Singapore live sellers pivot from traffic chases to sticky audiences

BANGKOK, 19 AUGUST 2026 —

Singapore’s live‑commerce scene shows growth on paper, but real‑world engagement lags

Many local livestreams attract only a few dozen viewers, who leave after a single voucher code is revealed, rather than engaging with a broader audience.

Consumer behaviour in Singapore versus the wider region

In 2023, nearly 50 % of consumers across Southeast Asia watched livestream sales at least once a week, and 63 % of those viewers made a purchase. In Singapore, the corresponding figures were 40 % for weekly viewership and a lower conversion rate.

The gap highlights a structural difference: Singapore’s dense retail environment means most shoppers can reach a mall within minutes, reducing the urgency that drives impulse purchases in more rural markets such as Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Singapore’s retail space per capita stands at 1.08 m², nearly double Bangkok’s 0.8 m² and above Kuala Lumpur’s 0.71 m², with a total retail area of 6.1 million m².

Three local brands that have cracked the code

Vulcan Post interviewed three Singaporean brands that have successfully leveraged livestreaming: Tasty Toastys, Tap Space, and Emporal Co. Each operates in a distinct niche—bread‑themed plushies, MRT‑inspired collectibles, and candles/haircare, respectively—but all have grown through consistent livestreaming.

* Tasty Toastys – Founder Chanel Lee discovered that the brand’s bread‑character plushies naturally create “watchable” moments. Unboxing, new design reveals, and real‑time fan reactions keep viewers engaged. The brand expanded from local consignment shelves to 12 Toys “R” Us outlets and a dedicated US TikTok Shop. The key was turning product launches into communal viewing experiences rather than aggressive sales pitches.

* Tap Space – Founder Danial Sim began with zero followers and a marketing budget of S$50. He livestreamed nightly after dinner, showcasing MRT station keychains he had made. Consistency paid off: a few hundred new followers each day eventually enabled the brand to sell 1,500 products in a single day at a Takashimaya pop‑up, selling out by day three.

Tap Space’s success underscores the importance of regular, authentic content even when early audiences are small.

* Emporal Co. – Sisters Grace and Lena Lim, who run a skincare and candle brand, spent two months with no sales. They posted daily content featuring themselves and their products, turning followers into customers who later attended a warehouse sale. The business now records six‑figure annual sales, has sold over 17,000 bottles of leave‑in hair conditioner in two years, and attracted 400–450 attendees to a TikTok‑driven warehouse event.

The founders’ personalities became the product, fostering trust and repeat engagement.

The pillars of success in Singapore Unlike many Asian markets where livestreams rely on countdown timers, deep discounts, or aggressive promotional tactics, Singaporean brands have leaned on three pillars:

1. Consistency – Regular, predictable streams build a loyal audience. 2. Strong visual hook – Products that naturally create engaging moments keep viewers watching. 3. Founder personality – The host’s authenticity and relatability become a key selling point.

These elements address Singapore’s unique challenge: how to keep a relatively small audience coming back, rather than simply driving impulse purchases.

Trust issues and the rise of scams Trust is foundational in live commerce, where buyers often purchase without seeing the product in person. Singapore’s livestream ecosystem has been marred by scams. TikTok‑related scam cases rose 38 % in 2025, according to the Singapore Police Force’s Annual Scam and Cybercrime Brief. The jade‑stone livestreaming scam in 2023 alone caused losses of at least S$95,000.

TikTok rejected 1.4 million seller applications and removed 700,000 sellers for policy violations in the first half of 2025, reflecting aggressive enforcement and the seriousness of the problem. These incidents have made shoppers wary, forcing legitimate creators to work harder to establish credibility.

Learning from regional peers and looking ahead Some Singaporean retailers have sought solutions abroad. A few have travelled to Hangzhou for livestream training, while others experiment with AI avatar hosts—a technology already generating US$90.1 billion (S$115.2 billion) in China this year, with over 993,000 companies using digital avatars. However, importing the mechanics of a more mature market does not guarantee success.

The experience of Tasty Toastys, Tap Space, and Emporal Co. suggests that Singapore may need a distinct live‑commerce model that prioritises sustained engagement over sheer scale.

Implications for Malaysia and the wider region Malaysia’s live‑commerce market, like Singapore’s, is growing but faces its own challenges. The country’s rural population, at around 41 %, is spread across thousands of islands, creating a demand for remote retail solutions similar to those in Indonesia and Vietnam. Malaysian creators already earn full‑time incomes from daily broadcasts, indicating that a mature ecosystem is possible.

However, the Malaysian market must also contend with trust issues and the need for consistent, authentic content to build repeat audiences.

Looking forward As Singapore’s live‑commerce ecosystem matures, stakeholders will likely continue to experiment with new formats, technologies, and regulatory frameworks. The success of brands that focus on consistency, visual appeal, and founder authenticity offers a blueprint for others. For Malaysia, the lesson is clear: a tailored approach that prioritises sustained viewer engagement and trust can unlock the full potential of live commerce, even in a market with diverse consumer demographics and geographic challenges.

Related: Bangkok