The Singapore Shopper’s Guide on How to Compare Prices Before Buying: Same Product, Same Unit, Same Total

Description: How to compare prices before buying in Singapore: match exact models and variants, use unit prices, add shipping, GST, installation and returns to find the total landed cost, read strikethrough and “elsewhere” claims, check price history, compare three routes and know when to stop.
Primary Keyword: how to compare prices before buying
Secondary Keywords: compare prices Singapore, price comparison tips, unit price, strikethrough price, total landed cost, price history
Website: wahliao.com
Article Type: Pillar Support Article
Parent Article: How Shopping Works | The Big Picture
Last checked: 11 October 2026

Quick Answer

Knowing how to compare prices before buying is a method, not a hunt for the smallest number on the screen.

The first rule of how to compare prices before buying: compare the same thing.
Same model, same size, same quantity, same total at your door.

Once you learn how to compare prices before buying as a system, you start to notice that the cheapest listing is often a different product, a smaller pack or a bigger final bill.

Some prices are lower because the product is older.
Some are lower because the pack is smaller.
Some are lower because shipping comes later.
Some are lower because the warranty is missing.
Some are genuinely lower.

Your job is to find the last kind.

Match the product.
Check the unit price.
Add the landed cost.
Test the “was” price.
Compare three routes.
Then stop.

The smart shopper asks: “Is this the same product, at the same quantity, with the same total cost at my door?”

1. What Comparing Prices Really Means

A price tag looks like a single fact.

It is really the front of a bundle.

Behind it sit a product, a quantity, a delivery method, a warranty, a return policy and a set of fees.

Two price tags can only be compared when the bundles behind them match.

That is why comparing prices is mostly comparing everything except the price.

Examples:
a phone at two shops, one with a local warranty and one without
a detergent at two bottle sizes and two concentrations
a sofa with delivery included and a sofa with delivery charged at checkout
an air fryer from an overseas seller, before and after GST and shipping

The number is the last thing you compare, not the first.

A price is only cheaper if the thing is the same.

2. The Simple Comparison Map

Every good price comparison passes through the same gates.

Product: is it exactly the same item?
Quantity: am I comparing the same amount?
Total: what will I pay by the time it is at my door and working?
Claim: is the “was” price or the “elsewhere” price real?
Timing: is this a high, low or normal price for this item?
Route: what do the marketplace, the official store and the physical shop each offer?
Stop: is more comparing worth my time?

Skip a gate and the comparison leaks. Most bad bargains leak at the first one.

This page stays at the moment of buying. For what a product costs you over its whole life, read Price, Value and the Real Cost of Ownership.

3. Like With Like: Match the Exact Product

The first gate is identity.

Before you compare prices, write down exactly what you are buying.

Not “a robot vacuum”.
Not “the new phone”.
The brand, the model number, the variant, the colour, the size and what is in the box.

Model numbers carry meaning.

An extra letter or digit at the end can mean a different year, a different region, a different colour or a different bundle.

Storage, memory and capacity can split one product name into several prices.

Examples:
a phone listed by name, with the storage size hidden in the variant menu
a TV with the same screen size but an older model year
a robot vacuum sold with a self-emptying dock in one listing and without it in another
a blender sold with or without the extra jug
a laptop with the same name but a different processor

Variant menus deserve attention.

On a marketplace, one listing can carry several variants, and the price you see first may belong to the cheapest one. Click the variant you want before you write the price down.

Ask:
What is the full model number?
Which variant, size and colour is this price for?
What is in the box?
Is this the current model or an older one?
Is this listing the same item as the one I am comparing it with?

Copy the model number, not the product name.

4. Region Sets, Local Sets and Parallel Imports

The same product can arrive in Singapore through different doors.

A local set is meant for sale here.
A parallel import or overseas set was meant for another market and came in through a different channel.

The two can look identical in photos and still differ in price.

The difference often sits in what the photo cannot show: warranty handling, plug type, software region, language settings and accessories.

Safety rules matter here too.

In Singapore, 33 categories of household electrical, electronic and gas appliances and accessories are Controlled Goods. They must be tested, registered and carry the SAFETY Mark before sale. Three-pin plugs are Controlled Goods with their own mark.

So a cheap listing for a controlled appliance with no SAFETY Mark is not the same product as a registered one. You can check a mark on the register at go.gov.sg/safety-mark.

Examples:
a phone sold as an “international version”
a rice cooker with a two-pin plug and an adaptor in the box
a camera with a warranty card from another country
a game console set to another region

This page does not judge whether a parallel import is worth it. It only insists that you compare it as a different product.

