Need an advice on setting up online business in Singapore

[Ilovebailey]

Hi all,

I'm seeking an advice on setting up an online business. My target customers will be in Singapore.
I'm holding LTSVP so I am not sure if it would be possible for someone who's not holding PR to set up this kind of business.
Please if anyone has any idea to share, it would be very appreciated.

Regards,

Ilovebailey

[sundaymorningstaple]

If you get caught you might end up in jail as it is illegal. Kidding aside (not the illegal part), you cannot operate a business here in Singapore unless you are a PR/citizen or set yourself up using the EntrePass scheme.

[ksl]

Hi all,

I'm seeking an advice on setting up an online business. My target customers will be in Singapore.
I'm holding LTSVP so I am not sure if it would be possible for someone who's not holding PR to set up this kind of business.
Please if anyone has any idea to share, it would be very appreciated.

Regards,

Ilovebailey

I don't think you would even get a .sg website either.
Better to register it in your home country then you can do it and maybe advertise in the local paper to attract attention.

Singapore everybody knows, you will starve to death, doing online business here.
Try and search for any success stories, you will only find the freebie websites do well

[jpatokal]

Actually, .sg is open to all. Only .com.sg needs proof of company registration.

But I have to agree, trying to do online sales in a country where nothing is more than half an hour away is pretty much doomed...

[maxyip84]

Actually, .sg is open to all. Only .com.sg needs proof of company registration.

But I have to agree, trying to do online sales in a country where nothing is more than half an hour away is pretty much doomed...

i had set up an online business as well in singapore last year, but the business is terrible, so closed down after that. i am totally agree with what JP said, Singapore is too SMALL and not many people are used to purchase online although Singapore is a Developed Country.

Just my 2 cents!!

[ksl]

Actually, .sg is open to all. Only .com.sg needs proof of company registration.

But I have to agree, trying to do online sales in a country where nothing is more than half an hour away is pretty much doomed...

Are you saying that a .sg website doesn't have to have residence in Singapore...I thought the registration process had to show residence connection, in Singapore to get the .sg status. Just curious to see how it works, maybe you mean the .sg is open to all in Singapore, which I agree with! But isn't open to all living outside of Singapore, which i presumed was the case.

[jpatokal]

Are you saying that a .sg website doesn't have to have residence in Singapore...I thought the registration process had to show residence connection, in Singapore to get the .sg status. Just curious to see how it works, maybe you mean the .sg is open to all in Singapore, which I agree with! But isn't open to all living outside of Singapore, which i presumed was the case.

From http://www.vooju.com/faq_domain.html

A foreign applicant may apply for a domain name in this category provided that it appoints a local agent having a valid Singapore postal address as the Administrative Contact.

But I doubt there's anything to stop you from using 1 Istana Singapore 100000 as your valid postal address, as no proof of any sort was needed for registration.

[ksl]

Are you saying that a .sg website doesn't have to have residence in Singapore...I thought the registration process had to show residence connection, in Singapore to get the .sg status. Just curious to see how it works, maybe you mean the .sg is open to all in Singapore, which I agree with! But isn't open to all living outside of Singapore, which i presumed was the case.

From http://www.vooju.com/faq_domain.html

A foreign applicant may apply for a domain name in this category provided that it appoints a local agent having a valid Singapore postal address as the Administrative Contact.

But I doubt there's anything to stop you from using 1 Istana Singapore 100000 as your valid postal address, as no proof of any sort was needed for registration.

Thanks for that information!

[mercurean]

Actually, .sg is open to all. Only .com.sg needs proof of company registration.

But I have to agree, trying to do online sales in a country where nothing is more than half an hour away is pretty much doomed...

i had set up an online business as well in singapore last year, but the business is terrible, so closed down after that. i am totally agree with what JP said, Singapore is too SMALL and not many people are used to purchase online although Singapore is a Developed Country.

Just my 2 cents!!

By virtue of online nature, your business should not be limited to Singapore market.

Having said that, your view of doing online sales where nothing is more than 1/2 hour away cannot survive is not entirely wrong.

I think online business has its appeal as long as the search cost for a product is lower online compared to 1/2 hour drive away shops.

Also products do matter too

[Strong Eagle]

Actually, .sg is open to all. Only .com.sg needs proof of company registration.

