The renovation industry accounted for the lion’s share of those losses, totaling S$728,000 or more than a third of the total, the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) said in a press release last Thursday.
In many cases, homeowners were unable to reach their contractors mid-renovation and had to urgently find alternatives to finish their projects.
The bridal industry followed with losses of around S$284,000, accounting for nearly 15% of the total, The Straits Times reported.
The moving industry came next with about S$134,000 in prepayment losses, largely due to lost goods during relocations and unfulfilled large deliveries.
Additionally, Case recorded 14,236 complaints filed by consumers in the city-state last year, up 2% from 2023, according to CNA.
Sectors that received the most complaints include motorcars, electrical and electronics, beauty services, renovation contractor, and entertainment.
E-commerce complaints surged 25% to 4,641 last year, the highest number recorded since tracking began in 2020.
Melvin Yong, the association’s president, said Case has collaborated with Shopee and Lazada, the two largest e-commerce platforms in Singapore, to establish a dispute resolution framework.
Nonetheless, he stressed the need for better protection for online shoppers and more safeguards for industries that collect large down payments
“Case will engage the government on the need to update our laws, work with our stakeholders to improve consumer education, and take steps to tackle industry-specific concerns,” he said.