For phones in detail, read Buying a Phone: Official Warranty, Parallel Imports and Trade-Ins. For how warranties work, see Warranties in Singapore, and for gadgets generally, Electronics Shopping in Singapore.

Ask:
Is this a local set?
Who honours the warranty, and where?
Does it come with a Singapore plug, and does it carry the SAFETY Mark if it needs one?
Will the software, apps and language settings work here?

A different warranty route makes it a different product.

5. When the Cheapest Listing Is a Different Product

Sort any search by lowest price and watch what floats to the top.

Often it is not the product at all.

Examples:
a case or screen protector “for” the phone you searched
a refill instead of the full kit
a single unit from a listing that shows a carton in the photo
a refurbished or open-box unit
last year’s model with this year’s photos
a lookalike with a similar name
a counterfeit at a price that makes no sense

This is the “wah, so cheap” moment.

It is exactly when to slow down.

Retailers face the same rule in reverse. The price transparency guidelines from the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore treat comparing an older, lower-spec model with a newer one, without saying so, as potentially misleading.

Hold your own comparisons to the same standard.

A price far below every other seller is a signal.

Sometimes it is clearance.
Sometimes it is a pricing error.
Sometimes it is a fake.
Sometimes it is a scam.

For counterfeits, read Fake Goods in Singapore: What the Law Says. For listings that exist only to take your payment, read Shopping Scams in Singapore.

Ask:
Do the title, the photo and the variant all describe the same product?
Is it new, refurbished or used?
Why is this seller so much lower than everyone else?
Would I be happy if the cheapest version of this listing arrived?

When one price is far below the rest, find out why before you find out how to pay.

6. Unit Price: The Supermarket Skill

At the supermarket, the trap is size, not model.

Packs come in different weights, volumes and counts, and pack prices are hard to compare by eye.

The fix is the unit price: the cost of one standard unit.

Per 100g.
Per kg.
Per litre.
Per piece.
Per sheet.

The method is simple: divide the price by the quantity, then scale both options to the same unit.

For illustration, with made-up numbers: a 500g pack at $4.00 works out to 80 cents per 100g. A 750g pack at $5.40 works out to 72 cents per 100g. The bigger pack is cheaper per unit, even though its tag is higher.

If the shelf label shows a price per 100g or per kg, use it.
If it does not, work it out on your phone calculator.

Check that both labels use the same unit. One may show per 100g and the next per kg.

Bigger is not always cheaper.

A promotion on the smaller pack can flip the result, and so can a multi-buy offer on the brand next to it.

For everyday groceries and cooked food, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) runs an app called Price Kaki. It compares prices of groceries at major supermarkets and of food at hawker centres, food courts and coffee shops. In January 2026, CASE added ready-to-eat products from 7-Eleven.

Ask:
What is the price per 100g, per litre or per piece?
Are both labels using the same unit?
Will I finish the larger pack before it expires?
Is the promotion on the size I actually need?

Compare the unit price, then ask whether you will use all the units.

7. Unit Price Online: Per Wash, Per Piece, Per Use

Online, unit pricing gets harder, because the listing may not do the maths for you.

The right unit depends on how you use the product.

Examples:
detergent per wash, not per litre, because concentrations differ
tissue per sheet, after checking the ply and sheet count
nappies per piece, within the same size
coffee capsules per capsule
vitamins per daily dose, not per bottle
dishwasher tablets per tablet
cling wrap per metre

A listing may show a carton photo with a single-unit price, or the reverse.

Check the quantity field, not the picture.

Then set the online per-unit price against your usual supermarket one.
Sometimes the carton wins.
Sometimes the supermarket promotion wins.
Sometimes the difference is a few cents and not worth a cupboard full of boxes.

For nappy maths in detail, see Nappies and Baby Supplies at Singapore Supermarkets. For groceries delivered to your door, see Online Grocery Delivery in Singapore.

Ask:
What unit matches how I actually use this?
How many units are really in this listing?
Is the concentration, ply or size the same?
What is my usual supermarket unit price for the same thing?

Pick the unit that matches the use, not the unit the seller picked.

8. Bundles and Multipacks

A bundle is a price comparison in disguise.

It asks you to weigh one price against the sum of several items.

A bundle saves money only if three things are true.

You would have bought every item anyway.
The bundle costs less than buying those items separately.
You will use them all before they expire, break or go out of date.

