Online stores..

[tualobang]

hi Tucky,
not necessary, unless you want to open a bank account under your company name.

thanks

Hi

new to online business..may I know do I need to do registration with sg gov before opening an online store if I using ebay, blog or a website? Thanks.

[Strong Eagle]

hi Tucky,
not necessary, unless you want to open a bank account under your company name.

thanks

Hi

new to online business..may I know do I need to do registration with sg gov before opening an online store if I using ebay, blog or a website? Thanks.

This is wrong. If you are operating a business in Singapore you need to be registered (with certain exceptions). If you gain all your income outside Singapore and you pay taxes on that income outside Singapore, then this might not apply.

Otherwise, the vehicle for your retail sales (online versus a brick and mortar store) is irrelevant. You need registration and appropriate business licenses.

[dingsea]

hi Tucky,
not necessary, unless you want to open a bank account under your company name.

thanks

Hi

new to online business..may I know do I need to do registration with sg gov before opening an online store if I using ebay, blog or a website? Thanks.

This is wrong. If you are operating a business in Singapore you need to be registered (with certain exceptions). If you gain all your income outside Singapore and you pay taxes on that income outside Singapore, then this might not apply.

Otherwise, the vehicle for your retail sales (online versus a brick and mortar store) is irrelevant. You need registration and appropriate business licenses.

not exactly, actually there are many ppl selling their production in sg but none registered a company or holding the license - of couse they r part-time.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Actually you are wrong. If you are doing business here in Singapore online and especially if you are a Singaporean or PR your are required by law to register as a business (whether you do or don't is another story). If you don't register you are breaking the law. (Doesn't matter whether it's Part time or full time).

[Yanaqa]

MivaDesign is an experienced and innovative team having skills to help you create your online presence

No, your online presence is too stupid to see the 'advertisements will be deleted' message. What kind of online presence can you create when you cannot even respect this forum's advertising policy?

Moderator

[Winxkid]

A person must register a business with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) before carrying on a business in Singapore unless the activity does not come within the definition of a “business”

[Freddy]

Build a good seo job for your online store. seo is always the most important for all websites.

[fated82]

You need to do some social media optimization...Get some buzz either to recruit affiliates marketers or customers. Tap on the social media would increase your chance of success.

Btw, please limit yourself with Singapore...Sell to the States or UK...you have much better chance there.

[ksl]

Will you be up to become an affiliate and sell telecom services and products? no need to keep stock and billing is easy through the American company.

These are the same scammers, that had the other telecoms company that didn't pay out. I know a rep in Denmark. If you want a reliable one try ACN of America that's been going 7 or 8 years maybe more.

[oneglobe]

well, this company run for a few years already and they pay me all and on time!

[danialgoh]

The only business you need not register is a flea market spot. All you need to do is to pay the flea market organiser for a spot. Once you have confirmed your spot, wait for the day of the event, get there early to set up shop and wait for customers to stroll by.

Cheers...

[Strong Eagle]

The only business you need not register is a flea market spot. All you need to do is to pay the flea market organiser for a spot. Once you have confirmed your spot, wait for the day of the event, get there early to set up shop and wait for customers to stroll by.

Cheers...

Not true. Technically, you need to register a business to sell in a flea market. It is a business. From the ACRA website, a list of businesses that do not need to register:

Exempted Entities/Individuals
List of exempted entities/individuals:
1. Individuals carrying on any of the businesses specified in the First Schedule.
2. Statutory authority or other body established under any written law.
3. Institution, society or person specified in the First Schedule to the Income Tax Act.
4. Registered Society.
5. Registered co-operative society.
6. Registered mutual benefit organisation.
7. Person carrying on any business consisting solely of the exercise of any profession which under the law can be exercised only by those who posses certain prescribed qualifications and whose names are registered in the manner prescribed by the law (e.g. doctors, lawyers).
8. Charitable institutions which is exempt from tax under the Income Tax Act.
9. The Public Trustee or the Official Assignee of the property of a bankrupt.
10. A foreign company carrying on business in Singapore which is registered under the Companies Act and carries on the business under its corporate name.
11. Any other person or class of persons for the time being exempted by the Minister, by notification of the Gazette, from all provisions of this Act.
12. Any company registered under the Companies Act or any previous legislation carrying on business under a business name that consists of its corporate name.
First Schedule
Businesses specified in the First Schedule:
1. Any business of a licensed hawker who sells or exposes for sale any drink, goods, wares or merchandise of any kind whatsoever, or who offers for hire his skill in handicraft or craftsmanship.
2. Any business of a craftsman who - (a) exercises his craft on his own domestic premises; (b) does not display the products of his craftsmanship for sale in public; and (c) does not employ any person other than members of his immediate family for the purpose of his business.
3. Any business of - (a) a taxi driver; (b) a trishaw rider; (c) a sampan man plying his sampan for hire; or (d) a farmer, a fish pond keeper or a prawn pond keeper who
(i) does not employ any person other than members of his immediate family; (ii) does not own the land on which his farm or pond stands; and (iii) does not charge members of the public any fee for admission.

