Despite being a small country, Singapore has emerged as one of the fastest-growing e-commerce markets in Southeast Asia. By 2025, it is expected to grow to a market size of US$10.7 billion. A key reason for this growth is the rise of online marketplaces like Lazada, Shopee, and Amazon, which provide sellers with an expansive reach. These platforms experience incredible spikes in traffic during big sales events. For example, Black Friday witnessed a 511% increase in online sales compared to a normal day.
As an e-commerce seller, it’s important to keep track of big sales events and prepare for them. Data consistently shows that consumers begin browsing weeks before the actual sale. Hence, you need to be prepared in advance! In this article, we’ll cover the major sales events in Singapore in 2024 and key trends to look out for.
- Chinese New Year Sale
- Lazada Birthday Sale
- Hari Raya Sale
- Great Singapore Sale (GSS)
- National Day Sale
- 10.10
- Singles’ Day Sale (11.11)
- Black Friday Sale
- Cyber Monday Sale
- Christmas and New Year Sale
1. Chinese New Year Sale
The Chinese New Year Sale, also known as the Lunar New Year sale, is a big sales event across Southeast Asia. It begins around 10th February and can continue until the last few weeks of the month. This festive period significantly boosts retail activity, with e-commerce sellers seeing an average increase of 8.4% in sales. In Singapore, the search term ‘CNY promotion’ is more popular than ‘CNY sale’ or ‘CNY deal.’ This can be a crucial insight for e-commerce sellers looking to boost brand visibility during the sale.
Pro tip: Don’t wait until the very last minute to start planning your promotions. Data shows that searches for lunar new year related topics begin 8-10 weeks before the holiday season.
Trending products during the Chinese New Year Sale
- Sweet snacks and confectioneries
- Chips and crackers
- Non-alcoholic beverages
50% of consumers in Singapore shop for confections during the Lunar New Year.
With Locad’s First In First Out (FIF0) system, you can ensure that your customers receive the freshest of products!
2. Lazada Birthday Sale
The Lazada Birthday Sale is a key shopping day in SE Asia, held between March 24-27th. This big sales event offers massive discounts and exclusive product launches, attracting millions of online shoppers. Record sales have been noted during this period, with Lazada selling out 10,000 items within the first two minutes. Data also shows a 60x increase in sales and a 35x increase in traffic during this event.
Trending products during Lazada Birthday sale
- Consumer electronics
- Fashion and apparel
- Beauty and cosmetics
Make the most of the Lazada Birthday Sale with Locad!
Our integration with Lazada ensures fast fulfillment, real-time inventory updates, and smooth order processing!
3. Hari Raya Sale
Occurring between April 10-16, the Hari Raya Sale is a big sales event for Singapore’s Muslim population. The whole of SE Asia experiences a 50% boost in online sales during this season. Singapore, in particular, witnessed the highest rise in Y-o-Y sales, at a 19% mark. Muslims comprise 15% of Singapore’s demography and display strong spending tendencies during this period. The browsing for products begins 14.6 days before the actual purchase (typically during the first 2 weeks of Ramadan). It’s also important to note that there is a slight increase in sales between 05:00 – 06:00 AM, which is the Sehri period.
Trending products during the Hari Raya Sale
- Religious and ceremonial products
- Apparel and accessories
- Food and beverages
- Health and beauty products
Customers buying bundles have a higher average order value compared to those who don’t.
Maximize Hari Raya sales with Locad’s bundling service—perfect for festive collections!
4. Great Singapore Sale (GSS)
GSS is one of Singapore’s most iconic shopping events, typically held between June and August. Known for discounts across retail categories, this big sales event is a key time for e-commerce sellers to attract shoppers. The event is organized by the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). In 2022, this period witnessed an 11.2% increase in retail sales. As GSS has an offline and online presence, omnichannel experiences become important. Many consumers look at online and physical stores for the best deals.
Trending products during GSS
- Fashion and accessories
- Books
- Sports goods
Omnichannel strategies achieve 91% greater year-over-year customer retention rates.
With Locad’s B2B services, you can ship your products directly to offline stores and drive growth during the GSS!
5. National Day Sale
The National Day Sale, typically held on August 9th, is a patriotic shopping event. It’s a prime time for e-commerce businesses to leverage national pride and engage local customers. In the week leading up to National Day, e-commerce websites also host the 8.8 sale. Popular marketplaces, including Shopee, Lazada, and Amazon, offer widespread deals.
Trending products during National Day Sale
- National day merchandise
- Consumer electronics
- Fashion and apparel
6. 10.10
The 10.10 Sale in Singapore, occurring on October 10 each year, is a big sales event across Asia. As a result of exclusive deals and cashback, some platforms like Shopee and Lazada experience a 200% increase in traffic during 10.10. There are a few theories about why the 10.10 sale became so popular. The obvious one is that the date is simply easy to remember. Another theory is that the retailers use the 10.10 sale to pull holiday shopping into October from closer to the November-December period.
Trending products during 10.10
- Electronics
- Beauty products
- Furniture and homeware
7. Singles’ Day Sale (11.11)
Single’s Day, celebrated annually on November 11th, is one of the biggest global shopping events. For instance, the 11.11 sale in 2023 saw a 192% surge in online retail sales. Across Southeast Asia, the average basket size increased by 16%. But that’s not all. 11.11 also plays a key role in customer retention. Over 50% of new buyers from the 2022 Singles’ Day made more purchases from the same retailer between December 2022 and May 2023.
Fun fact: New buyers increase by 335% during 11.11 sales!
