Tech-savvy customers find their FairPrice online

With its portal mobile-optimised now, shopping for groceries on-the-go has become much easier

Published Fri, Nov 21, 2014 · 09:50 PM

Singapore

THE next time you see a long queue and crowded aisles at your favourite NTUC FairPrice outlet, consider going online to Fair- Price's Web portal.

In keeping with changing buying habits in Singapore, FairPrice has ramped up the number of items that can be purchased via the Internet. It has also streamlined its delivery system.

FairPrice's image as a common man's supermarket chain and a social enterprise may not sit well with the idea of a tech-savvy organisation. Yet the company set up its online portal way back in 2002, long before e-commerce and online sales became buzzwords. It is now poised to take advantage of this early move into the Internet.

Market research shows that Singaporeans are moving online for their purchases. Data from Frost and Sullivan shows that Singapore was the largest e-commerce market in South-east Asia last year, generating revenues of US$1.7 billion. Another survey by Merger Alpha says e-commerce revenues here are predicted to hit S$4.4 billion by next year, driven by rising Internet penetration, smartphone adoption, and a growing affluent middle class. Mobile e-commerce is also taking off in Singapore, with anticipated revenues of S$3…