Amazon to Singapore Buying & Shipping Guide
(May 2014 update: Shipping charges are checked to be up to date.)
This guide is written for Singaporeans or those living in Singapore.
It should help you decide whether to buy from Amazon. I have bought items from all Amazon branches except from China, Italy and Spain branches.
For buying digital content like mp3, ebooks, etc, read Guide on buying Amazon Digital Content Outside of US.
1. Introduction
Why buy from Amazon?
1. Even after including shipping cost, some items are still cheaper than local prices. This is particularly true for books and video discs from Amazon US.
2. Their variety is huge.
3. Their customer service is excellent. They have great return and refund policies. You'll have to pay for return shipping charges though.
4. There is no GST if your package (including shipping cost) is under SGD$400. If you want to get SGD$600 worth of stuff, you should split them up into two orders, each under $400.
When is it not suitable to buy from Amazon?
1. If you need the item urgently. Shipping time varies. Shipment may get delayed at customs, post offices, etc.
2. They usually don't ship electronics to Singapore. Visit Amazon Global page to see products that ship globally.
To buy electronics, you can use services like vPost, Comgateway or Borderlinx (Citibank card users only) who act as third party forwarder to ship your items to Singapore. Amazon.com surface shipping is free for certain dollar amount so you just have to pay for the forwarder's shipping charges. I once paid $25 to vPost to ship a software package, the size of 3 CD cases, which is very expensive. For Comgateway, it's US$23 to ship a Kindle and case.
3. Generally, the more expensive the item is in Singapore, the more you'll save from Amazon. When price differences are small, it's not worth the effort and you should support local retailers instead.
2. The different Amazon branches
Let's talk specifically about each Amazon branch. The shipping charges listed below are all meant for shipments to Singapore.
(box) is a per shipment charge, (item) is per item. There can be many items in one box shipment.
Sometimes Amazon might ship items in separate shipments (at their cost). It happens when your items come from different fulfillment centres.
Also listed are the sales tax, which is only applicable to their local residence. You can deduct the sales tax from the listed price. For example, for a $100 Euro book from Amazon Germany (sales tax of 7%), you'll only need to pay $93 Euro. Shipping charges still remain the same.
Amazon.com (source)
Shipping charges and delivery times:
- AmazonGlobal Saver 17-31 days (only to Singapore and India)
Free for purchases above US$125 in value, typically for items such as books, discs, and selected items- Standard Shipping 17-31 days
Books - US4.99 (box) - US4.99 (item)
Disc - US4.99 (box) - US3.99 (item)- Expedited Shipping 12-19 days
Books - US13.99 (box) - US5.99 (item)
Disc - US13.99 (box) - US3.99 (item)- Priority Shipping 3-7 days
Books - US29.99 (box) - US5.99 (item)
Disc - US29.99 (box) - US3.99 (item)
I've had rare occasions where boxes take two months to arrive.
Generally, the more expensive a book is in Singapore, the cheaper it is in USA. It depends on currency rates of course.
Bulky or heavy items have additional surcharges. Anything more than 5 pounds (2.26kg) is considered heavy. The weight surcharges are as follows:
- Standard Shipping - US1.99/lb
- Expedited Shipping - US1.99/lb
- Priority Shipping - US2.49/lb
So if you are shipping a 5lb (2.2kg) item, that would translate to an extra US$9.95.
Amazon.co.uk (source) - (Sales tax: 16% for electronics)
Shipping charges and delivery times:
- Standard airmail 7 - 10 days
Books - UK5.49 (box) - UK2.99 (item)
Disc - UK2.09 (box) - UK1.49 (item)- Expedited Shipping 5 - 10 days
UK10.99 (box) + UK4.99 per kg- Priority Express 2-4 days
UK19.99 (box) plus
Disc - UK1.99
Books - UK2.49
Others - UK4.99 per kg
Sometimes books here are cheaper than on Amazon US. This price difference is due to exchange rates and often the book distribution agreement. Their per item shipping charge is lower.
The delivery is about 10-14 days, from my experience with Standard airmail.