The CCS guidelines give an illustration of a “buy one, get one” style offer where two packets were bundled at exactly the usual price of two single packets. No benefit, only the look of one.

Examples:
a phone bundled with a case and charger you would not have chosen
a three-pack of shampoo when you only like one of the scents
a console bundle with a game you already own
six bottles of sauce for a household that uses one a month

To price a bundle, unbundle it.
Find the separate price of each item you want.
Add them up.
Compare the sum with the bundle.

Give zero value to anything you would not have bought.

In a compact flat, storage space is part of the cost too.

Bulk cartons need a cupboard, and humid weather is not kind to opened snacks kept too long.

Ask:
Would I buy every item in this bundle on its own?
What do the parts I want cost separately?
Where will I store the extra?
Will I use it all in time?

A bundle is only a discount on the things you wanted.

9. Total Landed Cost: The Price at Your Door

The price you compare should be the price you finally pay to have the product at home and working.

That is the total landed cost.

Item price
+ the variant you actually want
+ shipping or delivery
+ GST, if it is not already included
+ installation or assembly
+ disposal of the old item
+ the cost of sending it back, if it goes wrong

Two listings with the same item price can land at very different totals.

And a higher item price can land lower, once delivery and installation are counted.

Examples:
a washing machine with installation included, against one with installation charged separately
an overseas gadget with free shipping but GST added at checkout
two mattresses with different delivery terms for carrying it into the bedroom
a small item whose shipping fee is bigger than the saving

Running costs over the years, such as electricity, refills and repairs, belong to a different calculation, covered in Price, Value and the Real Cost of Ownership.

Ask:
What is the final amount on the checkout screen?
Is delivery included, and to where?
Is installation included?
What happens to my old item?
What would a return cost me?

Compare totals, not tags.

10. GST and Overseas Orders

GST in Singapore is 9%, since 1 January 2024.

Local GST-registered businesses must show GST-inclusive prices to the public, on price tags, price lists, advertisements and websites, according to IRAS. So a local price tag already includes GST.

The main exception is hotels and food and beverage outlets that charge a service charge. They may instead show a clear notice that prices are subject to GST and service charge. On menus, this is often shown as ++.

Overseas orders work differently.

Since 1 January 2023, GST has applied to low-value goods, worth up to S$400, imported by air or post. GST-registered overseas vendors and electronic marketplaces collect it at checkout under the Overseas Vendor Registration regime.

For goods above S$400 imported by air or post, GST is collected at import instead, through the customs and courier process.

An overseas price shown before GST cannot be compared directly with a local tag that already includes it.

Add the GST.
Add the shipping.
Then compare.

Payment can add a layer too. The CCS guidelines expect a seller that prices in Singapore dollars but processes payment overseas to say so, because cross-border processing may bring currency conversion or other fees. Check your card’s terms for overseas transaction fees.

One safety note.
IRAS and Singapore Customs do not ask for GST payment on online purchases through SMS, email, WhatsApp or unsecured links.
A message demanding “customs GST” for your parcel through a link is a scam signal.

Ask:
Is GST included in this price, or added later?
Is the order above or below S$400?
Is the price in Singapore dollars, and is payment processed overseas?
What is the total once shipping and GST are in?

A local tag includes GST. An overseas tag may not. Compare after GST.

11. Delivery, Installation, Disposal and the Cost of Returning

Bulky items carry costs that small items do not.

Delivery to your floor, assembly, wall mounting, plumbing connections and removal of the old item can all be priced differently by different sellers.

Ask for each one in writing before you compare.

One cost you may not need to pay: when a retailer delivers a new regulated electrical or electronic product, such as a fridge, washing machine or TV, it must offer free one-for-one take-back of an old product of the same type, whatever the brand and wherever it was bought. Book it with the delivery.

Returns are part of the total too.

In Singapore, there is no general legal right to return goods because you changed your mind, online or in store. Change-of-mind returns depend on the seller’s own policy.

So a seller with a clear, free return policy is offering something extra.
A seller who charges for return shipping is offering less.
That difference has a value, even if you never use it.

Faulty goods are a separate matter. The Lemon Law gives remedies for defects, whatever the shop’s return policy says. See Your Consumer Rights: The Lemon Law, Refunds and Unfair Practices.

For delivery windows, failed deliveries and return steps, read Delivery and Returns in Singapore.

Ask:
Is delivery to my floor included?
Is installation or assembly included, and who does it?
Can the old item be taken back on the same trip?
What is the change-of-mind policy, and who pays for return shipping?

