The Great Singapore Sale (GSS) 2017 kicked off on 9 June 2017. The merchants participating in this annual event includes Retailers, Malls, Hotels, Attractions and F&B Businesses. This GSS spans over 66 days in total, from 9 June to 13 August 2017.

 

What is new and different this year is the launch of a new GoSpree app to support the event. In this GoSpree app, shoppers can download eCoupons and scan QR Codes conveniently with their mobile devices to be used for redemption. In addition, there are additional exclusive rewards for members of UnionPay (official card of GSS). This newly created GoSpree app seeks to reach out to more consumers and hopefully generate better sales than last year’s GSS.

 

Browsing through GoSpree app, retailers (from pouch to piano) dominate the list. Some big retailers are listed in the ‘Shop’ section of the app. Most retailers posted a long introduction of their business with 1 to 3 GSS promotions. Perhaps most retailers are taking this opportunity to increase their brand awareness rather than driving more promotions.

 

For the ‘Dine’ section, there are only a handful of listings. This is in stark contrast to the numerous dining promotions available every day on the many popular dining apps we have here. It would have been wonderful if there is more collaboration between the various dining apps and GoSpree, to present the abundance of ongoing dining offers in Singapore, which will help to rightly portray a much bigger and exciting GSS.

 

The ‘Play’ section of the GoSpree app listed a mixture of merchants such as motor rental, spa and hotel. If GSS is targeted at overseas visitors, it will be good to include promotions at our iconic national attractions such as Zoo, Bird Parks, Museums. Tourists will be appreciative of such offers at these must-visit destinations in Singapore.

 

Perhaps the advertising of GSS event is targeting outside of Singapore, because not much ‘noise’ is seen on local media and social media platforms as yet. Nevertheless, this year’s GSS is taking a big step forward in embracing new digital technologies. Hopefully this will help to translate to better GSS sales this year.