The popular Singapore-based e-commerce platform Shopee announced on 17 August 2018 that it is launching a partnership with landmark IT and electronics hub, Sim Lim Square.
Shoppers will be able to browse Sim Lim Square’s wide array of stores and purchase goods online from the comfort of their homes.
Sim Lim Square, which has been in operation since the 1980s, has gained conflicting reputations over the years.
While it is known and trusted as a centre where all expert knowledge on electronics gathers in one place, the mall has also been boycotted by wary customers who have lost faith in its more dubious shop owners.
A high profile case in 2014 put Sim Lim Square in the limelight when a mobile shop owner cheated a tourist into paying an inflated $1,500 warranty fee on top of the $950 price for an iPhone 6.
Things started looking up a little after the offender was arrested, and Sim Lim Square’s management also showed its efforts to “blacklist” or kick out any other dishonest store owners.
However, the number of visitors to the electronics mall is still not as strong now as it was in its heyday.
With this new online-to-offline strategy, Sim Lim Square steps up to refresh its offerings and services to customers after over 30 years in business.
First Official Foray Into E-Commerce
Regular customers may have known of some independent websites selling items from a few of Sim Lim Square’s stores, but this partnership with Shopee is its first official venture onto an online marketplace.
Shopee said in a press release that “more than 70% of consumers are comfortable with the idea of purchasing electronic products online today, as compared to only 36% five years ago.”
“Electronics is one of Shopee’s fastest growing categories,” says Chief Commercial Officer, Zhou Junjie.
“We are constantly looking to establish stronger partnerships with leading tech brands, distributors, and malls to improve the variety of our product offerings and cater to the needs of our users.”
Aiming to help Sim Lim Square create an “omnichannel retail experience” for customers both online and offline, Shopee says it will allow shoppers to choose to have their purchase delivered, or to pick it up from a preferred location or the retail store.
Said Manager of VII Gamer Shop, Joiny Jin, “As a Sim Lim Square store operator, we’re thrilled to be a part of this joint initiative.”
“Going online is now an integral part of the business, and this partnership can help us to establish a brand presence as a friendly and trustworthy place to get your IT goods.”
To celebrate their partnership, Sim Lim Square and Shopee will be offering special discounts, flash deals on best-selling items, and exclusive giveaways from brand partners including Acer and SonicGear, from 17 to 31 August.
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Featured Image Credit: Tim Riley / Flickr