Buying things in Singapore, help?

[Question]

Does anyone have any recommendations on where to buy stuff in Singapore? It just seems that everything here is at least 50% more expensive compared to what they charge in the US.

E.G. A camera in the US may cost $80 USD, in Singapore it costs $200 SGD...and that's the sale price!!!

I'm not sure what's going on here. Do Singaporeans just have a culture of ripping each other off?

I've tried going to the "Great Singapore Sale" last year and it was the worst waste of time ever. 1/4th of the items weren't even on sale, and the rest had pathetic discounts of 20% or less. Most of the items on sale was also the kind of items that nobody wanted (odd sizes, weird colors/designs, etc). There were simply no good deals to be had. Advertised discounts of 80% were mysteriously unlocatable, and none of the sales assistants i spoke to had any idea which items had 80% discounts.

I tried to find a leather messenger bag a few weeks ago, and ran into the same problem...i simply couldn't find one made out of genuine leather for less than $100, while there were near infinite choices on places like amazon.com. I had to get one from an indian ebay seller because he was the only person that wasn't charging $30+ USD to ship a bag here.

For that matter, are there ANY online stores in Singapore? At all? I certaintly don't see any, and nobody i've talked to has heard of any either.

Now i'm looking for a decent leather shoe in size US 13...and am having serious problems finding stores that stock US 13 in the first place....any recommendations?

[Mr A]

Singapore is a rip off, and I have no idea who actually pays these prices. I use SIngapore shops to physically view some items I want then do final research on line (as the sales staff here are usually hopeless) and then either purchase online, on on regional trips to Bangkok or Hong Kong or have people visiting from the States or Europe bring for me.


Rarely would I buy something in Singapore unless it was inconvenient to get from somewhere else due to size or weight.

Even the airport so called duty free prices are more than you would pay in a shopping mall in Hong Kong, although to be honest you actually rarely see people purchasing anything from these places.

[Beatrice B]

OP - totally agree I never buy here unless desperate for the goods. It's such a rip off and sizes don't fit

[wtf?]

OP - totally agree I never buy here unless desperate for the goods. It's such a rip off and sizes don't fit

Then try a different size

[sham]

It depends. SOme are expensive in here and others can be cheaper in Singapore....a UK friend like to shop in Singapore as he complaints of paying excessive VAT back home...we for shoes, take a short holidays to malaysia, go to KL...i found the shoes, bags and other stuffs are much cheaper then Singapore.

[Question]

Problem with malaysia is time + i have absolutely no idea where to go buy stuff there...

[Big Foot]

Go to Queensway Shopping centre, plenty of shoe shops with very large sizes 13+

[Mostafa]

I find many things are significantly cheaper in Mostafa.  Recently I bought an aftershave for $59 there that I had paid $152 for in Plaza Singapura.  I also find things like shaving gells and blades are lots cheaper than at Watson and Guardian.

[the secret]

First, I've noticed that whenever I go shopping/walking in Orchard Road  I see a disproportionate number of caucassions buying things. That is with the exception of the shops like Louis Vitton (is that the right spelling?) where it is always Asians lining up to buy some piece of overpriced status symbol, they even line up to get let in.

What I do myself is just keep my purchases to a minimum and I don't buy at the luxury end. In Singapore the idea is to take advantage of the lower income taxes by saving as much as possible and then leaving. Don't get sucked into the luxury lifestyle trap that so many locals and expats find themselves in. Im not saying buy cheap rubbish, but stay disciplined and don't throw money away on branded goods that are far more expensive here.

Similarly, don't fall into the expat rent trap, save, don't waste money on a car when public transport and taxis are cheap and don't eat/drink in places where you see too many white faces as they are always dramatically over priced....just for suckers.

[Question]

Go to Queensway Shopping centre, plenty of shoe shops with very large sizes 13+

I thought queensway was mainly for sport shoes and not leather shoes?

I find many things are significantly cheaper in Mostafa.  Recently I bought an aftershave for $59 there that I had paid $152 for in Plaza Singapura.  I also find things like shaving gells and blades are lots cheaper than at Watson and Guardian.

You mean Mustafa right? Tried asking if they had US 13 shoes once with removable insoles once. No such luck.

[Singapoor]

Dear OP,

You are 100% correct. I always laugh when my friends visit and say they came here to shop. Even during the "Great Singapore Sale", they find the "promotion" prices much higher than prices back home. Everyone leaves here pretty p.o.'d about the shopping.

Hey retailers: Get your act together. Singapore is developing an international reputation as a terrible place to shop!

[Fakeperfume]

ecently I bought an aftershave for $59 there that I had paid $152 for in Plaza Singapura. 

[Elsewhere]

Have you been to NZ or Switzerland?  Most things are so much more expensive especially white goods, prescription glasses, clothes, leather shoes.  CDs in NZ cost S$38-$40 whereas in Singers, it would be $22-$30

Yes, accomodation is ridiculous in Singapore.  Other things are cheaper if you don't go to expat haunts or prefer imported stuff.

[Question]

NZ/Switzerland is more expensive because their standard of living is higher.

Wages in Singapore are really really low...a normal degree from a local university will get you less than $3000 at most companies. And with CPF, cost of housing and cost of everything, your spending power is very very low.

Please tell me which things are "cheaper". Besides food or asian speciality goods.

[easier said than done]

OP - totally agree I never buy here unless desperate for the goods. It's such a rip off and sizes don't fit

Then try a different size

not always possible.  I wear a size 40-41 shoe.  Try that size on in a lot of the shoe shops around here it will be too tight and even in some western chain stores which have branches here.  Try it on in Europe/Aus/US and it will fit just fine.

Trouble is - 40-41 is about as big as it gets here for a woman's foot.  So not usually possible to buy a bigger size.  I have to shop abroad for most shoes.  Can buy some sandals and sports shoes here - that's about it.


Shopping is pretty pointless here most of the time unless you're desperate.  I did an Amazon order before Christmas and even with the delivery charge it was cheaper than buying here.

Sometimes it's cheaper but not often.  A friend bought a laptop here when she was visiting and that worked out cheaper than back home, but it's usually cheaper to buy elsewhere.