The cheapest item with the most expensive return is not the cheapest item.

12. Drip Pricing: When the Price Grows at Checkout

Drip pricing is when a low headline price is shown first and unavoidable fees appear later, often at checkout.

The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCS) addresses it in its Guidelines on Price Transparency, in force since 1 November 2020. They apply to sellers online and in store.

The guidelines expect mandatory charges, such as taxes, surcharges and service fees, to be included in the headline price. Where a fee cannot reasonably be worked out in advance, its existence should be disclosed clearly next to the headline price.

They also discourage pre-ticked add-ons, and favour designs where you choose extras yourself.

One illustration in the guidelines is a hotel room advertised at one price, with a compulsory cleaning fee added only at checkout.

Compare at the last screen before payment, not the first.

Examples:
a booking or service fee that appears on the final page
a pre-ticked protection plan
a surcharge for one payment method
a small-order fee below a minimum spend

Take a screenshot of the final total for each option.
Compare the screenshots.

This is general information, not legal advice. If you think a price was misleading, CASE can advise and mediate, and CCS administers the law.

Ask:
What is the final total before I pay?
Which fees are compulsory?
Is anything pre-ticked that I did not choose?
Was this fee shown with the headline price?

The real price is the one on the last screen.

13. Reading “Was” and “Now” Strikethrough Prices

A strikethrough price is a claim.

It says: this used to cost more.

Under the CCS guidelines, discounts and comparisons with a usual or previous price must be genuine. Good practice is that the previous price was offered openly, for a reasonable period, in the seller’s normal course of business.

A price that was never really charged, or was charged only briefly, is not a fair basis for a “was”.

One illustration in the guidelines: an item’s price was raised the day before a sale, so the advertised saving looked far bigger than the real one.

The guidelines also cover qualifiers such as “up to” and “from”, which must be accurate, and “limited period” claims, which should not run on and on.

You cannot see a seller’s records.

You can keep your own.

Examples:
a big crossed-out price on an item you have seen near the sale price for months
“up to 70% off” where most items carry a much smaller discount
“from $5” with nothing actually at $5
a “today only” price that appears again next week

The discount percentage is the least useful number on the page.

The useful number is the final price, set against other sellers today.

For how sales, vouchers and free shipping are engineered, read How Discounts Work: Sales, Vouchers, Free Shipping and Fake Savings.

Ask:
What did this actually sell for over the past few weeks?
What do other sellers charge for the same item today?
Is the discount on the variant I want?
Would I buy it at this price if there were no strikethrough?

Ignore the crossed-out number. Compare the number you pay.

14. “Elsewhere” Claims, RRP and Price-Match Promises

Some sellers compare themselves with others: our price this, elsewhere that.

Under the CCS guidelines, such comparisons must not be false or misleading. They should set goods against goods that shoppers or the trade would regard as similar or equivalent, and the seller should be able to back up the saving. Offering a refund does not replace doing that checking.

You can check too: search the exact model number at two or three other sellers.

A recommended retail price, or RRP, is another reference point.

It tells you what someone suggested the price should be.
It does not tell you what people actually pay.

Price-match promises are useful, but they come with conditions.

Examples of conditions to look for:
exact same model and variant
same condition, new rather than refurbished
local shops only, or online sellers too
in stock at the other seller at the time
excluding marketplace sellers or flash sales

Read the terms before you rely on the promise.

Ask:
Elsewhere where, and for exactly which item?
Can I see that price myself today?
Does anyone actually charge the RRP?
What are the conditions of the price match?

A comparison you did not check is just advertising.

15. “Free” Is a Price Too

The word “free” is one of the four practices the CCS guidelines cover.

A free claim must not mislead. Conditions, qualifiers and any later charges should appear clearly with it, and a seller should not raise the price or cut the quantity to pay for the free part.

Two illustrations in the guidelines: a “free” gift paid for through a higher package price, and “free shipping” that needed a minimum spend revealed only at checkout.

When comparing, treat a free item as worth only what you would have paid for it.

Free delivery matters only if the other seller charges for delivery.
A free gift matters only if you wanted it.
A free trial matters only if you remember to cancel.

Examples:
free shipping above a minimum spend
a free gift with purchase that you would never buy
free installation that covers only basic mounting
a free trial that renews into a paid plan

Compare the total with and without the free part.

Free shipping thresholds and voucher rules are explained in How Discounts Work.

Ask:
What do I have to do or spend to get the free part?
Would I have paid for it otherwise?
Is the main price higher because of it?
What happens when the free period ends?

