A study of parallel importing trend in Singapore.

For as early as 1993, parallel importing has received much public attention and debate in Singapore. A consumer survey was conducted to evaluate the views of the consumers. The survey revealed that the consumers valued the longer warranty period provided by the authorized agent and the higher resale value for cars purchased from an authorized agent. On the contrary, shorter waiting time allowed by the parallel importers remained a captivating factor. Consumers remained indifferent towards cost of the car which could be attributed to the fact that Singaporeans who can afford to buy a Mercedes are relatively well-to-do