Amazon.ca (source)
Shipping charges and delivery times:
- Standard 8-12 weeks
Books - CA9.99 (box) - CA5.49 (item)
Disc - CA4.99 (box) - CA2.49 (item)- Expedited 2-4 weeks
Books - CA15.99 (box) - CA8.99 (item)
Disc - CA9.99 (box) - CA3.99 (item)- Priority 3-7 days
Books - CA19.99 (box) - CA9.99 (item)
Disc - CA19.99 (box) - CA4.99 (item)
If you're not going for Priority shipping, the shipping time is very long. The per-item shipping charge is quite high.
Amazon.de (source) - (Sales tax: 7% for normal products, 16% for electronics)
Shipping charges and delivery times:
- Standard 7-9 days
Euro9 (box) and Euro4 per KG- Express 2-12 days
Euro28 (box) and Euro8 per KG
Items sold in Europe are relatively pricey. You might be able to find some electronics that can ship direct from Amazon Germany.
The delivery is about 2 weeks, from my experience with Standard shipping.
Amazon.fr (source) - (Sales tax: 5.5% for normal products, 16% for electronics)
Shipping charges and delivery times:
- Standard 12-15 days
Euro12 (box) - Euro1.50 (item)- Priority 7-14 days
Euro14 (box) - Euro6 per KG- Lightning 2-4 days
Euro28 (box) - Euro9 per KG
Again, items in Europe are pricey. In addition to box charges, standard shipping has per-item charges, and express shipping has per-KG charges.
Amazon.it (source)
Shipping charges and delivery times:
- Standard 12-15 days
Euro14 (box) + Euro5 per KG- Express 2-6 days
Euro25 (box) + Euro5 per KG
Items from Amazon Italy are also quite pricey. I've not bought here so I can't comment on the shipping time.
Amazon.es (source)
Shipping charges and delivery times:
- Standard 12-15 days
Euro14 (box) + Euro4 per KG- Express 2-6 days
Euro20 (box) + Euro9 per KG
Items from Amazon Spain are quite pricey. I've not bought here so I can't comment on the shipping time. The standard and express shipping times are the same but at different charges.
Amazon.co.jp (source) - (Sales tax: 5%)
Shipping charges and delivery times:
- International Express 2-5 business days
Per shipment - 600 yen (box)
Books - 400 yen (item)
Discs - 300 yen (item)
The only shipping option is International Express. The per shipment charge is expensive, but per item charge is relatively cheap.
Shipping is very fast. I've the shipping date confirmation on a Friday and it was here next Monday.
In general, the Japanese books in Kino are 20-30% more expensive than Amazon Japan (with per item charge but no per box added). Buying from Kino means you don't have to pay the hefty per shipment charge. Again, if you're buying a few books, Kino's price doesn't look very good already.
Amazon third party merchants
If Amazon doesn't ship the item you want overseas, try the Amazon third party merchants. Merchants who can ship overseas will indicate on their page with "international shipping available". Each merchant has their own shipping rates and time. Generally, their shipping is more expensive than Amazon.
There's no consolidation orders for different items even if bought from the same merchant. E.g. If you buy a book and a DVD from a merchant, it will be shipped out in two boxes, and hence there will be two per-box charges.
3. Examples on calculating shipping charges
I shall use Amazon US shipping rates, the Standard Shipping, for these examples. Price of the items are not included.
For an order of 1 book:
US4.99 (box) + US4.99 (item)
2 books:
US4.99 (box) + (2 x US4.99) (item)
2 discs:
US4.99 (box) + (2 x US3.99) (item)
1 book, 1 disc:
US4.99 (box) + US4.99 (book) + US3.99 (disc)
The box charge, or per shipment charge, is always there.
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Comments
Hi this is really good
Hi this is really good information. But I realise not all sellers are willing to ship to singapore. Is this true? Or do I need to contact them personally?
dreamerlim - Third party
In reply to Hi this is really good by dreamerlim (not verified)
dreamerlim -
Third party sellers have their shipping information provided. If Singapore's not on the list of countries, then the item can't ship out. Contacting them won't help.
