A Singapore brand that sells in two places at once, on its own Shopify store and on a marketplace, gets two quite different orders from the same product. One carries the cost of winning the customer through ads; the other carries a commission. Looking only at revenue by channel hides which of the two actually leaves more money, and for which products.
This guide covers the GST facts a growing Singapore store should know, compares an own-store order with a marketplace order using worked numbers, and explains the Founding 10,000: 12 months of ORVX Core, free, for eligible Shopify stores.
Every example and amount on this page is illustrative. It shows the method and is not a benchmark, a quote or advice.
GST registration threshold in Singapore, and what it means for ecommerce
The current GST rate in Singapore is 9%. A business must register for GST when its taxable turnover for a calendar year exceeds $1 million, or when it expects taxable turnover of more than $1 million in the next 12 months. A small store can sit well below that line for years; a growing one should keep both tests in view (Source: Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore).
For a registered store with GST-inclusive prices, the GST inside a price is nine one-hundred-and-ninths of it, since 9 / 109 of a GST-inclusive amount is tax. The rest is revenue.
Imports are covered too. Low-value goods are goods with a sales value of S$400 or below imported into Singapore by air or post, and a GST-registered overseas supplier charges GST on them at the point of purchase. Local stores therefore compete on price with overseas sellers who may be charging GST themselves.
Worked example: one product, two channels
As an illustration only, suppose a store that is not GST-registered sells a product at S$39. The product costs S$13 and delivery S$4.50 in both channels. On its own Shopify store, assume card fees of 3.4% plus S$0.50 and an ad cost per order of S$8. On a marketplace, assume a 15% commission that includes payment processing, and S$3 of marketplace advertising per order.
| Line | Own Shopify store | Marketplace |
|---|---|---|
| Price | S$39.00 | S$39.00 |
| Product cost | -S$13.00 | -S$13.00 |
| Delivery | -S$4.50 | -S$4.50 |
| Card fees or commission | -S$1.83 | -S$5.85 |
| Advertising per order | -S$8.00 | -S$3.00 |
| Profit per order | S$11.67 | S$12.65 |
In this example the marketplace order leaves S$0.98 more, because its commission of S$5.85 costs less than the own-store combination of fees and ads. Change one assumption and the answer flips: if a returning customer buys again on the own store without any new ad cost, that order leaves S$39 - S$13 - S$4.50 - S$1.83 = S$19.67, well above either first order.
It is also the question behind searches such as "Shopify vs Shopee": not which platform is better in general, but which kind of order leaves more for a given product. That is the real comparison. A marketplace can be cheaper per first order; an own store can be cheaper per repeat order. Which channel suits a product depends on how often its customers come back, which is why profit should be measured per order and per customer, not only per channel. The CAC Calculator shows how many orders it takes to pay back what a customer cost, and the Break-Even ROAS Calculator shows how much ad cost an own-store order can carry.
What Singapore stores should check
- Compare profit per order by channel for your top products, with every fee and commission included.
- Measure how many own-store customers buy again, and how soon.
- Keep an eye on your calendar-year and forward-looking turnover against the GST threshold.
- Once registered, make sure reported revenue excludes GST.
- Review the apps your storefront loads. Each adds cost and code; the Shopify App Detector lists the ones that are publicly visible.
GST has detailed rules for particular goods and businesses. IRAS guidance and your accountant are the authority for your own case.
The Founding 10,000, in brief
Comparing channels this way needs order-level and customer-level numbers, and that is the gap ORVX Core fills. Under the Founding 10,000, called the $1.9M Commerce Initiative, an eligible Shopify store can run Core free for its first 12 months, without entering a card. The first 10,000 eligible stores to switch it on take the places, from one shared list that includes Singapore and every other market.
The headline figure is a product of two numbers, not a fund: 10,000 stores x $190 standard annual Core price = $1,900,000. It tells you the most those free subscriptions would cost at list price. Nobody receives it, and it is not cash, funding, a grant or revenue.
From month 13, Core is billed only if you choose to keep it: $19 monthly or $190 yearly, priced in US dollars. Intelligence, at $39 monthly or $390 yearly, is a separate plan the offer leaves untouched. ORVX runs the initiative by itself; no government programme or Shopify money stands behind it.
What is included in Core
Core is the reporting layer. It turns Shopify orders, refunds and fulfilment into profit by order, product and collection, with product costs, gross margin and expenses taken into account. Reports cover any date range and follow your store's currency and time zone, so a Singapore store reads them in Singapore dollars. Each customer appears with their orders and value to the business, which is what the repeat-order comparison above depends on. Stock on hand is valued product by product. Ad spend from Meta and Google is deducted in net profit, with MER and AOV alongside. Connections are read-only, and an alert appears when a figure looks wrong.
Intelligence features, such as Ask ORVX, NOVA's recommendations and forecasting, are outside Core. So is GST filing.
How to claim a place
- Link the store. Add ORVX from the Shopify App Store, or link the store to an orvx.ai account.
- Qualify. The store must be live and new to the programme, and a place must be free. Test and development stores do not count; paying ORVX customers stay on their existing plan.
- Start the year. Turn Core on and the 12 months begin. The finishing date is visible in the app, reminders arrive at 30, 7 and 1 days out, and there is no automatic payment afterwards.
Check the remaining places and read every term on the Founding 10,000 page; regular plans are listed under pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Are Singapore stores eligible for the Founding 10,000?
Yes. Eligible Shopify stores in Singapore can claim one of the 10,000 places, which are shared by eligible stores in every country.
Can ORVX include my marketplace sales?
ORVX Core reads your Shopify store and connected ad accounts. Orders that do not pass through Shopify are not included, so compare marketplace channels with their own reports.
Will reports be in Singapore dollars?
Yes. Reports use your store's currency and time zone. Only ORVX's own subscription price, after the free year, is in US dollars.
Does ORVX register me for GST or file returns with IRAS?
No. ORVX reports on your store's data. GST registration and returns stay with you and your accountant.
Is a card needed?
No. Founding Core needs no card and no checkout. Nothing is charged during the 12 months.
Is this a government or Shopify programme?
No. It is ORVX's own offer, not a government programme, and Shopify does not fund it.
Sources
- The $1.9M Commerce Initiative: terms and FAQ (ORVX, checked 26 October 2026)
- Current GST rates (Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, checked 26 October 2026)
- Do I need to register for GST (Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, checked 26 October 2026)
- GST on imported low-value goods (Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, checked 26 October 2026)
General information only: tax, duty and import rules change and depend on your situation, so check with an accountant or the official source before acting.