Amazon to Singapore Buying & Shipping Guide

Submitted by Teoh Yi Chie on

(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.

By the way...

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383 Comments

Hi,

Submitted by Nok on

Hi,
Im planning to order 4 books from amazon.jp
I want to ask if I could actually request to collect these books personally at singpost?

Great blog. Very informative.

Submitted by Jo313 on

Great blog. Very informative.
I am planning to buy hard drive from Amazon and send it to VPOST before deliver it to Singapore. Just wondering, is shipping hard drive to Singapore considered prohibited item, because there is magnet inside hard drive (correct me if i m wrong). i ve tried to enquire from VPOST & Borderlinx, and no reply so far. Please help.
Thanks

@Jo313

Submitted by Teoh Yi Chie on

@Jo313
Hard drive should not be a problem. I bought a SSD once. Actually, I think hard drive prices in Sim Lim Square is quite competitive. I don't remember saving much from my SSD purchase.

Hi, i'm from SG, i intend to

Submitted by Summer on

Hi, i'm from SG, i intend to get some Cirque du Soleil dvds from amazon by using comgateway cos seems like cannot ship to Singapore directly, but not sure the procedure cos first time making online purchase. The comgateway stated, will inform me once my goods arrived at my US add by email. So what will happen next ? since that is a fake address....
Which option will be better n secure? Pay to amazon by myself or "buyforme" option ?

Anyone there can help ?

Thanks

@Summer

Submitted by Teoh Yi Chie on

@Summer
Discs if sold by Amazon directly (not third party merchants) typically ship to Singapore without problems.

If you're using Comgateway, they will email you after they receive your item. Then you pay, and they mail it to Singapore after that.

Hey, i found this desktop i

Submitted by Anonymous on

Hey, i found this desktop i like at amazon.com . i'm still confuse do i need to pay the exact us price or pay as stated. And is it posible to import a desktop? And which amazon is the cheapest to buy from

On the order confirmation

Submitted by Teoh Yi Chie on

On the order confirmation page, it will show you the total price.

Remember that any amount above sgd$400, there's going to be GST to be collected by the postman. The desktop sounds heavy, shipping cost is likely going to be high.

If you do buy it, let me know how much it cost to ship that. Just curious.

Hi Parka,

Submitted by summer on

Hi Parka,

thanks for your reply. i have another question. Just browsed Media Development Authority (MDA) Singapore website, stated films/cinema/video/laser discs are under control item. Some Cirque du Soleil dvds and CDs can be found in HMV SG but some are not available in Singapore. Not sure if Cirque du Soleil DVDs and CDs are consider as control item. Will it be stuck at Singapore custom? will it be any problem shipping to Singapore ???

Thanks again!

@Hidayah

Submitted by Teoh Yi Chie on

@Hidayah
Books are usually shipped directly by Amazon unless otherwise stated. You should use your own address unless you're using a third party mail forwarder.

Import fees (GST) only apply if the total package including shipping cost exceeds $400. Amazon will collect the GST on your behalf.

@kktan

Submitted by Teoh Yi Chie on

@kktan
If they can ship batteries, then it should be no problem.

By the way, you might be able to find your batteries on eBay also. I'm saying that because it might be cheaper.

Several ppl commented

Submitted by kktan on

Several ppl commented batteries are 'prohibited'...any idea in what sense? If it's only related to Amazon then probably it's ok....but if it's a general problem getting batteries thru customs then it's a high risk, right? Btw, any tax on batteries?

ive read through all your

Submitted by L. on

ive read through all your comment replies and would like to sum up what i understand (correct me if im wrong) before i raise my question.
for dvd purchases, they generally will not be checked. if checked and disapproved, would be confiscated. dvd purchases directly from amazon can be shipped directly to singapore.

so here are my doubts: does indicating the purchased item as a gift likely lead to an increase or decrease in chances of being checked by the mda? if the dvd (direct from amazon) is not approved, does it just get returned to amazon? if so, with or without a refund? am asking because i intend to get a set of dvds for a friend, and the contents of which will probably be classified as m18/r21, though not explicit. (the L word, to be specific) please advise, it is very appreciated!

@L

Submitted by Teoh Yi Chie on

@L
It really is all about luck.
I'm not sure if they will return to Amazon when spotted but most likely not because they aren't going to pay the shipping for sure.

I am contemplating about

Submitted by sea on

I am contemplating about purchasing a camera from Amazon. It is USD379. The total will be slightly over S$400 (S$473) in total. However, if i purchase it directly from Amazon, and ship it to comgateway, will comgateway/SG custom be so meticulous to check exactly how much is the item? And your opinion, vpost, borderlinx and comgateway, which one you would recommend?

For your info.. Base on my

Submitted by Mnl on

For your info.. Base on my many experience buying from amazon, no confirmation whatsoever from your side is ever needed whn you use their site. No pin number no cc number no nothing. In other word amazon has got total trust from the bank. Which is pretty scary to me. But that site is too lovely for me to turn away..

Amazon to a free US ..You

Submitted by Erni on

Amazon to a free US ..You can use Webskyme.com .It is the easiest and most inexpensive way to shop online and consolidated into one shipment .You can ship from amazon 10 packages and they combine it.

Hi, found couple of DVDs on

Submitted by Ced on

Hi, found couple of DVDs on amazon which are no longer stocked in Singapore. But when i checked out, there is a message that the item does not ship to your location. Any idea why and how to go about?

Thanks for this really

Submitted by Daryl on

Thanks for this really informative post!

I've been thinking about building a new com and shipping parts in from US stores into Singapore to take advantage of Black Friday sales that's coming up in a couple of months. Which would you recommend I use? Comgateway, vPost, or Borderlinx?

The makeup of parts and online retailers are as follows:

https://pcpartpicker.com/p/lBWb

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/p/lBWb
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/p/lBWb/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: https://pcpartpicker.com/p/lBWb/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($169.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($26.82 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($127.86 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($40.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Mushkin Chronos 480GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($299.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($396.42 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Rosewill Capstone 750W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($105.07 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Razer RZ03-00390100-R3U1 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($69.99 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Razer RZ01-00280500-R3M1 Wired Laser Mouse ($67.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1305.12
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

Nowadays I only use

Submitted by Teoh Yi Chie on

Nowadays I only use Comgateway so I don't really know the other services well.

I think electronic prices are quite competitive in Singapore too.

For packages above SGD$400, they are subjected to GST which will be collected by the courier.

Hie,

Submitted by Red on

Hie,
Im still wondering how much will the shipment be if my item is at 47lbs.
the item itself only cost 100usd but i am afraid the shipment cost might be overwhelming.
any ideas of how much the shipment might be?

I have used Borderlinx in the

Submitted by yes on

I have used Borderlinx in the past but they are very expensive ,I use Webskyme currently because they send me a photo confirmation email with a picture of my delivery within minutes of it being delivered and there shippiung rates are resonible as opposed to the other company

Dear Parka,

Submitted by Christine on

Dear Parka,

I ordered a total of 3 books from Amazon US and my estimated delivery date is 30 Nov.
However, I will be away.
Will DHL deliver the books to my doorstep and require a signature?
If I miss the delivery from DHL, will they re-deliver only after I contact them?

Thanks.

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