Online Shopping in Singapore: How to Buy Safely from Global Stores (2026 Guide)

Singapore shoppers buy more from overseas sellers than almost anyone, and for good reason: the range is wider than any single mall, and prices are often lower. The catch is that ordering from a store you have never used, in another country, raises fair questions. Will it arrive? What if it is the wrong size? What will it really cost in Singapore dollars? This guide answers those questions for ShoplyHub, and most of the advice holds for any international store.

Pay in Singapore dollars, and know the final price first

On ShoplyHub you can browse and pay in SGD. The price you see on a product already includes our service fee, so nothing is added to it later. Most items ship free; a few low-priced items carry a shipping fee, and when they do it is shown on the product page and again at checkout before you pay. Any tax on your order appears as its own line at checkout too. If a total ever surprises you at the payment step, stop and check the line items.

Why escrow matters when you buy from overseas

The biggest worry with an unfamiliar seller is paying for something that never comes. ShoplyHub holds your payment in escrow: the seller is paid only after you confirm the order arrived. If it does not arrive, the money has not left. When you shop anywhere online, look for this kind of protection, or at least a payment method with strong buyer protection, before you enter card details.

Delivery times to Singapore

Standard delivery to Singapore takes 10 to 15 days, with a tracking number sent when the order ships. That makes timing the one thing to plan around: for a gift or an occasion, order at least three weeks ahead.

• Chinese New Year: order new outfits in early January, before carriers slow down for the holiday.
• Hari Raya Puasa: order Raya wear early in Ramadan, not in the final week.
• Deepavali: festive kurtas and lehengas are best ordered a month ahead.
• 11.11 and 12.12: the big online sale days are also the busiest shipping weeks of the year.

Getting the size right

Sizes from overseas sellers do not always match Singapore high-street sizing. Open the size chart on the product page and compare it with a garment you already own and like, measured flat. For South Asian suits, note whether an item is stitched or "unstitched" (uncut fabric for a tailor), which has no S/M/L size at all.

What Singapore shoppers are buying

Festive and modest wear, jewellery and accessories are among the most popular categories. A few current pieces, priced live from the store:

Returns, if something is not right

You can request a return within 14 days of delivery. Items must be unworn, with tags and original packaging. Who pays return shipping is set per item and shown on the product page before you buy, so check it on anything you are unsure about. Refunds go back to your original payment method once the item is received and inspected. Full details are on our returns page.

A welcome code for Singapore

Enter SINGAPORE10 at checkout for 10% off your order. More about shopping from Singapore is on ShoplyHub Singapore.

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