Great Singapore Sale teams up with Lazada; says move is 'timely' amid return to Phase 2 restrictions

SINGAPORE: The Great Singapore Sale (GSS) will team up with online shopping platform Lazada this year – a move that its organisers said is “timely” amid the country’s return to stricter COVID-19 measures and a transformed retail scene.

The annual shopping affair, which started 27 years ago, will run from Jun 6 to Jul 7, said the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) on Wednesday (May 12).

The campaign went online for the first time last year amid the pandemic, with livestreaming activities and virtual workshops held over four weeks on SRA’s online platform.

With the pandemic far from over and the recent rise in Singapore's community infections prompting a return to Phase 2 restrictions, the SRA said it can tap on the online platform's expertise in helping retailers move online.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on consumer shopping habits and accelerated retailers’ urgency to expand their digital presence quickly so as to stay engaged with their consumers and develop alternative sales channels,” said SRA’s president R Dhinakaran in a press release.

“Our partnership with Lazada this GSS is timely, in light of tighter SMM (safe management measures) guidelines limiting shopper traffic to stores and malls, and a changed retail landscape,” he added.

READ: Singapore will have to tighten COVID-19 measures 'promptly' if necessary to curb spread, avoid second circuit breaker: PM Lee

The GSS this year will be a four-week affair with weekly thematic sales across different product categories, such as technology, groceries, home, baby, fashion, as well as health and beauty. It will kick off with Lazada’s monthly sale campaign on Jun 6 before ending with the platform’s other sale event on Jul 7.

Apart from promotions, there will be “shoppertainment” livestreams and games, said Lazada Singapore’s chief executive James Chang.

A key feature of the GSS this year will allow shoppers to make purchases at a retail brand’s online store on Lazada and pick them up at the brand’s physical outlet.

This feature gives customers an additional delivery option and offers retailers a "hybrid operating model" while helping them build up their online presence, said the organisers.

Retailers can benefit from Lazada’s technology infrastructure, payments gateway and delivery solutions with third-party logistics partners. This eliminates many costly barriers that retailers face when selling online, organisers added.

IN FOCUS: After COVID-19, where are the Singapore economy, workforce headed?

Commentary: A return to Phase 2 could be a momentary setback to Singapore’s economic recovery

Each retailer will have a dedicated account manager to navigate features such as flash sales and Lazada's livestreaming service LazLive.

To “incentivise” retailers, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises, those new to its LazMall marketplace for brands and authorised distributors will not have to pay commission for the first three months.

“We firmly believe that online retail is here to stay and whilst it will never overtake offline retail sales, it is an imperative sales channel," said SRA's Mr Dhinakaran. 

Lazada's Mr Chang said the platform hopes to do its part to rally the retail industry during a challenging period and equip the industry with necessary tools.

“By supporting sellers with the tools they need to move their businesses online, we’re helping them be prepared for the future – both during the pandemic and beyond,” he said.