← Singapore hubs E-commerce Seller
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Vanessa is a home-based e-commerce entrepreneur juggling inventory, digital marketing, and logistics while navigating the complexities of running a small business in Singapore. This hub covers the essential national support, regulatory portals, and financial tools she relies on to keep her shop compliant and competitive.
Essential registrations and tax obligations to keep my business legal and professional.
ACRA Business Registration national · Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority
Who qualifies Any individual or entity conducting business in Singapore.
What you get Legal status to trade and open corporate bank accounts.
What it actually costs you $115 for registration, annual renewal fees apply.
Common gotcha Forgetting to renew the business name annually results in late fees.
Sole-Proprietorship Income Tax national · Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore
Who qualifies Self-employed individuals earning business income.
What you get Compliance with national tax laws.
What it actually costs you Requires detailed bookkeeping of revenue and expenses.
Common gotcha Mixing personal and business expenses makes filing a nightmare.
SME Centre Advisory national · Enterprise Singapore
Who qualifies Local SMEs looking to scale.
What you get Free business advisory and digital transformation guidance.
What it actually costs you Time for consultation sessions.
Common gotcha Many sellers don't realize these consultations are free.
PDPA Compliance for E-commerce national · Personal Data Protection Commission
Who qualifies Businesses collecting customer data.
What you get Legal framework for handling customer info.
What it actually costs you Requires implementing a privacy policy on your site.
Common gotcha Assuming small sellers are exempt from data protection laws.
IPOS Trademark Registration national · Intellectual Property Office of Singapore
Who qualifies Business owners wanting to protect their brand name/logo.
What you get Exclusive rights to use your brand in Singapore.
What it actually costs you Starts from $240 per class of goods.
Common gotcha Trademarking is not the same as business registration.
Customs Import Permit national · Singapore Customs
Who qualifies Sellers importing goods for resale.
What you get Legal clearance for imported inventory.
What it actually costs you Requires registration for a UEN and TradeNet access.
Common gotcha Not declaring GST on low-value goods correctly. Government grants that help me digitize and improve my operations.
Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) national · Enterprise Singapore
Who qualifies SMEs adopting pre-approved digital solutions.
What you get Up to 50% funding support for software/IT tools.
What it actually costs you Must purchase from pre-approved vendors.
Common gotcha Applying after the purchase is already made.
Enterprise Development Grant national · Enterprise Singapore
Who qualifies Businesses looking to upgrade or expand.
What you get Funding for third-party consultancy or pilot projects.
What it actually costs you Requires a solid business proposal.
Common gotcha Grant is reimbursement-based, not upfront cash.
SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit national · SkillsFuture Singapore
Who qualifies Employers who contribute to CPF.
What you get Offsets for training costs of employees.
What it actually costs you Requires tracking employee training hours.
Common gotcha Unused credits expire after a certain period.
Digital Resilience Bonus national · IMDA
Who qualifies Businesses adopting digital tools like PayNow or e-invoicing.
What you get Cash payouts for digital adoption.
What it actually costs you Proof of digital tool implementation.
Common gotcha Missing the deadline for the bonus payout window.
SME Micro Loan national · Enterprise Singapore
Who qualifies Small businesses needing working capital.
What you get Low-interest loans for business operations.
What it actually costs you Interest rates and repayment schedule.
Common gotcha Requires a good credit history.
Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) national · Enterprise Singapore
Who qualifies Businesses looking to export to overseas markets.
What you get Up to 50% support for overseas expansion costs.
What it actually costs you Requires a clear internationalization plan.
Common gotcha Only applies to new markets, not existing ones. Since I'm self-employed, I need to manage my own CPF and insurance.
MediSave for Self-Employed national · CPF Board
Who qualifies Self-employed persons earning >$6,000 annually.
What you get Mandatory savings for healthcare needs.
What it actually costs you Annual contribution based on net trade income.
Common gotcha Not contributing leads to penalties.
MediShield Life national · CPF Board
Who qualifies All Singapore citizens and PRs.
What you get Basic health insurance for large hospital bills.
What it actually costs you Premiums paid via MediSave.
Common gotcha Does not cover all private hospital costs fully.
CareShield Life national · Ministry of Health
Who qualifies All Singaporeans aged 30 and above.
What you get Long-term care insurance for severe disability.
What it actually costs you Annual premiums.
Common gotcha It's a mandatory scheme, not optional.
SkillsFuture Credit national · SkillsFuture Singapore
Who qualifies Singaporeans aged 25 and above.
What you get $500 initial credit for training courses.
What it actually costs you Time spent on training.
Common gotcha Credits expire if not used by specific dates.
Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA) national · Ministry of Manpower
Who qualifies Self-employed individuals choosing to insure themselves.
