-drop interface caters to both novices and experts, allowing easy customization for a personalized online shopping experience.
- Customizable templates: Shopify offers over 160 professionally designed templates that can be quickly customized and built into visually stunning online storefronts that align with the brand.
E-commerce features:
- Order tracking and inventory management: Easily track and manage product stock and customer orders in multiple stores and channels through Shopify’s unified dashboard, providing real-time updates on order status and fulfilling them.
- Payment flexibility: Choose between Shopify’s in-house without transaction fees or opt for over 100 external gateways.
- Marketing & SEO: Built-in SEO features, along with advanced e-commerce analytics. Shopify also offers promotional tools such as discount codes, gift cards, and other powerful marketing tools through email or social media.
- Seamless integration: Explore Shopify’s vast ecosystem of over 8,500 app integrations to enhance your store’s functionality.
- Efficient shipping solutions: Manage shipping with ease using Shopify’s tools, offering discounted rates and direct label printing from the dashboard for a streamlined fulfillment process.
- Abandoned cart recovery: Automatically sends reminder emails to customers who left the checkout process before completion, helping to recover lost sales.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| – User-friendly platform – Mobile responsiveness – Ability to build websites – Robust SEO tools – E-commerce growth – Scalability with global access – Support for Singapore currency | – Additional costs – Transaction fees for not using Shopify Payments |
Wix
Wix has become another popular choice for creating powerful websites in Singapore, appealing to individuals and businesses seeking a straightforward yet robust solution for their online presence.
Also, from Storeleads data, Wix marks a substantial 57% year-over-year increase recorded in the third quarter of 2023. This reflects Wix’s growing popularity and adoption among merchants in this country.
Like Shopify, Wix plays a key role in website design and e-commerce sales.
Web design features:
- Drag-and-drop editor: Wix’s standout feature is its intuitive drag-and-drop editor, which allows users to easily design and customize websites.
- Mobile Responsiveness Templates: There are over 900 templates to choose from, catering to various industries and providing a starting point for professionally designed websites.
- ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence): For those seeking automated design assistance, Wix’s ADI creates a personalized website based on user preferences and needs.
E-commerce features:
- Product management: Efficiently manage product listings, inventory, and orders through Wix’s user-friendly interface.
- Secure payments: Wix supports over 70 payment gateways, ensuring secure and hassle-free customer transactions.
- Shipping and tax tools: Simplify the logistics of e-commerce with Wix’s tools for managing shipping options and tax calculations.
- Marketing and SEO: Wix provides marketing and SEO optimization features, helping businesses promote their stores and improve search engine rankings.
- App market: Explore the Wix App Market with over 200 options for additional features and integrations to enhance the functionality of your online store.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| – Cost-effective plans – Robust website builder tools – User-friendly interface – Comprehensive commerce tools – Extensive app marketplace – Suitable for a variety of industry | – Lacks advanced ecommerce features – Adaptability challenge |
Sell On Marketplaces
The rest of the list will be the top e-commerce platforms with millions of monthly visits from Singaporean merchants and consumers.
Shopee
Shopee, launched in Singapore in 2015, has swiftly become the country’s premier e-commerce destination. As of November 2023, Shopee Singapore recorded a remarkable 16.1 million visits. This reflects a broader trend, as Shopee consistently ranks as one of Southeast Asia’s most visited e-commerce platforms.
The primary value of Shopee lies in the following:
- E-Commerce marketplace: Shopee operates as a comprehensive e-commerce marketplace, connecting buyers and sellers across a diverse range of products.
- Shoppee Mall: A Shopee’s exclusive zone for official brand outlets, ensuring customers a trustworthy and genuine online shopping destination featuring various products.
- Secure transactions: Shopee ensures secure and trustworthy transactions through its platform, fostering a safe environment for online commerce with multiple payment options, including in-house (Shopeepay, SpayLater) and third-party gateways.
