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scrappydoo
joined 1 year ago
It’s unusual pricing as Singapore (rather notoriously) has a high cost of living and a lot of wealthy people kicking about. Usually digital service costs are comparable to US/European prices. There are a few other online shopping options (eg Lazada and Shoppee) that could be regarded as incumbents with likely higher market share, hence my suspicion on the predatory pricing, just as you say really.
I’ve lived on both the East and West sides and have always had next-day shipping regardless, at least since 2021 anyway. There have been a few items that have taken 2-3 days - particularly recently with the holidays - but that’s been the exception, not the rule. I’ve even seen same-day shipping for a few items recently but I think that’s charged.
Prime is SGD2.99/month in Singapore (~USD2.26). For that you get free next day (sometimes same day) shipping, Prime Video, Prime Gaming, access to buy Amazon Fresh groceries, and probably other stuff I’m forgetting. Singapore also has low import duty which means access to a lot of Amazon US products which also come with Prime shipping, albeit they usually take a week or two to deliver.
It’s very obviously predatory pricing and I assume one day it’ll go through the roof like it has in the US but it’s interesting that Amazon can do this, right?
Try living in Singapore, where it now costs SGD146,000 (USD106,000) just to have the right to own a car for ten years (a Certificate of Entitlement).
To be clear, that fee doesn’t actually buy you a car, it’s simply the cost of being allowed to own a car. For ten whole years, then you need to buy another one.
“A new standard Toyota Camry Hybrid costs around S$250,000 [~USD186,500] in Singapore, which includes the cost of a COE and taxes. That is about six times more expensive than in the US.”
It’s certainly one way to encourage the public to use mass transit (which is pretty good, luckily!).
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-67014420