Online retailers confident of brisk sales during GSS

Online retailers confident of brisk sales during GSS
    By Vimita Mohandas
    POSTED: 01 Jun 2013 8:15 PM

The Great Singapore Sale (GSS) runs from May 31 to July 28, and already some online retailers are gearing up to give their brick-and-mortar counterparts a run for their money.

SINGAPORE: Retail store tracyeinny in Bishan Junction 8, which started out as an online platform in 2007, expects business to be brisk during the upcoming two-month-long Great Singapore Sale.

In fact, the company expects online sales to increase by as much as 300 per cent, compared to the previous year -- and it is banking on social media.

Jeannie Pang, director of tracyeinny, said: "We use social media platforms to inform customers of the design of the products that are coming out. We do it the week before. We use Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, so there's kind of an anticipation for the product. And as per every year, we are going to have 50 per cent off storewide sales which will run for two weeks during the GSS period."

Another blogshop, Mich Sara Online Boutique, expects a 40 per cent rise in sales. It will also have storewide flash sales, voucher giveaways, as well as private sales for those on its mailing list.

Both stores said the advantage of shopping online is that it is fuss-free, without having to jostle with the crowds. Besides its prices being generally lower, shoppers can browse hundreds of designs and make their purchases with the convenience of just a click of their finger.

However, profits do not naturally come easy for online stores -- those we spoke with said some budding entrepreneurs have the misconception that e-commerce equates to easy money.

Ms Pang said: "You set up a site, you stock up your database with products, you have a good shopping cart and payment options and boom you start an online store and you think you will generate a lot of sales.

"For customers to want to go into your site, they must click it and they must want to enter and its very different from foot customers -- like when you go to a mall or cafe and you walk past a store, you like the item in that store and you walk in. But online customers, you have to get the customers to want to go to your site, to visit your site."

The Orchard Road Business Association said physical stores should offer more personalised services to maintain their competitive edge.

Steven Goh, executive director of the Orchard Road Business Association, said: "A physical shop will offer the touch and feel. I think the shop assistant could offer style services like consultancy and advise on how to match the colour, and try different kind of outfits to suit the particular image.

"I think that can be differentiated from the online shopping, which is basically me and the computer screen."

- CNA/ac

- wong chee tat :)