New Shopping Guide to Singapore to be launched in September

A new shopping guide which contains no advertising and claims to be "the world’s first and only reliable shopping resource for individual Asian cities" will be launched in September. First off the blocks will be the international publication of Shopsmart Singapore, followed by Shopsmart Bali and Lombok , Shopsmart Kuala Lumpur and Shopsmart Hong Kong.

Shopsmart Singapore is published by C Licence Pte Ltd, and is based on countless hours of legwork by resident reporters, each an expert in their field. It is packed with up-to-the-minute, honest reviews on the best retail and wholesale suppliers for everything from antiques to electronics, fashion to food, beauty services to bicycles.

Like a Michelin or Zagot restaurant guide, Shopsmart Singapore contains ratings for price, service, quality, range and value-for- money. User-friendly maps of the major shopping areas, cultural insights, plus local tips on what, where, when and how to buy are also included.

“Traditional travel guides don’t provide enough details on specific shops, and existing shopping guides are skewed towards shops which run ads in them,” says C Licence founder Jane Marsden. “Completely unbiased, the Shopsmart series aims to become a benchmark for travelers and residents alike, giving quality information on shopping which will save them time, money and hassle. We hope that people will reach for a Shopsmart guide whenever they travel to an Asian city.”

Former Vogue (Singapore) copy editor. Marsden is also an accomplished writer, contributing articles on fashion, cuisine, interior design, entertainment and travel in Asia and Australia since 1984. She is also the author of coffee-table books such as New Asia Style and Contemporary Thai Periplus Editions), and has worked on regional magazines including The Peak(Hong Kong), Expression (Hong Kong), New Asian Wine & Cuisine Scene (Singapore), Homes & Living (Singapore/Australia) and Apartment Living (Singapore/Australia). She has lived in Singapore for more than a decade.