- Logistic: Shopee offers logistics and delivery services known as Shopee Express, streamlining the shipping process for sellers and ensuring timely deliveries to buyers.
- Seller tools: The platform offers tools and resources to support sellers, including inventory management, order processing, and marketing features.
- Community engagement: Shopee fosters an interactive community with features like reviews, ratings, and user-generated content, enhancing user engagement.
- Promotional campaigns: Shopee regularly runs promotional campaigns, flash sales, and exclusive deals, contributing to a dynamic and engaging shopping environment.
- Strategic partnerships: Collaborations with brands, influencers, and exclusive partnerships contribute to unique offerings and promotions on the platform.
Pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| – Widespread popularity – Diverse product exposure – Built-in payment gateways and logistics – Mobile-centric market access – Frequent mega promotional opportunities – Potential partnerships | – Intense competition – Potential unreal data on product sales |
Lazada
Launched in 2012, Lazada is now a leading e-commerce platform in Singapore, serving a growing customer base throughout Southeast Asia with various products. In Singapore alone, Lazada records a significance of 5 million monthly visits.
Here are some key features and services on this platform:
- E-commerce platform: Lazada operates as a marketplace, allowing third-party sellers to list and sell their products on the platform with multiple items from various industries.
- Flash sales and promotions: The platform frequently runs flash sales, discounts, and promotions, allowing users to buy products at reduced prices.
- Multiple payment options: Lazada supports various payment methods, including credit/debit cards, cash on delivery (COD), and online payment gateways.
- LazMall: LazMall is Lazada’s dedicated space for official brand stores, ensuring the authenticity of products and providing a reliable shopping experience.
- Express delivery: Lazada offers multiple delivery options with varying delivery times, including standard and express shipping.
- Lazada Wallet: Users can utilize Lazada Wallet for convenient and secure transactions, cashless payments, and additional discounts.
- Easy returns and refunds: Lazada provides a return and refund policy, allowing customers to return products within a specified period if unsatisfied.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| – Broad market access – Convenient and safe payment – Logistics infrastructure support – Strategic marketing collaborations | – Fewer promotions compared to the competitors (Shopee) – Performance issues |
Amazon
Amazon is an indispensable name in Singapore, offering various products ranging from electronics and fashion to household goods.
With an impressive monthly traffic of 7.5 million visits, its high traffic demonstrates its widespread use and trust among Singaporeans.
Amazon presents itself with the following key services:
- Amazon Prime: This offers Singaporean subscribers benefits such as free and fast shipping, access to Prime Video for streaming, exclusive deals, and early access to promotions.
- Subscribe & Save: Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program allows users to set up recurring deliveries of essential items at discounted prices.
- Amazon Fresh: Amazon Fresh brings the convenience of online grocery shopping to Singapore, allowing users to order fresh produce, groceries, and household items with reliable delivery options.
- Amazon Global Store: It features a curated selection of products from international sellers, broadening the range of available items.
- Amazon widgets: It allows third-party sellers to embed their products on external websites, expanding visibility and sales opportunities.
- Kindle Store: Amazon’s Kindle Store offers a vast collection of e-books and audiobooks for Kindle users in Singapore.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| – Global market reach with cross-border selling – Widen product discovery – Customer trust and familiarity – Amazon advertising – Brand credibility | – Intense competition – Limited brand control – Strong dependency on terms and policies |
Qoo10
Qoo10, originally established in South Korea, has gained traction in the Singaporean market by offering a diverse range of products at competitive prices. This is reflected in the substantial monthly visitation of approximately 1.5 million.
The platform plays main features to its appeal in:
- Group Buy: It allows users to collaborate and secure discounts by purchasing items together, fostering a sense of community.
- Qoo10 Coupons: The platform allows users to enjoy additional discounts on top of ongoing promotions, enhancing the overall cost-saving experience.