Hey there, Tks for the great
Hey there, Tks for the great info :) as an amazon noob, i find this to be be of great help.
I tried checking out a used
I tried checking out a used book costing less than US$2 online but it seems like I was asked to update on the quantity I want to order. There's international shipping on the sellers buit how come my order cannot be executed?
Any advice?
Thanks!
@Jennifer You might have to
@Jennifer
You might have to email Amazon for direct help. Sometimes international shipping is provided but Singapore might not be on the list.
I have found Amazon Global
I have found Amazon Global Page https://www.amazon.com/International-Shipping-Direct/b at amazon.com which show that the selective catagories including books, electronics and much more items can be ship to Singapore, but I never order it, so if anybody interesting you should check this out.
Hey there i just came across
Hey there i just came across your blog on this amazon guide. Was wondering, does Singapore customs charge a fee for these items if I were to buy from US Amazon site.
@WILLpowwa There will be a 7%
@WILLpowwa
There will be a 7% GST charge if your box goes over SGD$400 in total value. Total value is items and shipping cost.
hey. do u know if they ship
hey. do u know if they ship clothes and accessories to singapore?
Most of them are sold by
Most of them are sold by third party merchants. You can check the shipping options on their individual merchant pages on Amazon.
Hi there! This is a good
Hi there! This is a good guide! I got a question to ask u.
Buying direct from amazon and use their shipping services is cheaper or shipping thru Vpost is cheaper?
I'm planning to get 2 books that cost be about US$10
Thanx for ur help~
@Jerry vPost calculate
In reply to Hi there! This is a good by Jerry (not verified)
@Jerry
vPost calculate shipping cost by the size and weight. You can use their online calculator to find out the cost. Just put Amazon box size to 1.2 to 1.5 times the size of the book, but with 10cm as the box's height.
It's important to note that Amazon might ship your books in two boxes instead of one. In this case, it might be more costly if you're going by vPost. There's no way to know in advance.
For Amazon shipping charges, it's going to be US$5 + $10 for the box and two books respectively, excluding the cost of the books themselves.
You will want to check out Book Depository which might be cheaper if you're not getting a lot of books. Their shipping charges are calculated into the book's price in advance.
@Parka Thanks for ur
@Parka
Thanks for ur wonderful feedback! That's great! Book Depository UK is in pounds or USD? I have emailed them but so far no replies yet.
Well, Amazon offers 2nd hand books @ just $2. which is rather tempting. Not sure if its worth the shipping cost.
I'm looking @ The Double Goal Coach tat cost ($1.05 +$3.99shipping) & Have a little Faith tat cost $9.50.
Sorry for asking so much bcoz this is my 1st time purchasing books online.
@Jerry You can choose the
In reply to @Parka Thanks for ur by Jerry (not verified)
@Jerry
You can choose the denomination to display on Book Depository. I think by default it's USD.
Sometimes the 2nd hand books from Amazon don't ship to Singapore. You have to check the shipping pages for the respective sellers individually to see if Singapore is on their list.
Thank you for ur help! Thank
Thank you for ur help! Thank u so much!
was wondering why no one try
was wondering why no one try to use AUD to pay for the books from booksdeposit? it's cheaper... =)
@Jerry That would have to
In reply to was wondering why no one try by Jerry (not verified)
@Jerry
That would have to depend on where the credit card was issued.
hey. for the over 400 and gst
hey. for the over 400 and gst thing. is there any way to get around it?
like perhaps declaring it as a gift or something?
You can declare it as a gift
In reply to hey. for the over 400 and gst by Anonymous (not verified)
You can declare it as a gift but the risk will be that of ascertaining the value if the package is lost/damaged.
Or you can break up the $400 worth of package into smaller packages each under $400. That's how I do it, I buy two packages of books monthly, and each package is under $400 (inclusive of shipping charges).
Hi, from Singapore here. I
Hi, from Singapore here. I recently got a handwritten note stating that someone (no name, no signing off) tried to deliver my amazon package but no one was home. The note has my name and they even contacted me at my h/p number. They are asking me to contact them at a certain number for redelivery, different from the one that called me.
