Shopping in Singapore: Tips and Info not only for the expatriate community
Singapore is an excellent place for shopping and has over 250 shopping malls to visit. This site lists shopping malls and shopping areas with a map and provides a shopping directory to search for products and services by sections. It is a treasure trove for those visiting or living in Singapore!
Official opening hours are from around 9am to 10pm, but many shops especially those in Suntec City, Funan (the IT Mall) and some others do not open before around 11 am.
Late night shopping: on Orchard Road every Saturday as shopping and dining hours at participating malls are extended till 11pm.
It is very difficult to insure that information is constantly updated as the shops close down and move to other more promising locations in a matter on months.Therefore, We recommend to call the shops, verify their location and ask for direction and opening hours.
In general the service industry has a very good reputation for being efficient, friendly and very well aware of the competition. Negotiate maintenance charges and new parts with the contractor before the work is carried out and ask for a warrantee period for repairs and/or new parts.
Visit the Consumer Protection's Association' s (CASE) web site for information on fair practices in retail and services and view the list of 20 unfair practices which may affect you. Purchase the book "Fair Trading and You" (SGD 2.00) available at Popular bookstores and the CASE office. If you have a complaint about a shop see the Websites below:
Have you found the right insurance for your fine art collection? Many fine art collectors tend to put less effort in sourcing for the right insurance as compared to selecting the artworks. Very often, they will settle for a basic, low-cost home contents policy to insure their valuable collection and may not realise that such policies rarely cover the full value of their artworks.
So in the event of a loss, they may find that they receive less for the damaged item than what it is really worth.
Shopping Malls
Those malls marked with a P have a carpark and those with a B have good Nappy and Nurse facilities/Baby rooms, some in the male toilet! For area maps see below or go to Maps
Why furniture leasing is a reasonable option to moving your household goods
Shipping the furniture from origin country to Singapore, then back to origin country after the end of the assignment term can be a taxing process for the expatriates and the family. In addition, the costs involved, i.e. shipping costs, insurance, repair costs due to damage during shipment or due to wear and tear may be quite high.
Finally, other costs should be taken into account, i.e. waiting time for the shipment to arrive and costs of temporary accommodation at hotel or service apartment. Contact us for your furniture leasing needs.
Singapore Department Stores
Department Stores stock almost everything you need and even deliver your purchases to your home. Some sales assistants are excellent. Apply for customer cards to enjoy special offers and to be included on their mailing list. We have listed Singapore's department stores within the various malls.
Centerpoint + Raffles City + Scotts Shopping Center +
Clifford Center + Wheelock Place + MRT Yishun
Metro
Lucky Plaza + Paragon + Far East Plaza + Marina Square + Woodlands
Mustafa
Serangoon Plaza
Oriental Emporium
Holland Road Shopping Centre + MRT Tiong Bahru
Robinson
Centerpoint + Raffles Shopping Center
Seiyu
Parco Bugis Junction
Sogo
Raffles City Shopping Center + DBS Tampines Center
Takashimaya
Ngee Ann City
Singapore Supermarkets
Supermarkets are well stocked and supply is mainly imported from the region, the UK, Australia, Europe and the US. You will almost always find what you are used to buy in your home country but for a price. Some supermarkets have special areas targeting expatriates living nearby and we list gourmet shops with more choices in our food section.
View the location and phone number of Singapore's leading supermarkets and food chains.
Mohamed Mustafa& Samsuddin (24hrs) www.mustafa.com.sg
Mustafa Centre
320 Serangoon Road
Tel: 6 295 5855
Fixed Price Wholesale Centre
Katong Mall # B2-07
112 East Coast Road
Tel: 6 322 9244 (open till midnight)
G'Value
(low price version of Cold Storage)
Block 768 Woodlands Ave 6 #01-34
Sheng Siong
Block 301 Woodlands St. 31 and
Block 6A, woodland Centre Road
Giant Superstore
Turf City
Bukit Timah
#01-100 IMM
Giant Hypermarket
IMM Building Jurong East
Marina Square
(large selection of fruits and vegetables)
Kimisawa Supermarket
(MRT Orchard)
Shaw House
The Safe Store
#01-18 Harbourfront Centre
Tel: 6827 8500
FairPrice NTUC
#01-147 Blk 212 Bedok North Str 1
#B2-01 Bukit Timah Plaza
Marine Parade
Junction 8 #B1-01
Liberty Market Jurong Point
IOI Plaza, 210 Middle Road
Blk 5A, Woodlands Centre Road, 02-180
Blk 888 Woodlands Drive 50, 01-757
More stores: see website above
FairPrice Express (24hrs)
Exxon Mobile Station Mac Pherson
Exxon Mobile Station Bedok South
Exxon Mobile Station East Coast Road
Cold Storage
Woodlands Square, B1-22 Anchorpoint
Bugis Junction
Causeway Point
Centrepoint
Chancery Court
Changi T2
China Square Central
Compass Point
Eastwood
Great World City
Holland Village (24 hrs)
Hougang
The Village Centre
Jelita
Katong
King Albert Park
Northpoint
Novena
Parkway Parade
Peace Centre
Rail Mall
Siglap
Takashimaya
Tiong Bahru
United Square
Harbour Front Centre
In Singapore there are 206 7-Eleven stores operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except for hospital stores, which have shorter operating hours. 7-Eleven has an extensive range of service and convenience items, such as cash cards, E-Z Link cards, phone cards (for local and IDD use), parking coupons, autopass and cash cards top-up, UPS courier services, phone and utility payment services, Budget Print, computer peripherals and much more.