Free is worth what you would have paid, not what the seller says it is worth.

16. Compare the Price You Will Actually Pay

Vouchers, coins, cashback and card rebates can change the final price.

They can also bend a comparison out of shape.

A few rules keep it straight:
count only discounts you are certain to get
count them on this item and this total, not on a basket you would not buy
note any minimum spend, cap or expiry date
write down the price before and after, and keep both

A voucher that needs you to spend more than you planned is not a discount on what you planned.

A rebate that arrives next month is less certain than money off today, especially if it must be claimed.

The mechanics belong to other pages: How Discounts Work for vouchers, and How Payments Change Buying for cards, PayNow and e-wallets.

Ask:
Am I certain this voucher applies to this item?
Does it need a minimum spend I would not otherwise reach?
When does the rebate arrive, and will I remember to claim it?
What is the price if the voucher fails at checkout?

Compare the price you will pay, not the price you might pay.

17. Price History and Timing

A price today is one point on a line.

Without the line, you cannot tell whether it is high, low or normal.

Prices move with sale calendars, new model launches, stock levels and paydays.

The simplest price history is your own.

Screenshot the listing, with the date showing.
Save it to a wishlist or cart and watch it.
Keep a short note of the model, the seller and the total.

After a few weeks, you will know what normal looks like for that item.

Examples:
a phone accessory that gets cheaper after a new phone launches
an older TV model cleared when the new year’s models arrive
household staples that rotate between promotions at different supermarkets
a price that rises before a big sale and drops back to its old level on sale day

The big double-date sales are a topic of their own. See 11.11 and 12.12 Sales in Singapore.

Waiting is often the cheapest tool in price comparison. Why it works is explained in The 7-Day Rule and Why Waiting Saves Money.

Ask:
What has this item cost over the past few weeks?
Is a newer model about to arrive?
Is this a sale price, or the normal price wearing a sale badge?
Can I wait without any real cost?

A price without history is a guess.

18. Compare at Least Three Routes

The same product usually reaches you through more than one route.

Check at least three before deciding.

The marketplace route: Shopee, Lazada, Amazon, TikTok Shop and others, with many sellers competing on the same item.
The official store route: the brand’s own website, or its official store inside a marketplace.
The physical store route: a mall shop, an electronics chain or a department store, where you can see, hold and test.

Each route sells a different bundle.

Some include faster delivery.
Some include easier warranty handling.
Some include installation.
Some include a try-before-you-buy that no screen can give.
Some include nothing but the box.

On a marketplace, the same item may be sold by many sellers. Compare sellers as well as prices, and note who ships it, from where, and who handles problems.

Singapore shoppers already split their routes by category. In August 2026, about 63.7% of computer and telecommunications equipment retail sales were made online, against about 12.3% for supermarkets and hypermarkets, according to the Department of Statistics.

Online is a major route for gadgets.
For groceries, most spending still happens in store.
Check the route you are least used to.

Physical shops are also a research tool. Seeing the real size of a stroller or the feel of a sofa can stop you buying the wrong cheap thing online. Big-box comparison trips have a long history here, as How Harvey Norman Made TVs and Appliances a Big-Box Comparison Trip shows.

For platform differences, read Shopee, Lazada, Amazon, TikTok Shop and Carousell Compared. For the trade-offs between routes, read Online vs In-Store Shopping.

Ask:
What is the total on a marketplace, from a seller I trust?
What is the total at the official store?
What is the total at a physical shop, including delivery?
What does each route include besides the product?

Three routes give you a real price. One route gives you a guess.

19. When to Stop Comparing

Comparing has a cost.

It costs time and attention, and sometimes the item sells out while you look.

The effort should match the stakes.

A packet of biscuits deserves a glance at the unit price.
A pair of earphones deserves three routes.
A fridge, a laptop or a sofa deserves the full method.

Stop when all of these are true:
the exact product is confirmed
you have checked three routes
you have the total landed cost for each
the remaining gap is small next to the differences in warranty, delivery and returns

At that point, the cheapest is no longer the point.

Pick the option with the best total and the terms you trust.

Endless comparing can turn into a way of not deciding, or of shopping for entertainment. That is a different system, covered in Why We Buy Things.

Ask:
How big is the remaining difference?
How much time have I already spent?
Does the dearer option include something the cheaper one does not?
Would I be happy with either of the top two?

Stop comparing when the gap is smaller than the difference in service.

20. The Singapore Layer

Singapore makes some parts of price comparison easier and some parts harder.