- Qpoints and Qstamps: Its loyalty program includes Qpoints and Qstamps, rewarding users for their engagement and purchases.
- Cross-Border Shopping: Qoo10 enables users in Singapore to access a vast selection of products from international sellers.
- Qoo10 guarantee: It ensures that users receive genuine products and provides a refund or exchange if items received significantly differ from the product description.
- Daily deals and lucky auctions: Users can explore Daily Deals for specially curated promotions each day, and Lucky Auctions offer a unique bidding experience for users to potentially win products at lower prices.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| – Competitive prices – Market access is mostly to Southeast Asia – Collaborative marketing features – Diverse consumer base – Cross-border opportunities – Loyalty programs | – Fee structure – Navigating discount pressures – Potential low goods quality |
Castlery
Castlery, a well-known name in Singapore, specializes in furniture and home decor. Castlery has garnered significant popularity in Singapore, as evidenced by its strong online presence and a global traffic rank of around 2.5 million monthly visits.
Its key features lie in:
- Diverse furniture product range: Castlery offers a diverse range of furniture, including sofas, dining sets, bedroom furniture, and home accessories, allowing customers to find pieces that suit their preferences and needs.
- Online customization: Some products on Castlery may offer online customization options, allowing customers to personalize certain aspects of their furniture.
- Inspiration and ideas: Castlery often inspires its website, blog, or social media channels, helping customers envision and create stylish living spaces.
- Reliable delivery services: The platform emphasizes reliable delivery services, ensuring customers receive their orders promptly and satisfactorily.
- Sales and promotions: Castlery may run sales and promotions, offering discounts on select items or during specific periods to provide cost-saving opportunities for customers.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| – Market presence – Contemporary design appeal – Quality emphasisInspiration and trends – Brand affiliation | – Limited customization – Limited niche market focus |
Love, Bonito
As a leading e-commerce site in Singapore, Love, Bonito stands out in the fashion landscape, offering trendy and inclusive women’s apparel. It draws impressive monthly traffic of around 1.3 million visits globally, of which Singaporean consumers account for over 30%.
Love, Bonito offers a range of key services, including:
- Trendy women’s apparel: It focuses on stylish and contemporary women’s clothing, featuring on-trend designs.
- Inclusive sizing: The platform emphasizes inclusivity, providing clothing options catering to various body types and sizes.
- Frequent product launches: Love, Bonito regularly introduces new collections and products, keeping its offerings fresh and aligned with current fashion trends.
- Fashion blog and content: The platform offers a fashion blog and content, providing style inspiration, trend insights, and fashion-related articles to its audience.
- Global presence: The platform has expanded its reach beyond Singapore, serving an international customer base and contributing to its global popularity.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| – Fashion-forward – Inclusive approach – Regular updates – Global appeal – Engaging customer experience | – Pricing perception – Online-only presence |
ZALORA
ZALORA, focusing on fashion and lifestyle, is known for its wide range of local and international brands tailored for the Asian market. In Singapore, it sees monthly traffic of approximately 762.4 thousand visits.
The platform offers key features, which are:
- Extensive product range: The product line encompasses clothing, footwear, accessories, and beauty items from local and international brands.
- Trendy collections: The platform consistently introduces trendy and fashionable collections, staying in tune with the latest style trends and preferences.
- Quick and reliable delivery: The platform prioritizes efficient and reliable delivery services, ensuring customers receive orders promptly.
- Frequent promotions: ZALORA offers regular promotions, discounts, and special deals, providing cost-saving opportunities for shoppers.
- Brand collaborators: The platform is directly corporate, with hundreds of top high-end and drug store brands worldwide, from the sports category (Nịke, Adidas, Puma, etc.) to high-end items (Kate Spade, Coach, Marc Jacob, etc.)
- Easy returns and exchanges: The platform allows for hassle-free returns and exchanges, enhancing customer satisfaction and confidence in the online shopping process.