Trending products during 11.11
- Baby and toddler products
- Health and beauty
- Furniture
8. Black Friday Sale
The Black Friday Sale has become a big sales event globally, including in Singapore. In 2022, this event witnessed a 42% increase in sales across Southeast Asia.
This sale usually occurs on the fourth Friday of November and lasts 3-4 days. Retailers usually begin promotions as early as a week before. This strategy helps build anticipation and allows consumers to plan their purchases. Key factors driving purchase decisions include cashback/rebates, early access deals, and flash sales (53%). The sale of a wide range of products spikes in the market during this time.
Trending products during Black Friday Sale
- Fashion
- Electronic gadgets
- Personal care products
9. Cyber Monday Sale
The Cyber Monday Sale has become a major shopping day, particularly in the United States and increasingly in Singapore. Data shows that during the Cyber Monday sale, shopping activity increased by 40% to the annual average. In fact, 4% of all annual sales took place between November 25th to December 2nd.
Data shows that sales of a wide range of products increased during the last week of November. The average Singaporean spends US$476 during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
Trending products during Cyber Monday sale
- Fashion
- Shoes
- Travel Gear
10. Christmas & New Year Sale
The Christmas and New Year sale season is a festive peak for online shopping, as consumers are eager to purchase gifts and holiday essentials. 7/10 consumers in Singapore indulge in holiday shopping, which begins 3-4 weeks in advance. Spanning the last weeks of December through early January, these big sales offer a final chance for e-commerce sellers to capitalize on the holiday rush and clear end-of-year inventory. For example, Amazon Singapore launched 12 days of Christmas shopping coupled with Black Friday deals. About 42% of shoppers in Singapore discover gift ideas through search engines. This can be a key insight for e-commerce companies looking to increase their visibility via SEO.
Trending products during Christmas and New Year
- Electronics and phones
- Jewellery
- Wellness Products
How can efficient logistics help maximize revenue during big sales events
Big sales events like 11.11, Lazada’s Birthday, and Black Friday are peak opportunities for e-commerce sellers to reach more customers. However, to make the most of these high-traffic days, an efficient logistics solution is essential. Here’s how Locad’s logistics engine can help maximize your sales potential!
- Integration with Multiple Marketplaces: Locad is integrated with top marketplaces such as Amazon, Shopee, Shopify Lazada, and TikTok Shop, allowing you to manage orders from multiple channels in one place. It also has the facility for custom integrations with brand websites. This integration is invaluable during big sales events, where a central platform helps you manage high order volumes without the risk of overselling or delays. With Locad, you’re equipped to handle sales across platforms effortlessly, ensuring you capture every opportunity.
- Demand Forecasting for Better Stock Planning: Predicting demand is essential for avoiding overstock or stockouts during major sales. Locad’s demand forecasting feature helps you prepare stock levels accordingly. By anticipating what customers want most, you can meet demand without holding excess stock, optimizing both sales and storage costs.
- Offsetting Infrastructure Costs: Locad offers flexible warehouse solutions with differentiated storage billing based on storage type. This helps brands with varying storage needs manage costs efficiently by ensuring each inventory type is stored most cost-effectively.
- Real-Time Inventory Management: During peak sales periods, keeping track of stock is critical. Locad’s real-time inventory management system provides an updated view of your inventory levels, so you know exactly what’s available and can prevent stockouts. This feature helps you avoid missed sales and ensure that popular items are always available when customers are ready to buy.
- Custom Packaging and Gift Wrapping: Locad provides custom packaging and gift-wrapping services to enhance your brand’s unboxing experience. Whether it’s for special promotions or holiday seasons, we help ensure your products arrive looking their best, adding value and delighting customers.
- Real-Time Overview of Sales and Inventory Movements: Locad’s platform gives you a comprehensive, real-time view of sales and inventory movement across all channels. This overview is particularly useful during high-sales events when quick decisions are critical. You can track which items are selling fastest and adjust your strategies instantly.
- Account Health Monitoring for 100% SLA Maintenance: Maintaining a high seller performance rating on marketplaces is key to accessing benefits like same-day or next-day delivery. Locad monitors your account health, ensuring you meet the Service Level Agreements (SLAs) required by each platform. By consistently meeting marketplace standards, Locad helps you unlock premium delivery options that attract more customers and increase conversion rates.
- Flexible and Cost-Effective Last-Mile Delivery Options: Locad helps you choose the most cost-effective and efficient carriers for each sale. During big events, customers value flexible delivery options, such as same-day or next-day delivery. Locad’s partnerships with multiple carriers mean you can meet these preferences while saving money!
Preparing for Cross-Border Demand During Singapore’s Big Sales Events
Shopping days and sales events create an opportunity for e-commerce sellers to sell across different countries and expand their reach. Locad’s cross-border logistics solutions simplify these steps, ensuring your products reach customers quickly and efficiently. If you are looking to scale your business in new markets, look no further. We’ve got you covered!
- IOR and SOR services: Each country comes with its unique set of laws and regulations. Locad’s Importer of Record & Seller of Record services help your brand navigate through complex laws, helping you sell without registering as a local entity!
- Freight forwarding: Locad’s Freight service (via air and sea) manages every aspect of transportation, right from customs clearance to Destination handling to our Warehouse.
Locad’s Value Added Services help your brand and products get registered for selling on Local marketplaces!
Conclusion
Singapore’s e-commerce market is growing and will continue to grow at a rapid pace in the years to come. Big sales events and shopping days have played a key role in generating revenue and acquiring a large consumer base. By strategically participating in these key events and aligning with seasonal trends, sellers can boost sales!