I feel suspicious as all my previous amazon deliveries have been through Singpost.Is this a new arrangement?
@Kevin There are more than
In reply to Hi, from Singapore here. I by Kevin (not verified)
@Kevin
There are more than one delivery service provider in Singapore. I've mine delivered by Singpost (for small packages), DHL, Fedex and even UPS. The postman will usually leave a note asking to schedule a new time for re-delivery or collection.
Thanks Parka
In reply to @Kevin There are more than by Teoh Yi Chie
Thanks Parka
Is it safe to assume that the
Is it safe to assume that the total cost of any purchase (inclusive of shipping costs) must not exceed S$400 to avoid paying GST?
How about multiple shipments of say, S$300 each? Say if I order S$900 worth of items but split the goods into 3 shipments, but shipment is on the same day. Technically the cost is S$900, but technically, each package did not exceed S$400. In this case, can I avoid GST in this case?
@xyber Three shipments of
In reply to Is it safe to assume that the by xyber (not verified)
@xyber
Three shipments of $300 each is safe. That's what I do with my purchases, I always split them up.
Hi i hav this problem We're
Hi i hav this problem
We're sorry. This item can't be shipped to your selected destination. You may either change the shipping address or delete the item from your order by changing its quantity to 0 and clicking the update button below
i m from singapore. so do i need to contact the seller to check whether he can ship to singapore?
@kelvin You can certainly
@kelvin
You can certainly try, especially if it's from a third party merchant.
If the item isn't too heavy, you can try forwarding to vPOST's US address and have them ship to Singapore. You can calculate their charges with their online calculator.
there's this book "What every
there's this book "What every BODY is saying" i added all to the cart (i think 17books) but all cant shipped to singapore. i try amazon.com, amazon.com.uk also cant find 1 that can ship to sg. haiz...
Parka do u hav more detail guide?? dont really quite understand, dunno if i got do wrong step
@kelvin If you have ordered
In reply to there's this book "What every by kelvin (not verified)
@kelvin
If you have ordered any book from third party merchants, then your order will not go through because they normally don't ship to Singapore.
You must get it directly from Amazon. Under the price you must see the text
If you're getting anything other than books or discs (excluding software), they don't ship to Singapore.
Anyway, during one of the steps on your checkout page, they will tell you specifically which item doesn't ship to Singapore.
hi, the Item dispatched on 13
hi, the Item dispatched on 13 Dec 2009 so around when will it arrive? (amazon.co.uk)
the Delivery estimate: 23 Dec 2009
@kelvin Delays are common and
@kelvin
Delays are common and not surprising.
Hi, are there alternative
Hi, are there alternative freight forwarder that are trustworthy enough to ship items from Amazon US to Sg (for items amazon doesn't ship to Sg)? My spouse nearly lost previous merchandise from Vpost, and there wasn't any party who wanted to take the responsibility. Amazon's side shown that the items were in Sg, but Vpost claimed they didn't receive.
The only other I know of is
The only other I know of is Borderlinx and comGateway but I've not used their services before.
This is a good guide. You
This is a good guide. You might also want to consider OpenTrolley Bookstore, local bookstore. https://opentrolley.com.sg
Hi parka, I not quite
Hi parka,
I not quite understand the entire process of purchasing to delivery.
I've ordered a book from a amazon 3rd party seller. I have registered with vpost so the shipping address is vpost usa. I put the billing address as my home address. I'm using visa debit to pay for the purchase. Amazon has sent an order via email
Do I have to wait for the VAT invoice 1st, then email the invoice to vpost?
When I check out, is payment already processed by deducting from my debit card account?
Do they ship out the item to vpost usa after the payment has been processed or before?
Thks.
@Anonymous (18 Mar) Amazon
In reply to Hi parka, I not quite by Anonymous (not verified)
@Anonymous (18 Mar)
Amazon only charges when your item is shipped. Since payment is already deducted, your item is already shipped. You should also received an email from Amazon saying your item is shipped as well.
