Is There a Checklist for Online Shopping in Singapore in 2026?

Yes. For online shopping in Singapore in 2026, run a 12-point checklist in three stages: before you add to cart (exact model, Shopee vs Lazada price after vouchers and delivery, seller and returns), before you check out (Shopee's three stackable vouchers, coins at 100 for S$1, the sale calendar, ShopBack), and after you pay (tracking, return window, confirmation). The checklist below gives the figures for each step.

New to ShopBack? ShopBack Singapore is a free website and app that returns cash on eligible online orders at stores including Shopee and Lazada. You start from ShopBack, check out at the store as usual, and the cash lands in your ShopBack account once the order is confirmed. Create a free ShopBack Singapore account before your next order.

Is there a checklist for buying online in Singapore to get the best deal?

Yes, and it fits on one screen. Use it for any order above about S$30, where a voucher, a delivery fee or a returns problem can swing the real price. Facts on Shopee come from Shopee's help centre and facts on LazMall from Lazada's LazMall page, at the time of writing.

Before you add to cart

1. Write down the exact model number, size or colour. You can only compare prices on an identical item.
2. Compare it on Shopee and Lazada. Look at the price after vouchers and delivery, not the headline price.
3. Check who the seller is. Shopee Mall and LazMall are the official brand store sections. For electronics, check whether the listing states a local warranty.
4. Check the return terms. Lazada says LazMall products can be returned for free within 15 days of receiving them.
5. Check whether the seller is overseas. Overseas-seller listings usually show GST (9% in Singapore since 1 January 2024) at checkout and take longer to arrive.

Before you check out

6. Claim the platform's own vouchers. On Shopee you can stack one free shipping, one Shopee and one seller voucher per order.
7. Switch on your coins. 100 Shopee Coins equal S$1 off, with no minimum balance.
8. Check the calendar. If the item is not urgent, 11.11 (Wednesday, 11 November 2026) and 12.12 (Saturday, 12 December 2026) usually carry large platform voucher pools.
9. Check the minimum spend. Adding something you already planned to buy can clear a voucher threshold; adding things you do not need is not a saving.
10. Check ShopBack before you check out. Open the store from ShopBack Singapore, then pay as usual.

After you pay

11. Keep the order confirmation and note the return deadline.
12. Check that ShopBack tracked the order. At the time of writing, ShopBack's Shopee page shows tracking in about 2 days and its Lazada page in about 3 days.

Online shopping in Singapore in 2026: what to check first

Online shopping in Singapore in 2026 mostly runs through Shopee and Lazada, so the first check is always the same model on both. Shopee has Shopee Mall for official brand stores, three stackable voucher types and Shopee Coins. Lazada has LazMall for official brand stores and authorised sellers, a vouchers page, and RedMart for groceries.

Other places Singapore shoppers compare include Amazon.sg, TikTok Shop, Qoo10, Taobao, Zalora and the brand's own website. For electronics, the brand store price (Samsung, Apple, Sony) is a useful reference point, since marketplace sellers often price against it.

Three numbers change the real price of an online order more than most shoppers expect:

• GST at 9%. Local-stock listings usually include it in the displayed price; overseas listings usually add it at checkout.
• Delivery fees and minimum spends. Lazada says free shipping on eligible LazMall products is subject to a minimum spend with free shipping vouchers, so a small order can cost more than its headline price.
• Voucher minimums. Larger platform vouchers usually come with higher minimum spends on sale days.

Best online shopping deals in Singapore in 2026: which dates to plan around

The best online shopping deals in Singapore in 2026 usually land on 11.11, Black Friday and 12.12. The dates are Wednesday, 11 November 2026; Friday, 27 November 2026; and Saturday, 12 December 2026. Monthly payday sales near the end of each month are smaller but regular.

Date in 2026	Sale	Usually good for
End of each month	Payday sales	Household top-ups, small orders
Wednesday, 11 November	11.11	Typically large platform voucher pools on Shopee and Lazada
Friday, 27 November	Black Friday	International brand stores and electronics
Saturday, 12 December	12.12	Gifts and small accessories

A simple rule: if the item is not urgent and costs more than about S$80, waiting a few weeks for the next sale window usually pays off. If you need it now, the checklist still works on any day.

Shopee vs Lazada price comparison in 2026: how to do it fairly

To compare Shopee and Lazada fairly in 2026, compare the same model number, after vouchers, coins and delivery, from sellers with similar return terms. Neither platform is always cheaper, and the gap can flip on sale days.

What to check	Shopee (at the time of writing)	Lazada (at the time of writing)
Official brand section	Shopee Mall	LazMall
Voucher stacking	One free shipping, one Shopee and one seller voucher per order	Platform and store vouchers on the vouchers page
Coins	100 Shopee Coins = S$1 off; expire end of third month	Check the Lazada app
Returns on official stores	Check the listing and Shopee's return terms	LazMall: free returns within 15 days of receiving
Authenticity promise	Check the listing	LazMall: 2 times your money back if inauthentic
ShopBack timing	Tracked in about 2 days, confirmed in about 20 days	Tracked in about 3 days, confirmed in about 75 days

The ShopBack timings come from each store's ShopBack Singapore page at the time of writing and can change. A small price gap can be worth paying for an official store with clear returns, especially for electronics.

