Singapore retail sales – excluding motor vehicles – rose by 4.1 per cent in November, according to data from Statistics Singapore. 

That was a far slower rate than the 11.5 per cent of October, however comparisons are complicated by the impact of Covid mitigation measures across multiple months. November’s sales remained below pre-Covid levels. 

October’s figures were also boosted by the launch of new model smartphones. On a seasonally adjusted basis, and excluding motor vehicle sales, retail sales rose by 2.9 per cent month on month in November. 

Online sales accounted for 19.3 per cent of the city state’s retail market, (excluding vehicles). 

Statistics Singapore attributed the higher-than-usual online share to online shopping events such as Singles’ Day and Black Friday. 

Online retail sales of computer and telecommunications equipment, furniture & household equipment and supermarkets comprised 55.6 per cent, 34.2 per cent and 16.1 per cent of the total sales of their respective sectors.