But I have to agree, trying to do online sales in a country where nothing is more than half an hour away is pretty much doomed...

i had set up an online business as well in singapore last year, but the business is terrible, so closed down after that. i am totally agree with what JP said, Singapore is too SMALL and not many people are used to purchase online although Singapore is a Developed Country.

Just my 2 cents!!

By virtue of online nature, your business should not be limited to Singapore market.

Having said that, your view of doing online sales where nothing is more than 1/2 hour away cannot survive is not entirely wrong.

I think online business has its appeal as long as the search cost for a product is lower online compared to 1/2 hour drive away shops.

Also products do matter too

TIC TOC TIC TOC

[Argus.]

While trying to sell products online may not work locally, I'm wondering if it's fair to assume online works for advertising services

That is potential customers will use search engines in the hope of finding a local service provider and then make contact by email or telephone.

Or am I mistaken

[ksl]

While trying to sell products online may not work locally, I'm wondering if it's fair to assume online works for advertising services

That is potential customers will use search engines in the hope of finding a local service provider and then make contact by email or telephone.

Or am I mistaken

I would believe you to be mistaken, and the facts should be available, by doing some online research for lets say the top 100 websites in Singapore or the top 1000 websites, I've no tried myself specifically on services, however I have viewed the top websites of singapore, the information is out there and quite easy to verify, if you understand how websites are visited and hits registered. None of the data is perfect, but there is enough data and cross checks to make an assumption of the effects of online visits.

I can tell you that many websites over estimate their popularity by millions, but you need to understand the logging data, of various sources to get any real feel of the facts...and the management applications you get for monitoring your website can be taken with a pinch of salt.

The most effective way of advertising is still the newspaper in Singapore, and out of one advert we received positive feed back of over 4000, but there was also an incentive to reply, now that is useful information for everyone in business Although more work is required more than likely for it to work for your own product or service, one needs to evaluate many variables, to get a worth while response.

Although all industry have their own little ways of advertising, think about it and think about your target audience, before you make your mind up!

[sundaymorningstaple]

Yeah, it works, but there are already at least 3 major Singapore based search engines here with another currently undergoing a major kickoff as I speak. Check out insing.com.sg, they are advertising on TV and even on the MRT trains themselves inside the carriages.

So yeah, you could try but you would have to go up against some pretty entrenched player already here on this little red dot.

[ksl]

Yeah, it works, but there are already at least 3 major Singapore based search engines here with another currently undergoing a major kickoff as I speak. Check out insing.com.sg, they are advertising on TV and even on the MRT trains themselves inside the carriages.

So yeah, you could try but you would have to go up against some pretty entrenched player already here on this little red dot.

http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/insing.com.sg that is just an example of popularity measured against my own which had dropped from 5 million to 9 million, so the idea is to climb the ladder and become the number 1.

My true unique hits are 65,000 every 3 months, with 80% from Singapore, it used to be the other way around, 95% the rest of the world, because i have a .com website, so to hit locally, i have to concentrate my advertising efforts in Singapore, it's easy done if you know how, but the main function is focus.

Businessmen here probably think i am crazy to give this information away, but i do it for a reason, firstly I don't see it has a threat, because competition is healthy, secondly, many young people may learn something, now this you cannot do with all products. think about it! For people in my industry, its about moving a product from floor level to eye level, so the more involved in the market the better for everyone, to learn and listen, everyone makes choices, and consumers wish to have facts, to be healthy and not lied to. Respect is a two way communication process that good honest businessmen and clients or consumers really want and need, it's a personal relationship of mutual understanding and trust. So PR work and branding is the fundamental relationship, one needs to look at for long term business.

[Argus.]

I would believe you to be mistaken, and the facts should be available, by doing some online research for lets say the top 100 websites in Singapore or the top 1000 websites, I've no tried myself specifically on services, however I have viewed the top websites of singapore, the information is out there and quite easy to verify, if you understand how websites are visited and hits registered. None of the data is perfect, but there is enough data and cross checks to make an assumption of the effects of online visits.

Interesting However, is it not about the quality of visits than the quantity?

For example, if I had a niche business service and a potential customer found my website on a search engine and made contact, then that would mean my website was working for me.

I suppose the good statistics would be any about the search habits of business people and consumers in Singapore. That is, do they use search engines to find professional services.