Singapore electronics and IT hub Sim Lim Square has partnered with Shopee in its first foray on an e-commerce platform.
Sim Lim Square stores will work with Shopee to create an omnichannel retail experience, providing consumers with convenient access to a wide assortment of gadgets, electronics, and other IT peripherals both online and offline.
Billed as part of a shift towards an online-to-offline (O2O) commerce strategy, online shoppers can now browse the wide array of Sim Lim Square stores on Shopee and make purchases remotely. Shoppers can also choose to have their items delivered to their homes or any other preferred location or opt to pick up the goods from the offline retail store.
“We see tremendous opportunities in this collaboration and believe that our brick-and-mortar stores will be able to leverage Shopee’s user base, extensive operational support and other value-added services to grow their businesses through e-commerce,” said a Sim Lim Square spokesperson.
“It is essential that retailers are able to adapt to changing consumer behaviour, and we believe that an online-to-offline strategy is the key to long-term success.”
Joiny Jin, manager at VII Gamer Shop, a storage and computer peripherals store, says going online is now an integral part of business, and the partnership with Shopee can help his business establish a brand presence as a friendly and trustworthy place to buy IT goods.
“With Shopee’s reach and expertise to engage with a new segment of online customers, we can focus on the more important aspect of business: service with a smile.”
Based on a survey conducted by Shopee, more than 70 per cent of consumers are comfortable with the idea of purchasing electronic products online today, as compared to just 36 per cent five years ago. Mobile phones, earphones and laptops emerged as the most-browsed electronics products. Online reviews proved to be a key factor in supporting this trend, with 75 per cent of respondents indicating a reliance on online reviews in making their online tech purchases. According to a recent Statista e-commerce report, online spending revenue on electronics and media alone amounted to approximately US$1.023 billion this year, an 11.35 per cent increase from last year.
“Electronics is one of Shopee’s fastest growing categories, and we are constantly looking to establish stronger partnerships with leading tech brands, distributors, and malls to improve the variety of our product offerings and cater to the needs of our users,” says Zhou Junjie, chief commercial officer at Shopee. “Our partnership with Sim Lim Square stores marks our commitment to helping more offline retailers extend their reach through e-commerce.”
