Think of a payment gateway as the digital version of a credit card machine you see in a physical shop. It’s the essential technology that connects your online store to payment networks like Visa and local favourites like PayNow. When a customer clicks “buy,” the gateway securely handles the whole process, making sure the money gets from their account to yours.

Singapore’s e-commerce market hit US$9.4 billion in gross merchandise volume (GMV) in 2025, with projections pointing toward US$13 billion by 2028. Whether you are selling on Shopee, building a Shopify store, or listing on TikTok Shop, the opportunity for a new online business in Singapore has never been stronger.

So you’re ready to start selling on Lazada? Great choice. Getting your store live involves three key actions: registering your seller account, listing your products with clear details, and linking your bank account so you can get paid.

The core difference is simple: markup is the amount you add to your cost to set a selling price, while margin is the profit you keep as a percentage of the final selling price.