Amazon launches first S-E Asian store in Singapore
This makes Singapore the first S-E Asian country with dedicated Amazon store, with wider range of international goods
American e-commerce giant Amazon has launched a dedicated online store here, Amazon.sg, making Singapore the first South-east Asian country to get such a facility.
The store will boast a series of enhanced features, including desktop and mobile browser access as well as quicker and cheaper access to a wider selection from Amazon.
The local online store, launched yesterday, will carry more offerings, including many previously available only at the international stores.
Amazon said the Singapore store will not only stock a wider range of international goods - from brands such as L'Oreal, Fisher-Price, Skin Inc and Bose - but also products from local small and medium-sized businesses.
The new store will feature the previously unavailable Kindle e-books.
Book lovers can also access a selection of more than 15 million books, including those from Book Depository and Amazon's local and international selection.
Online shoppers in Singapore will enjoy free delivery on eligible orders over $40 within two to three days.
Customers who sign up for Prime will receive free one-day delivery on local selections with no minimum spend, and free international shipping on eligible orders over $60 for Amazon International Store products.
Existing members in Singapore will continue to have access to Prime Now, the free two-hour delivery service for orders over $40.
Amazon Prime membership costs $2.99 a month.
"With Amazon.sg, we want to provide what customers have been asking us for... paired with fast and reliable delivery," said Mr Henry Low, Amazon Singapore country manager.
Beyond improving the consumer experience, the site will also allow for a safer and more visible space for local businesses to list their products.
Professor of marketing Kapil Tuli, director at the Retail Centre of Excellence, told The New Paper that while Amazon's store here will be positive for consumers and small businesses, it might pose a challenge for re-sellers who do not have differentiated products.
Giving the example of a customer looking to buy a pair of headphones, Prof Tuli said: "Given Amazon's scale, they could offer the same product at a much better price with better-faster delivery options."
When asked why Amazon chose Singapore as its first South-east Asian location, Mr Low said: "When you look at the Singapore consumer and at Singapore, a dense urban city with a very tech-savvy population who demand high levels of convenience, it made a great match with the Prime Now value proposition that Amazon launched in 2017 and that is still very much the case today with the launch of Amazon.sg."
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