Easier:
local GST-registered businesses must show GST-inclusive prices, so the tag and the till should agree
the CCS Guidelines on Price Transparency set expectations for headline prices, “was” prices, “elsewhere” claims and “free”
CASE’s Price Kaki app compares grocery and hawker prices
for many households, a supermarket, a mall and a parcel locker are not far apart

Harder:
overseas orders bring GST, shipping and sometimes card fees into the total
lifts, corridors and doorways shape how bulky items are delivered and installed
payday sales, double-date sales and festive promotions keep pushing “buy now”
limited storage at home caps how much bulk buying makes sense
restaurants and hotels with ++ prices add GST and service charge after the menu price

Examples:
comparing a bag of rice per kg across FairPrice, Sheng Siong and Cold Storage
comparing a TV at an electronics chain with the brand’s official store on a marketplace
comparing an overseas gadget after 9% GST with the local set
comparing a ++ menu price with a nett price down the road

The rules give you a fair field.

The matching is still your job.

21. How to Know If a Price Comparison Is Strong

A strong comparison:
uses the exact model number and variant
compares the same quantity, or the same unit price
includes delivery, GST, installation and return costs
checks at least three routes
ignores the strikethrough and uses real prices
knows the item’s normal price
counts only discounts that are certain
stops at a sensible point

A weak comparison:
compares product names, not models
compares pack prices of different sizes
stops at the headline price
trusts the discount percentage
relies on one platform
counts vouchers that may not apply
picks the lowest price without asking why it is lowest

The strongest comparison is boring: same product, same unit, same total.

22. Practical Price Comparison Method

Use this method for anything that costs enough to matter to you.

1. Write down the exact product

Brand, model number, variant, size, colour and what is in the box.
If it is a local set, note that too.
This line is your reference for every listing that follows.

2. Choose your unit

For single products, the unit is one item.
For consumables, pick the unit that matches use: per 100g, per litre, per wash, per piece, per dose.

3. Check three routes

A marketplace seller you trust.
The official store.
A physical shop.
Confirm each listing matches your reference line before you record its price.

4. Build the total at your door

Item, delivery, GST if not included, installation, disposal of the old item and the cost of a return.
Go to the last screen before payment and screenshot it.

5. Test the claims

Ignore the strikethrough.
Check any “elsewhere” claim yourself.
Value “free” items at what you would have paid.
Count only discounts you are certain to get.

6. Check the history

Look at your notes or screenshots from earlier weeks.
If the price is high for this item, or a new model is coming, wait.

7. Decide and stop

Choose the best total with the terms you trust.
Keep the receipt, the listing screenshot and the warranty details together.
Then close the other tabs.

Final Summary

Comparing prices is not about finding the smallest number.

It is about making sure the numbers describe the same thing.

Match the model and variant.
Use the unit price for anything sold by size.
Unbundle the bundle.
Build the total landed cost, including GST, delivery, installation and returns.
Treat strikethrough, “elsewhere” and “free” as claims to test.
Know the item’s normal price.
Check three routes.
Stop when the gap is smaller than the difference in service.

The weakest comparison trusts the headline.

The strongest comparison trusts the total.

The key question is: “Same product, same unit, same total — and is this the best total I can trust?”

Simple Checklist

Before you pay, ask:

Have I written down the exact model number and variant?
Is every listing I am comparing the same product, in the same condition?
Is it a local set, and who handles the warranty?
Have I compared the unit price, not just the pack price?
Would I buy every item in this bundle on its own?
What is the total at my door, including delivery, GST, installation and returns?
Have I checked the final screen before payment for added fees?
Is the “was” price real, and have I checked the “elsewhere” claim myself?
Have I checked at least three routes and the item’s recent price history?
Is the remaining gap worth more comparing, or is it time to decide?

If the answer is unclear, pause.
Screenshot what you found.
Come back in a few days and compare again.

The right price is usually still there.

Where the Facts Come From

Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore: Guidelines on Price Transparency
Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore: displaying and quoting GST-inclusive prices
Singapore Customs: Overseas Vendor Registration regime and GST on low-value goods
Consumers Association of Singapore: Price Kaki update, January 2026
National Environment Agency: e-waste take-back by retailers
Consumer Product Safety Office: SAFETY Mark and Controlled Goods
Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry: advisory on the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act and the Lemon Law
Department of Statistics Singapore: Retail Sales Index, August 2026

Prices, rules and platform features change. We last checked this page on 11 October 2026. General information, not financial, legal or medical advice.

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