The Great Singapore Sale 2008 was officially launched on Saturday, 24 May 2008 with the exciting Great Singapore Shopping Challenge, which saw eight Singapore teams and 19 international teams from 12 countries pit their bargain-hunting skills against each other in a 3-hour Challenge as they competed for the S$10,000 grand prize!

In the International Category, the Philippines team comprising shopaholics Ms Judy Frances See and Ms Gelyn Theresa See, out-shopped 18 other international teams with incredible savings of S$6,321.81, achieved from having spent only S$972.99 at the Great Singapore Sale! This translated to an average discount of 87%, and they were rewarded for their brilliant bargain-hunting efforts with the grand prize of S$10,000 cash!

In the Singapore Category, the husband and wife team comprising Mr Edmund Chia and Ms Jesslyn Tan, beat seven other Singapore teams with savings of S$4,674.25 from having spent just S$949.65. This translated to an average discount of 83%, which made them the deserving winners of the grand prize of S$10,000 worth of shopping vouchers!

Returning for the 5th year running as the launch event for the Great Singapore Sale, this year’s Challenge comprised 2 categories – Singapore and International – in which teams of 2 were each given S$1,000 shopping money to go on a 3-hour shopping spree at 3 designated shopping malls (Marina Square, The Centrepoint, Wisma Atria) and 1 ethnic precinct (Little India).

On arrival at each mall, each team had to perform a compulsory task, incorporating a Uniquely Singapore experience, and pit their bargain-hunting skills against each other as they grabbed the best buys from selected product categories. The winning teams from the Singapore and International categories that completed the Challenge within 3 hours and with the most dollar savings each walked away with the S$10,000 grand prize!

The Challenge kicked off in front of Wisma Atria, Orchard Road, on Saturday, 24 May at 12 noon. While eight local teams competed to become the shopping champion of Singapore, 19 teams from 12 countries, namely Australia, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Middle East, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, vied for the championship in the International category.