What you get Compensation for work-related injuries.
What it actually costs you Premium for personal insurance policy.
Common gotcha Self-employed are not automatically covered like employees.
Voluntary CPF Top-up national · CPF Board
Who qualifies Self-employed individuals.
What you get Tax relief and higher retirement savings.
What it actually costs you Cash contribution.
Common gotcha Once topped up, funds cannot be withdrawn until age 55. National platforms that help me ship items and accept payments.
PayNow for Business national · Association of Banks in Singapore
Who qualifies Registered businesses.
What you get Instant digital payments from customers.
What it actually costs you Requires a business bank account.
Common gotcha Linking UEN to the wrong bank account.
Singpass for Business national · GovTech
Who qualifies Business owners.
What you get Secure login for all government portals.
What it actually costs you Verification of identity.
Common gotcha Sharing login credentials is a security violation.
InvoiceNow national · IMDA
Who qualifies Businesses issuing invoices.
What you get Direct transmission of invoices between systems.
What it actually costs you Requires compatible accounting software.
Common gotcha Not all clients are on the network yet.
SmartPac Logistics national · Singapore Post
Who qualifies General public and small sellers.
What you get Flat-rate shipping for small parcels.
What it actually costs you Purchase of SmartPac envelopes.
Common gotcha Weight limits are strictly enforced.
CASE Consumer Dispute Resolution national · Consumers Association of Singapore
Who qualifies Sellers facing disputes with customers.
What you get Mediation services.
What it actually costs you Membership fee for CASETrust.
Common gotcha Mediation is non-binding unless both parties agree.
Corppass national · ACRA
Who qualifies Business entities.
What you get Authorization for employees to act on behalf of the business.
What it actually costs you Setup time.
Common gotcha Assigning wrong access rights to staff. 1states & territories — open one to see what it offers.
Singapore新加坡 Singapore offers a highly digitized ecosystem for e-commerce sellers, focusing on productivity grants, digital transformation support, and international market expansion.
Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) 生产力提升计划 state · Enterprise Singapore
Who qualifies Singapore-registered businesses with at least 30% local shareholding.
What you get Up to 50% funding support for pre-approved digital solutions like e-commerce platforms and inventory management systems.
What it actually costs you Requires a CorpPass login; must purchase from pre-approved vendors.
Common gotcha You must apply for the grant before signing any contract or making payment to the vendor.
Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) 企业发展补助金 state · Enterprise Singapore
Who qualifies SMEs with at least 30% local shareholding and a group annual turnover not exceeding S$100 million.
What you get Co-funding of up to 50% of qualifying project costs for upgrading, innovation, or overseas expansion.
What it actually costs you Requires a detailed project proposal and audited financial statements.
Common gotcha The project must be substantive and not part of routine business operations.
E-commerce Booster Package state · Enterprise Singapore
Who qualifies Local retailers looking to set up online stores on major e-marketplaces.
What you get Subsidies for platform fees and digital marketing costs for new e-commerce entrants.
What it actually costs you Must be a first-time user of the selected e-commerce platform.
Common gotcha Limited to specific partner platforms like Shopee, Lazada, or Amazon SG.
SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit (SFEC) state · SkillsFuture Singapore
Who qualifies Employers who have contributed at least S$750 in Skills Development Levy over a qualifying period.
What you get One-off credit of S$10,000 to cover up to 90% of out-of-pocket expenses for enterprise transformation.
What it actually costs you Automatic eligibility check; no separate application needed.
Common gotcha Credit expires after a set period; check your status on the portal.
Wage Credit Scheme (WCS) 薪金补贴计划 state · Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS)
Who qualifies Employers of Singaporean employees earning a gross monthly wage of up to S$5,000.
What you get Government co-funding of wage increases for eligible employees.
What it actually costs you Automatic payout; no application required.
Common gotcha Only applies to wage increases given to Singaporean citizens.
Corporate Income Tax Rebate state · Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS)
Who qualifies All tax-paying companies in Singapore.
What you get Percentage rebate on corporate income tax payable for the Year of Assessment.
What it actually costs you Reflected automatically in your tax assessment.
Common gotcha The rebate percentage changes annually based on the Budget announcement.
Rental Support Scheme state · Ministry of Finance
Who qualifies SMEs and non-profit organizations that are tenants of commercial properties.
What you get Cash payouts to offset rental costs during periods of economic disruption.
What it actually costs you Usually disbursed automatically to the business bank account.
Common gotcha Only applicable during specific government-declared phases.
One honest app. Real lives, real businesses. Free for what people need, paid only for what runs a business — on our own model, our own metal.
Where we run
Bangalore + Czechia
Our own metal · GDPR · DPDPA