When you online shopping for goods at American shopping websites you may experienced that delivery to Singapore is rejected. There are three services in Singapore which help you to order online with about 50 % of American websites not accepting an overseas credit card and delivery address.
- ComGateway provide you with a domestic US shipping address to enter on the merchant's website instead. Orders will be then delivered to the US address for further shipment to Singapore. ComGateway also permits you to use a Singapore issued credit card, DBS Mastercard or POSB Mastercard, to order your goods, in case you do not have a US issued credit card. ComGateway has an agreement with DBS and the US banks to help verify the DBS Mastercard. If you do not have a DBS Mastercard or POSB Mastercard ComGateway can order on your behalf. Charges are an extra 4.5 per cent of your merchandise total.
- vPostUSA - vPostJapan
is a shipping service launched by SingPost which provides you with a US/Japanese shipping address to enter on the merchant's website instead. Orders will be then delivered to the US address for further shipment to Singapore
- vConcierge will purchase the items you want to order online on your behalf and bill you for them. The order will then be shipped to Singapore with vPostUSA or vPostJapan. .You can pay with your credit card or NETS but costs are an extra S$10 plus 2 per cent of your merchandise for this services.
Watch out for shipping cost as they may be higher than the price of the ordered item! The best deal is to order at online shops offering you to ship for free to any domestic address. Clever expats organize online shop pools from the same merchant and save this way!
Allow for about four to five working days for delivery and add another three days during busy periods such as Christmas.
Please note: due to security concerns there are a number of dangerous goods which are excluded from shipment. See below website for details.
Wet Markets in Singapore
If you do not mind the smell, the melting ice water on the floors and sometimes seeing a chicken slaughtered right under your eyes, wet markets are a shopping experience you should not miss. Get your supply of fresh vegetables,fruits, chickens, eggs, pork (special section), fish, spices or flowers for prices the locals can afford.
Info
Chinatown
Block 336 Smith Street, daily 6.30 - 9.30, closed Chinese New Year
Empress Market
Block 7, Farrer Road, daily at different times
Holland Village Market
Lorong Mambong, weekdays 8 am - 8 pm , Sat + Sun 8 am - 9 pm
Tekka Centre
Block 665 Buffalo Road , daily 6.30 am - 9.30 am
Senoko Fishing Port (Woodlands)
Central Expressway towards Woodlands, exit Woodlands Avenue 2
> Admirality Road West - starts 1.00 am
Central Singapore Amphiteatre
Blk 116 Toa Payoh Lorong 1
Tel: 6259 4116
Fairs, Bazaars and Exhibitions in Singapore
Exhibitions, fairs and garage sales are a standard feature in Singapore to buy discounted goods and services.
Until recently the many trade fairs and bazaars were the best kept secret in the expat community.
You can now subscribe to the free monthly newsletter from SingaporeFairs which informs about those events, the traders and venues and general lifestyle themes in Singapore.
Drive via the PIE, TPE and ECP. Car park is available. When you leave by taxi you need to pay a surcharge of SGD 2.00
SBS Bus Services 12, 24, 35, 38
MRT East-West line to Tanah Merah Station. Change to MRT heading to Changi Ariport. Exit at Expo Station. Short walk.
Singapore Sale
Initiated in 1993, the Great Singapore Sale is happening over eight weeks from May to July and Singaporean are known to save the whole year to get the best bargains. Discounts are about 20 - 30 % but can reach up to 70%. This year we were able to shop until midnight and - guess what- we might as well do so the whole year in future! Watch out for Singapore's special trade fairs for computer and travel when you want to buy a PC or laptop or plan your annual leave. Survival Tips for the Sale: Good shoes and a mobile phone to call a taxi to avoid queues. Avoid the weekend as Saturdays and Sundays are very crowded. Some Credit Cards offer special deals during the Sale and it is worth studying their deals as advertised in the Straits Times or send to you by mail. Many malls have special events accompanying the sale especially for children as the sale is happening during the school summer break.
Photo:enterAsiaArt
Shopping Areas in Singapore
Arab
Street
This is a great place to buy fabrics of all kinds, specially
fine silk. Many textile stores offer tailoring.