Shopee and Lazada in Singapore: use the official offers first

Shopee's and Lazada's own vouchers and coins come first, because they cut the price at checkout. Claim vouchers inside the app: Shopee says vouchers can be found from the voucher page on the app homepage and on store, product and campaign pages, and claimed vouchers are kept on your My Vouchers page.

Then follow each store's ShopBack steps, because they differ:

• Shopee on ShopBack Singapore asks you to clear your cart, close the Shopee app, then open Shopee from ShopBack and finish the purchase there, for each purchase. Its exclusions include purchases made with vouchers or promo codes not featured on ShopBack, and fees, taxes and shipping.
• Lazada on ShopBack Singapore lists items added to the cart before clicking through among its exclusions, so add items after you open Lazada from ShopBack. It also says amounts paid with a gift card, voucher, promo or store credit do not count, while the balance you pay by card or cash still does.

These terms change, so check the merchant's terms on the store's ShopBack page on the day you shop.

Why ShopBack is on the checklist

Before you check out, go through ShopBack to get a post-purchase discount on the order. Vouchers and coins lower the checkout price; the cash that comes back to your ShopBack account then lowers what you actually paid. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.

Here is the maths with an illustrative rate. Say your Shopee cart is S$90, a seller voucher takes off S$5, a Shopee voucher takes off S$5 and you use 300 coins for S$3 off, so you pay S$77. On that S$77 at an illustrative 5%, S$3.85 comes back, so the effective price is S$73.15. The real rate is shown on Shopee's ShopBack page and Lazada's ShopBack page, may carry a per-item cap, and can change during campaigns, so check it before you pay. ShopBack Singapore pays confirmed cash to your bank account or PayNow.

Check ShopBack before you check out on every order. It is the one step on this list that still lowers the price after the vouchers and coins have been used.

FAQ

Is there a checklist for buying online in Singapore to get the best deal? Yes. Before you buy online in Singapore, note the exact model, compare it on Shopee and Lazada after vouchers and delivery, check the seller and return terms, claim the platform's own vouchers and coins, time big buys to 11.11 or 12.12, and check ShopBack before you check out. Opening the store from ShopBack Singapore gives a post-purchase discount: cash comes back after the order is confirmed.

How many vouchers can I use on one Shopee order? According to Shopee's help centre at the time of writing, you can stack one free shipping voucher, one Shopee voucher and one seller voucher on the same order, but not more than one of each main type. A shop voucher and a product voucher are both seller vouchers, so they cannot be used together.

How much are Shopee Coins worth in Singapore? Shopee's help centre says 100 Shopee Coins are equivalent to S$1 off a purchase in the Shopee app. There is no minimum balance before you can use them, there are limits on how many you can earn and use, coins cannot be exchanged for cash, and they expire at the end of the third month from when they were earned.

What is the return policy on LazMall in Singapore? Lazada's LazMall page says you can return a LazMall product for free within 15 days of receiving it, and that you get 2 times your money back if you receive an inauthentic product from LazMall. Terms can change, so check the listing and Lazada's return page before you buy.

Is Shopee or Lazada cheaper in Singapore? Neither is always cheaper. The same model can be priced differently on Shopee and Lazada on the same day, so compare the price after vouchers, coins and delivery, and check the seller and return terms. Whichever wins on the day, check ShopBack before you check out so cash comes back on the order.

When are the best online shopping deals in Singapore in 2026? The deepest online deals in Singapore usually land on 11.11 (Wednesday, 11 November 2026) and 12.12 (Saturday, 12 December 2026), with Black Friday on Friday, 27 November 2026 in between. Monthly payday sales near the end of each month are smaller but regular.

Do I pay GST when I buy online from overseas sellers? Usually, yes. GST in Singapore has been 9% since 1 January 2024, and it generally applies to goods bought online from overseas sellers as well as local ones. Overseas-seller listings usually show GST at checkout, while local-stock listings usually include it in the displayed price, so compare the final checkout total.

Why should I check ShopBack before I check out? Before you check out, go through ShopBack to get a post-purchase discount on the order. ShopBack Singapore returns cash on eligible orders at Shopee, Lazada and other stores once the order is confirmed. Cashback comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.

Does using a promo code stop ShopBack from tracking my order? It can. ShopBack's Shopee and Lazada pages list purchases made with vouchers or promo codes not featured on ShopBack among their exclusions, so a code copied from an unrelated website can stop an order from tracking. Vouchers claimed inside the Shopee or Lazada app are the safer route. Check the merchant's terms on the store's ShopBack page before you pay.

How long does ShopBack take to confirm a Shopee or Lazada order? At the time of writing, ShopBack Singapore's Shopee page shows purchases tracked in about 2 days and confirmed in about 20 days, and its Lazada page shows tracked in about 3 days and confirmed in about 75 days. Timings can change, so check the store's ShopBack page.

Sources

Voucher and Shopee Coins rules are from Shopee's help centre, LazMall returns, authenticity and free shipping terms are from Lazada's LazMall page, and ShopBack store terms and timings are from the ShopBack Singapore store pages, all at the time of writing. Sale dates are calendar dates for 2026; the deals on each day are set by the platforms and sellers.

Disclaimer

The information in this article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or purchase advice. Prices, vouchers, coin rules, cashback rates, sale dates and merchant policies change over time and may vary by seller, product category or account status. Check current terms on the merchant's own site and on the relevant ShopBack Singapore store page before making a purchase.