Fake Goods in Singapore – Buyer Beware

Singapore Fake Goods

Singapore is rich with color and culture, but care should be taken to avoid falling prey to fake goods often sold at shops designed to trap tourists.

Gracious Department Store

Whether you take a tour bus or walk the main shopping district, you are sure to come across Gracious Department Store. They have a large selection of perfumes, purses, t-shirts and locally made items, but many are knock-offs. A better alternative would be shopping the duty-free section of the Changi airport or shopping on Orchard Road.

Beware of Sales

Even in areas where you think are safe from fake goods and scams, like your hotel, don’t let your guard down. Be on the look out for signs that claim as much as 80% off name brand items. More often than not, these goods are imitations. While the seller claims they can offer such a low price due to a defect in the product, that’s usually not the case. Additionally, watch out for sale signs, as most of these goods have inflated prices in order to be lowered to a “sale” price. Most of the time, these same items can be found for a lower price at other stores.

Bargaining Skills

Most shopping places in Singapore expect to haggle over the price, and just as sale items have an inflated price, so do a lot of other goods.  Once you decide how much you are willing to spend, start the wheelin‘ and dealin‘ process to get the item down to a fair price.

Shopping in Singapore is a fun and exciting experience and once you know how to avoid tourist traps, you won’t have a suitcase full of fake goods to declare.

Editor’s Note: These suggestions were compiled from real travelers reviews about avoiding fake goods in Singapore.