Market entry strategy for exports to Singapore

If Singapore is a relatively unknown market for you, you need a clear market entry strategy. This may be different from the strategies you have used so far, as the market structure and the competition is different.

Key in your market entry strategy is some market research. Of course there are reports on market size and market growth, but often these are general. Specific knowledge on how your product is perceived and what your competitions is, is harder to get but more valuable.

Market entry strategy

Oppportunities for international business in Singapore

Singapore, a city-state in Southeast Asia, is a global financial hub with a multicultural population of about 5.7 million as of 2023. It is renowned for its economic prowess, strict laws, and efficient urban planning.

With a high GDP per capita of approximately $65,000 USD in 2023, Singapore’s economy is driven by finance, trading, and manufacturing, especially in electronics and biomedical sciences. The port of Singapore is one of the busiest in the world.

What are business opportunities in Singapore?

With an import component of more than 150% of its GDP, Singaporeans use more imported than indigenous products. Singapore is a fine example of a highly regulated but favourable import market. While the Singaporean government puts out latest information supporting international businesses, trade fairs and exhibitions facilitate meaningful business to business interactions.

Singapore’s imports include machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, and consumer goods, essential for its trade-dependent economy. The Singapore market in itself may not be so big, but if you have established yourself there, it can serve as a gateway to other Southeast Asian countries and China.

TRAVEL AND TOURISM

Every year, the number of tourists are continually increasing owing to the fact that Singapore is becoming one of the most preferred travel destinations in the world. With its convenient international and domestic forms of transport, it has made tourists possible to grace the country and in turn, results to an increasing demand in services relating to tourism.

FOOD AND BEVERAGES

The culture in Singapore is quite diverse and the number of ethnic races visiting and residing within the country has only made it more complex. The preferences of these people have led to a demand for a variety of cuisines needed to satisfy the people’s palates.

THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR

The government also supports the establishments of hotels and resorts as well as small-scale business like inns, hostels, and guesthouses due to the increased number of tourists. Singapore is very open to business opportunities that will maximize the stay of tourists and will leave them satisfied or craving for more.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

With the emerging trend of IT establishments and its economic success, Singapore has grabbed the opportunity in investing in this new trade. The impressive IT skills and the abundant resource of manpower have made it conducive for IT business opportunities to grow and flourish.

TELECOM INDUSTRY SINGAPORE

Telecom Industry Singapore deals with offering and improving mobile services and technologies in Southeast Asia. They also offer internet connectivity services. With a growing demand in mobile and Internet services, any entrepreneur would be sure to make it out in this kind of business venture.

RETAIL FASHION AND STORES

The people in Singapore are very much into the fashion world making fashion a huge matter in their lives. The same reason why anyone would hit it off if they began a business venture in retail. Opening up a boutique catering to the latest fashion trends would totally be a success.

BEAUTY SALONS AND SPAS

People will always find a way to resort to places that can rejuvenate and relax their bodies and minds. With the amount of people that come in and out of Singapore, a lot of people will be sure to resort to these kinds of business establishments.

EDUCATION

Educational setups are very much welcome in the capital of entrepreneurs. Education, mostly in the form of private specialized industry courses, are a total hit with consumers which has led to education as one of the most successful business industries of today.

VAlidate the HS-codes you use for shipping

Almost every country or trade block in the world has its own detailing on the international HS-code list. With our report you strongly reduce the risk on misclassifications, delays and higher custom duties than expected. 

Tell us what you want to ship and where to and we ask you all relevant questions to get to the most likely code.

Consumer products in Singapore: Distributors, retailers or online

If you have a consumer product that you can’t sell directly from your home country to your end customer, you need at least one step in between. This can be a distributor (who also acts as wholesaler or importer), a big retailer directly, or it can be a large web shop. Let’s look at the pro’s and con’s of each option.

Distributors

  • Distributors are used to import, store and physically distribute a product.
  • They normally don’t invest in promoting your product to consumers.
  •  They are the best chance to get your product in the market so that you can gather sales data.

Large retailers

  • Retailers are very risk averse, may ask for a listing fee before  they put your product on the shelves.
  • They can help you promote your product in their stores and in their magazines, but will also ask a fee for this.
  • They are the quickest route to the mass market, if you can convince them.

Online

  • Specialised web shops may have a greater interest in your product than general web shops.
  • They can experiment more easily with pricing and ways of promoting.
  • Volumes may be lower, but working with web shops is still a good way to collect reviews and get brand awareness.

B2b or customized products for Singapore

For a B2B product that is not a commodity or for customized solutions the story is different. Here sales needs to be done in alignment with the department that actually delivers the service or that determines the price case by case. Also then you have three different options.

Agents

  • Agents represent you in the country and have a limited negotiation room.
  • They often sell not only for you, but also for other parties.
  • A good agent already has a network in your target market and can start selling directly.

Local offices

  • Local offices are a costly option, but give you full control on your sales.
  • You have to send someone over and hire local staff and office facilities.
  • This gives the opportunity to do local marketing and business development from within the country.

Distance selling

  • If you product can easily be delivered and serviced from abroad (like software) this may be a good option.
  • Video conferencing is more accepted now and can limit travel.
  • Lead generation may be done with SEO, advertising and email marketing.

Where it all starts: select a target group

As counts for any country: you first have to define the target group that you want to sell to. If these are businesses, then you can reach out directly through emails and targeted advertisements, e.g. on LinkedIn. If this arouses interest and gives a sufficient response rate, then you may have found an easy way to get the market’s attention. 

If your target group is more diffuse, or is a consumer group, then you have to rely more on advertising such as on Facebook or Instagram.

Market entry strategy for other countries