The area is
very busy during Ramadan (October, November) the fasting month.
Look out for an "Aladdin's lamp" at Art Emporium or get a custom-made
perfume or natural essential oils from Egypt
Chinatown
Dating back to 1819 this area southwest of the Singapore
River had a facelift but many shop houses still boast the
original features. There is a night market with 200 stalls
selling arts and crafts, fashion and antiques.
As everywhere
in Singapore the shopkeepers speak good English. Chinatown
is best visited when the Lunar New Year is celebrated (January
or February) but it is also full of life during the Mid-Autumn
Festival or during the Hindu festivals of Deepavali and Thimithi
(October).
In Pagoda Street Bee Cheng Hiang is most popular
for its exotic foods, whereas Si Hua in Temple Street sells
cooking utensils and even supplies hotels. The best selection
of jade and gems is at Li Hong in Smith Street and - what
a contrast - SNG Arms in Trengganu Street is the place to
go for camping and outdoor equipment and second hand military
items. Chinatown has it all, from antique shops and art galleries
to traditional pharmacies and jewelry. A must: the Singapore
Handicraft Centre at New Bridge Road (shops open around 11
am).
Dempsey Road The former army warehouses have been successfully transformed
into a number of shops selling artifacts, Chinese furniture,
teak indoor and outdoor furniture, antiques, carpets and
art galleries.
Dempsey Hill and Dempsey Hill Green (former Civil Service Club) provide a variety of food outlets, a spa, a children's entertainment center and a party venue for children and two spas.
A third lifestyle cluster called 6ix and 7even @ Dempsey, comprising 11 units for restaurants, bars and a bicycle boutique are in the planning stage. Note: some originally located furniture shops moved out of Dempsey Road.
Geylang Serai and Katong
The oldest Malay settlement in Singapore is still the centre
of Malay culture. Visit the Hari Raya Bazaar during Hari Raya
festival (Ramadan) or the wet market (under renovation at the
moment).
Typical buys are traditional Malay costumes such as
the baju kurong or the sarong kabaya. In Geylang Serai Market
you should visit Siti Nor Traditional's for traditional medicines
- jamus - such as powders made of flowers or the Joo Chiat
Complex for traditional Malay wedding accessories as gifts.
Katong is the former settlement of the Straits Chinese named
Peranakans. Their history is best reflected in their ornate
shop houses and in antique shops such as Katong Antique House,
David Antiques and Guan Antiques.
Holland Village
The trendy Holland Village is currently suffering from the construction of the MRT station and traffic is worse than ever. Parking is difficult, so you better come buy bus or taxi. alternatively you park at the HDB park houses (just follow the signs).
The ever famous Holland Shopping Center
and the Holland V Shopping Mall are catering for the large
expatriate crowd and you find everything from gift shops
to food and beauty services. Jalan Merah Saga has some very
good restaurants, gourmet shops and a popular pet shop.
Little
India MRT Little India
Bordering Kampong Glam the Indian district along Serangoon
Road and Lavender Street features some nice conserved
shop houses with their typically covered five-foot ways.
Fortune tellers, palm-readers, spice grinders and garland
makers are working here. The Tekka Centre, Haniffa Textiles
of Mustafa's (24 hrs!) sell everything for competitive
prices with silk, synthetics, jewelry, antiques and furniture
dominating the shops. Best visited at Deepavali (October/
November).
Orchard Road
Many of Singapore's over 250 malls are located on Orchard
Road, Scotts Road, Tanglin Road.
If the hot weather is too
much to bear walk from shop to shop in air- conditioned cool
underground alleys or hide there when a thunderstorm rocks
the pavement above.
Suntec City
Suntec City, Millenia Walk and Marina Square will keep you busy shopping for days. There is a Carrefour in Suntec City, a Giant Supermarket in Marina Square.
Harvey Norman's flagship store for electronic, electrical appliances and furniture in Millenia Walk. Suntec City Mall is Singapore's largest shopping and entertainment centre with 888,000 square feet divided into four thematic zones.
Initiated in 1993, the Great Singapore Sale is happening over eight weeks from May to July and Singaporean are known to save the whole year to get the best bargains. Discounts are about 20 - 30 % but can reach up to 70%. This year we were able to shop until midnight and - guess what- we might as well do so the whole year in future! Watch out for Singapore's special trade fairs for computer and travel when you want to buy a PC or laptop or plan your annual leave. Survival Tips for the Sale: Good shoes and a mobile phone to call a taxi to avoid queues. Avoid the weekend as Saturdays and Sundays are very crowded. Some Credit Cards offer special deals during the Sale and it is worth studying their deals as advertised in the Straits Times or send to you by mail. Many malls have special events accompanying the sale especially for children as the sale is happening during the school summer break.
General Shopping Info
