Photo: straitstimes.com

The Great Singapore Sale (GSS) is not happening this year.
In the 26-year history of the GSS, normally held between June and August, this year will be the first time that it will not be held.
The organiser of the GSS, The Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) spoke to the Straits Times and stated that it will not organise the event this year “in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Rose Tong, SRA’s executive director remarked: “It will return next year to offer local and tourist shoppers the ‘Great Singapore Experience’, both offline and online.”
The GSS is a yearly event where discounts and promotions are traditionally offered by retailers. Last year, amid criticism that it is was no longer relevant, the GSS underwent a revamp. This included slashing the duration by half to also incorporate festivities such as film screenings, pop-up market and fashion shows.
The cancellation was not surprising given that the sale will likely not fare well even if shops are permitted to reopen after 1 June once the circuit breaker ends. The sale is timed to occur at the same period as peak travel season as well as school holidays.
No tourists are allowed in the country with the ban on short-term visitors to Singapore. Also, the school holidays were brought forward a month until May.
According to Ms Tong, retailers are finding other revenue streams and they have been signing up staff members for courses during the downtime.
Firms have been urged to utilise the schemes offered by the government which will allow retailers to go online and expand their reach overseas. This in turn will help diversify and generate new avenues for sales.
As stores reopen, consumers will likely be more cautious in their spending and for at least six month, shopper traffic will not revert to normal, she added.
Ms Tong said regarding tenants and rents: “Of utmost urgency now is for landlords to truly extend themselves and give tenants the much needed lifeline to mitigate imminent massive store closures and job losses, especially our small local retailers.” This will represent a commitment to cut rent by at least half for the future months, or to use a percentage of turnover as the base rental.
“The silence and non-commitment from landlords on rental rebates and rental reductions beyond May is worrying and spells trouble for the retail industry and the economy,” she cautioned.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

连锁企业Home-fix 将在本周末关闭最后一家店面

曾称霸新加坡众多购物中心的居家修缮连锁企业Home-fix,将在本周末关闭最后一家店面。 据《商业时报》报导,目前该公司负债约1千980万元,已被置于临时司法管理之下。尽管公司进行债务重组,但其网站仍将持续运营。 Home-Fix一直以“自己动手做家具”为名号打响名堂,但近年来因实际业务规模缩小,因此试图在网路上拓展服务和工作坊。然而,由于转型来得太晚,也随之无法跟上时代的进步。 由于电子商务平台的快速发展与邻里商店的低价商品,为民众提供了实惠方便的物品,取代了Home-Fix的价值,因此Home-Fix除了面临高昂的商场租金,还有来自其他商家的低价竞争,以及经济低靡等各项挑战,也让Home-Fix业务缩小。 Home-Fix创办人兼董事经理55岁刘章祺对债权人表示,公司的财务困境来自店面的亏损,与无法和其他电子商务商家竞争。此外,大世界城与汤申大厦也打击了Home-fix 的两处最高销售商店。 目前两家商店已关闭,而位于勘宝坊以及诺维娜广场的分店也在今年早前被收回。如今根据网上的资料显示,仅剩东凌坊购物中心分店与Tampines One购物中心购物中心分店。 然而,据《海峡时报》记者前往探访,发现东凌坊购物中心分店昨日开始已关闭店面,而Tampines One分店则剩下一些商品在货架上。 公司昨天关闭东凌坊购物中心的店面,今天将与Tampines One的业主商谈,几天后就关闭仅剩的店面。而位于大成区的办公室也基本上空无一人,到处散落纸箱。…

Cyclone Debbie to hit Queensland

Bureau of Meteorology of Australia has announced that the Cyclone Debbie carrying winds up…

Gallup Poll: If 1962 referendum was Yes-No vote, 90% would have voted against merger.

“I didn’t realise that Singaporeans voted for merger with Malaysia in 1963…

明日起,民防救援车紧急时刻可闯红灯非法U转

自明日(6月1)起,消防車、红犀牛及救护车皆享有道路豁免权,允许在必要情况下闯红灯与非法U转。 根据新加坡民防部队 (SCDF)今日发出的文告,自明日起,扩大不同种类救援车的豁免权,包括消防车、红犀牛及消防医疗车,以及时地应对紧急医疗状况、火患,以及救援行动。 民防部队指出“当危难时刻发生,这些提供协助的救援者能够尽快到达案发现场,挽救无辜的生命。” 文告也强调,相关机关在使用豁免权之际,也理应考量使用道路者的安全。 “我们的司机必须在十字路口时放缓速度并停止,只有确保道路使用者的安全后才能走。救援车辆上也需开启有警笛与闪光警戒灯提醒道路使用者。“民防部队说道。 民防部队也呼吁,道路使用者在危难时刻让路给救援车。“你也会因为让路给救援车而可能拯救不少生命。“ 根据公路交通法令,若不让路,驾驶人士可能将面临高达160元的罚款,及被记四分。