Advantages and Disadvantages of a Singapore Representative Office
Good Reasons to Not Consider a Singapore Representative Office
1. You may wish to conduct business in a foreign country. You cannot do this if you register as a representative office. Your representative office will not be allowed to sell products or to ship products.
2. You may wish to establish a separate business entity from your main business. If so, you will have to consider other options for this. Your representative office must have the same name as your company. Your company will be liable for any actions taken by your representative office, also.
3. You may wish to take advantage of the many tax benefits from new business. You cannot do this with a representative office. For one thing, you cannot conduct normal business that will result in profit.
4. You may have problems with negotiations or business deals. Your representative office may participate in negotiations. However, the office has no power to be a part of the contract. You will need a company official if your company needs to finalize any deals.
5. You may wish to offer customer service through your representative office. It will be very limited, as you cannot give advice or engage in any repair services. Your customer service must be confined to answering questions on the behalf of your parent company.
Summary
There are several good reasons to consider registering a Singapore representative office. It is an excellent way to look into possible business expansions without any long term commitments. You will be free to conduct market research for your company. This will give you firsthand knowledge of the business environment in Singapore.
However, there are several reasons to consider other options. You will not be allowed to conduct usual business like selling or shipping. You cannot conduct normal customer service like giving advice or repairing products. Even though you can negotiate business deals, you will not be authorized to finalize them.
Advantages and Disadvantages of a Singapore Representative Office