After months of speculation, Amazon is finally going to launch its services in Singapore, according to a report by TechCrunch.
The tech site, which cited a source with close knowledge of the e-commerce giant’s expansion plans, said that the move could happen as soon as this week, with the launch marking Amazon’s arrival in the Southeast Asian market.
As of now, an official statement has yet to be released by Amazon. Although there have been more than a few teasers posted by popular Instagram users in Singapore showcasing the company’s trademark blue tick and the hashtag #dontsaybojio on a “delivery package” – a dead giveaway if there was any.
Check out the posts below:
Once Amazon is available in Singapore, users can look forward to using services like Amazon Prime; a paid Netflix-like subscription program, as well as Amazon Prime Now fast delivery and the usual e-commerce services.
The imminent launch is also a timely one for the US-based company. Chinese rival Alibaba has been busy ramping up its presence in the region after buying a majority stake in Lazada, which also recently acquired Singapore-based grocery company Redmart.
Whether Jack Ma’s Alibaba funds and operational experience is enough for Lazada to withstand the Amazon onslaught; that remains to be seen. But there’s no denying that there’s plenty of potential for e-commerce growth in the Southeast Asian region.
According to a frequently cited study by Google and Singapore-based fund Temasek Holdings, the e-commerce economy in Southeast Asia is expected to hit $200 billion by 2025, so there’s definitely plenty of pie up for grabs.
The real question is: who will dominate that pie? Well, we guess the only way to find out is when Amazon launches its services proper in Singapore. Stick with us for more updates.
For more information, visit www.amazon.com.
Cover image taken from Digital Trends.