[danialgoh]

I am sorry but I have to disagree with the above.

First of all, have you ever seen or heard stories of flea marketeers being chased away by authorities for not registering their business? Never...
If this has been the case, those flea marketeers would have been long out of business.

As I have mentioned in my previous posts, all you need to do is to pay the flea market organiser. The one who needs to register is the flea market organiser as he is in fact, the organiser.

This is what the organiser does. In this case study, we use Shopping Mall X (SMX).

SMX owns the huge space near the entrance of its building. A budding entrepreneur, Mr Y who already has a registered business mainly flea markets, contacts SMX regarding the lease of the space at the entrance of its building. The length of the lease depends on SMX for example 1 year, 2 years? Mr Y makes an advance payment for the space. As part of formality, SMX will ask Mr Y if he has already registered with ACRA. Mr Y says yes. Ok that part of registering a business is already done and agreement has been reached with SMX. So now Mr Y owns the lease at SMX for 2 years.

To create awareness, Mr Y puts up an advertisement saying that he has a flea market spot to rent. The fees charged for a space depends on Mr Y. Mr Y will also create a list of items which you can sell and which you can't. Based on experience, a flea marketeer cannot sell food and drinks. Items like clothing, footwear, ladies accessories etc can be sold. This regulation applies to all flea market. You can sell anything except food and drinks.

As Mr Y has already registered his business, those flea marketeers who are interested in renting a spot from Mr Y need not register their business. That's what flea markets are. The spots rented out are only for a day or 2 and this is normally done on weekends.

The good thing about a spot at flea market is, you do not need to register your business. You need not declare your income. Think of it as ebay or yahoo auctions. You sell your 2nd hand items to people on the net. Do you need to register with ACRA just because you are an ebayer? The answer is no.

Another interesting point to note is, there is a flea market at Sungei Road everyday! The authorities know the activities going on there. But from 1970s till now, Sungai Road has been brisk with business. There is no organiser at Sungai Road. Its basically a huge space where foreign workers and even locals set up shop. As long as you don't sell pirated DVDs or porno materials, you should be just fine. How to get a space there? Simple. Just bring your ground sheet, arrange your items and sell.

Cheers...

[ksl]

danialgoh, I think you will find SE is correct, in fact their is one sure way to find out, and that is to ring IRS.

Ignorance is not biss, if you are eventually pulled in for questioning.

There is a clear distinction between selling your private goods and selling second hand goods. and you would have to prove that, the goods you are purchasing second hand, are not for retail. if they are, then you are conducting a business and become liable.

Even in a flea market and ebay! In fact you are welcome to enquire on ebay forums, to ask how many sellers have had their funds frozen, until they can produce reciepts, of where the items are coming from and who they are being sold to.

Although the risks of getting caught maybe high, we are discussing the legality.

Occassionally flea markets would be observed, and also online auctions, monitored for abuse and tax evaders, it would be very wise to get any form of exemption in writing, even if an officer says yes you can do it, providing you keep it within a certain amount of income.

The actuall duty of any citizen is to cover their own backsides, when it comes to the tax man and legal system, because they just do not except ignorance, or excuses that several thousand other people are doing the same. It is all on a case by case scenario.

But you can bet your bottom $ you are not allowed to sell on the street either, without a peddlers licence, or an exemption authority.

The reason nothing has yet been done in the area you mention is quite simply a sympathetic blind eye, for those that are trying to make ends meet, although you better believe it, if the tax man wants you, he will jump on you if there is significant money to get.

With tax being so low anyway in Singapore, it is understandable that a blind eye is turned, however you must not believe you are beyond the reach of the law, because you are not.

Hence apply for any dispensation or exemption from the above laws and have it in writing.

Someone must be accountable for your ignorance? Who do you think it's going to be?

What if i was to inform the Authorities that danialgoh of the Singaporeexpats forum, is telling everyone, they can go and sell at flea markets and sell online, would you be comfortable, with that!

I'm not saying you are right or wrong, what i am saying is to cover your backside, because the law states different and you are telling a great deal of people on a public forum.

[danialgoh]

People in this forum are really hard to please.

Silence is Golden.