Last Updated on September 17, 2022 by WebsiteDesigner.sg

Group buying in Singapore is an activity where a minimum number of people agree to purchase products/services at a single time.

This usually results in a significantly discounted price for a participating individual.

Group buying limits

  • Time
    • Popular shops may have set time limits for the order to be completed because of demand and supply
  • Size

Examples of Group buy Singapore

  • There could be a limit of 30 for a popular durian shop which has a limit of 1 day.
  • A Whatsapp chat group may have limits up to around 256+ participants
  • These orders may fill up within minutes or even seconds.

How does group buying work?

Messaging Apps

In Singapore, there are many users using WhatsApp and Telegram which are popular messaging platforms.

On these platforms, you are able to create a group.

A group is a targeted channel with limited amount of users.

You may invite users to join the group by sharing the group invite links with your friends and family.

Once a user clicks on the invite link, it will bring it to the messaging platform where a user can decide whether to join the chat group or not.

Once they have joined a group, they will be able to view and reply group messages that are sent out by admins, group members which are usually daily/weekly/monthly deals.

Facebook Pages

Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms in Singapore.

There are many group buying pages where one can follow to see the latest deals available.

You are able to PM (private message) the page owner directly in the group buy posts to join in the deal.

Pros

Merchant

  • guaranteed sales volume
  • lower delivery costs since there is only 1 delivery location hence fuel cost savings and manpower savings
  • merchant can optimise their supplies such as ingredients as they can predict their orders

Buyer

  • Buy things at a cheaper rate than usual
  • Collect near their home

Host

  • Convenient home business
  • Good avenue of income

Cons

Merchant

  • Relationship with group buy host. Delivery timings are crucial for freshness of food. If the group buy host is not at home and the deliveryman has reached with the food. What’s going to happen to the food? Is the deliveryman going to leave it outside of the house?

Buyer

  • You can’t back out of the group once you have deposited your money. However, if you do manage to find a friend who is interested, they can take over your order
  • As group buy hosts are not working for particular company, there will be inconsistencies in their services. Not every group buy host will be efficient in managing crowds unless they are well trained. You might end up queuing for your order for a long time if there is no proper management

Host

  • If you value privacy, this may not be the best business for you.
  • Imagine if you have a confirmed order with a merchant. What if the merchant keeps delaying the order? You may have to face 300 angry group buyers as you are responsible for coordinating.

For Buyers

Here are some but not all group buying chat groups you may join.

Please note: we do not take any responsibility for any issues in the group buys as all interactions will be with you and the group buy host.

Community/Estate Group Buying in Singapore

Group Buy Ang Mo Kio

https://www.facebook.com/groups/212251702279597

Group Buy Sengkang

https://www.instagram.com/sengkanggroupbuy/

Group Buy Bukit Panjang

https://t.me/GroupBuyatBukitPanjang

Group Buy Bukit Batok

https://chat.whatsapp.com/CJUwZzCbW6M7TpHft3E7bt

Group Buy Choa Chu Kang

https://chat.whatsapp.com/EruKjDfwLKRG1Tn7ioSndv

Group Buy Clementi

https://chat.whatsapp.com/LquVQiGrmqw6WjIaTkvUjz

Group Buy Hougang

https://www.instagram.com/houganggroupbuy/?hl=en

Group Buy Jurong West

https://chat.whatsapp.com/KLj3KnumrpZFXHhpyZIYNC

Group Buy Serangoon

https://t.me/groupbuyserangoon

Group Buy Tampines

https://chat.whatsapp.com/IkxTMfVbG0AKMc3DWpZuqf

Group Buy Braddell View

Group Buy Toa Payoh

Coming Soon

Group Buy Woodlands

Coming Soon

For Group Hosts

Group Buying Host in Singapore

Here are some tips on how to organise a group buy in Singapore as a host

Responsibilities

  • Honour the deal
  • Collate orders
    • minimum order
    • share delivery fee
    • charge admin fee for service
    • collection at one location
  • Collect payment
  • Arrange for delivery
  • Need a physical location
  • Ensure safe distancing during collection

Potential Issues You May Face

  • What if no one comes to collect?
    • Keep contacting the person who ordered
    • Save screenshots or any records of you trying to contact the person for any disputes
    • If there is no reply for no reason and if you have tried your best, there is no reason for you to return the money
  • What if there is food poisoning?
    • Who will be responsible? The merchant? The delivery company? The group buying host?
    • This will be a tricky problem as it is food related.
  • What if someone collected a wrong order?
    • Ensure you have a detailed list of your orders e.g some orders don’t want chilli as they can’t take spicy food
  • What if someone changed their mind after the group buy has closed?
    • Ensure payment is collected up front and ensure you have locked in the order with the merchant

How to setup

  1. Physical location
    1. Use your home as a point of collection
    2. Rent a location
  2. Download and install WhatsApp or Telegram
    1. WhatsApp
    2. Telegram
  3. Setup a Group Chat
  4. Share the chat link

Tips

  • Bookmark your important messages