- Brand collaborations: ZALORA collaborates with established and emerging brands, contributing to a diverse and dynamic product catalog.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| – Fashion trend access – Market exposure – Brand visibility – Logistic support – Marketing tools | – Limited brand customization – Less traffic compared to prominent sites in the same niche, such as Zara |
COURTS
Founded in 1974, Courts has grown into a trusted brand, offering a comprehensive shopping experience for home and technology products.
With around 544 thousand monthly visits, Courts has been a trusted and widely-used e-commerce platform in Singapore for a long time.
The platforms bring key services, including:
- Competitive pricing: The platform is known for its competitive pricing, making it an attractive option for cost-conscious consumers seeking value.
- Physical store integration: With a strong offline presence, Courts integrates its physical stores with the online platform, allowing customers to shop online and in-store.
- Delivery and installation services: Courts offers reliable delivery services, and for certain products like furniture and appliances, provides installation services, enhancing the overall customer experience.
- Promotions and deals: Regular promotions, discounts, and special deals contribute to the platform’s appeal, providing customers with opportunities to save on their purchases.
- Flexible payment options: Courts provides various payment options, including installment plans, to accommodate customer preferences and budget considerations.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| – Longlife reputation – Broad audience reach – Product diversity – Offline integration – Brand exposure | – Competitive discounting pressure – Potential for negative reviews – Limited customization options |
Which Ecommerce Platform In Singapore Is Best To Start Your Business?
Deciding between creating your own website or selling on a marketplace in Singapore’s competitive e-commerce scene depends on your business goals and resources.
Creating a website is good for those looking to build a unique brand, control the customer experience, and foster long-term customer relationships. Shopify is an excellent platform for this, offering customization and ease of use.
Conversely, selling on marketplaces like Shopee, Lazada, or Amazon is great for quick exposure to a large audience and leveraging the trust and infrastructure of established platforms. This approach is ideal for businesses seeking a straightforward market entry with various products.
How To Choose The Right Platform And Make The Most Of It?
To choose the right e-commerce platform for your business, consider the following criteria and optimize its usage:
- Define business needs: Understand your product, audience, and business model to identify specific platform requirements.
- Evaluate features: Assess ease of use, customization options, and scalability to match your business’s current and future needs.
- Consider costs: Analyze subscription fees, transaction costs, and additional charges to ensure the platform aligns with your budget.
- Check user interface: Prioritize a user-friendly interface for administrators and customers to enhance the overall experience.
- Review marketing tools: Choose a platform with robust marketing and SEO tools for effective online visibility and reach.
- Assess payment options: Ensure the platform supports diverse payment methods and integrates seamlessly with popular payment gateways.
- Explore multichannel integration: If selling on multiple channels, opt for a platform that easily integrates with various sales channels.
- Check support services: Assess customer support responsiveness and community engagement for effective issue resolution and insights.
- Consider scalability: Choose a platform that can scale with your business, accommodating growth in products, customers, and sales.
Bottom Line
These top 10 leading platforms in Singapore provide tons of potential opportunities for businesses to step into ecommerce. We suggest you try all the platforms and see what works best.
FAQs
Selling on Lazada or Shopee totally depends on each business’s taste:
- Shopee is known for its user-friendly platform and strong marketing support, making it suitable for those seeking a dynamic marketplace.
- On the other hand, Lazada offers a broad customer base and established credibility.
Many businesses often choose to sell on both platforms to maximize their reach and market presence.
The fees for selling on e-commerce platforms in Singapore typically include
- Transaction fees can range from a few cents to a small percentage of the transaction value.
- Subscription fees might be a fixed monthly or annual cost, depending on the platform and the subscription plan chosen.
- Commissions on sales often range from a single-digit percentage to higher percentages, especially for certain categories.
The best process would be Sign up > Add products > Customize the website > Set up the domain > Payment activation > Configure shipping and tax settings > Launch the store.