As for contacting vPost, I can't remember the exact procedures as I've not used their services for a long time. I think it's something like emailing them your invoice, in the case the purchaser name and order ID number, then pay for them (don't know when).
Parka, thks for the reply for
In reply to @Anonymous (18 Mar) Amazon by Teoh Yi Chie
Parka, thks for the reply for 18 mar 2010
I did not phrase my question properly in my last post. This post ... i think so (after re-reading) which is why i still confused.
When u made a purchase physically with credit/debit card say in a shop, u slash the card and key in your pin.
In amazon, u only enter card no. Without the pin no info, how are they going to bill to my debit card account?
You mention they bill u when item is shipped. Shouldn't they bill u when u check out.
If the item is shipped to me then i dun pay for it, wouldn't that be fraud?
If what u say is the case, then I would get billed by the postman delivering the item at my doorstep with a portable credit card machine?
vpost state that I sent them the amazon invoice once i got it in my email. Then vpost will invoice me the shipping and purchase amt. Once I have paid, then vpost usa will deliver to singapore. If i dun pay, then the purchase get stuck at vpost usa pendingly. Hmm... am i 'm getting the point right???
@goldfish Online purchases
In reply to Parka, thks for the reply for by goldfish (not verified)
@goldfish
Online purchases don't require that password pin, only the 16 digit card number and that 3 digit code on the back of the card. That is why it's dangerous to lose a credit card because anyone can then make online purchases with that card.
Again, your card is only charged after the item is shipped. But they will of course check to make sure first that your card has money in the first place.
When your item is shipped, you'll get an email from Amazon saying so. I think that's the email you should forward to vPost. Then vPost should reply you with their shipping charges. You then pay them on their website, possibly using credit card again (can't remember). So if you don't pay vPost, then your item will be stay in US waiting until you finish the payment.
Thank you so much. This is a
Thank you so much. This is a very useful tutorial. I've just bought 2 books from Amazon UK.
There is 1 question I want to ask, that is about purchasing books on Book Depository. Do you have any experience w their shipping? About how long the item will travel?
@Yaki I've never bought stuff
@Yaki
I've never bought stuff from Book Depository before.
Can electrical items buy from
Can electrical items buy from Amazon (US) be used in Singapore? I heard that the watts are different.
@Ng I don't know much about
In reply to Can electrical items buy from by Ng (not verified)
@Ng
I don't know much about electronics from US.
I have gotten a 2 vol set
I have gotten a 2 vol set book from Amazon, but they have only shipped one of the two books to my house. Did this happened to anyone else as well?
@Raymond Sometimes the books
In reply to I have gotten a 2 vol set by Raymond (not verified)
@Raymond
Sometimes the books are at different fulfillment centres and will ship separately instead of together in a box.
If they have sent you a notification saying the two books were shipped in a single shipment, you should contact Amazon. They will send you a copy of the book again.
May I know how do I check if
May I know how do I check if the books were sent in a single shipment?
@Raymond Just log into your
@Raymond
Just log into your account on Amazon and choose to view your past orders. Those that are shipped in a single shipment will be group together.
Hmm seems like the shipped it
Hmm seems like the shipped it in a single shipment. I have contacted Amazon and they allowed me to return it back to them. May I know which services I should use if I want to return it to them?
Singpost? DHL?
@Raymond You can just go to
In reply to Hmm seems like the shipped it by Raymond (not verified)
@Raymond
You can just go to Singpost. Shipping a book back to US isn't cheap - I guess it's at least SGD10+ and that's not factoring the weight of the book yet.
Why do you want to ship it back? You can just ask them to ship you the missing book, and they will cover the shipping cost.
They said that because I have
They said that because I have changed the mailing address, they could not ship in the missing book.
@Raymond Why don't you use
In reply to They said that because I have by Raymond (not verified)
@Raymond
Why don't you use the previous mailing address since you receive your book there. That will really save you a lot of money and hassle from having to return your book.
They said that such an option
They said that such an option isn't possible, and they do not have any record of my old shipping address. I have to ship the book back to them for a refund and they are willingly to pay for the shipping fees.