On 7 July 2019, It’s No-GST Day as Shops In GSS Wouldn’t Charge GST

The US has Black Friday, which falls on the Friday following Thanksgiving.

China has 11/11, which sees massive online promotions that bring down e-commerce servers.

Now, in Singapore, we’re going to have our own sales day: 7/7, which obviously happen on 7 July 2019.

And on this day, you might see shops showing this sign everywhere:

I know what you’re thinking: are we peddling fake news?

No, this is as real as the impending GST increase.

GSS: Experience Singapore (Without GST)

If you’re like XiaoBeach73 who only shops online because retail shops are for her to test out the sizes, then you’ve probably forgotten that the Great Singapore Sale has started yesterday (21 June 2019).

The 25-year-old event has been rebranded as GSS: Experience Singapore, and this year, their goal is to convince you that it’s more than just a sale: it’s a “retail experience that entices locals and tourists alike to take home a slice of Singapore – to Shop, Dine, Play, Explore & Live It Up!”

Okay, cool, but what does that mean?

That means it’s kind of more localised lah.

Or, in the words of the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA), it’s to “spice things up to meet the demands of today’s experience-seeking shopper.”

My interpretation: experience-seeking shopper = don’t shop online, go shop offline and buys things you don’t need because it’s the experience that counts.

But of course you’re here for the no-GST day.

7 July 2019: No-GST Day

In conjunction with GSS: Experience Singapore, there’s a “7.7 GST Absorbed Day”, in which shops and restaurants that participate in the GSS would absorb the GST.

That means everything is 7% cheaper—and when we say everything, it means everything.

In addition, tourists enjoy an additional bonus with a minimum $100 spent at participating outlets to enjoy GST tax refund—since they won’t need to pay for the GST in the first place.

Now the burning question would be: What shops and restaurants are we talking about?

Here, take a look from their website:

Eh, sorry. We’re here too early because it’s now only 22 June 2019 and—wait.

6 June 2019?

In any case, I’m pretty sure shops would indicate clearly on their shopfront that they’re not charging GST on that day, so plan a day of outing on 7 July 2019.

It’s, by the way, a Sunday.