Ms Rebecca Yong set an alarm for 8pm on Monday to remind herself to be at her laptop - to buy cookies and brownies.
She was eager to get her hands on the sweet treats by Deebakes, a home-based bakery, which was among businesses allowed to reopen yesterday after being shut for nearly three weeks as a result of stricter measures during the circuit breaker.
But Ms Yong, 33, a freelance writer, had no luck in the online pre-sale and failed to get her hands on a box of goodies, as everything was sold out almost immediately.
"I've been wanting to try their dark chocolate sea salt brownie for weeks after seeing it on my Instagram feed and was so excited when home bakers could sell their goods again. I guess I'll have to try my luck again," she said.
Cake and dessert shops, laundry services, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) halls as well as hairdressers and barbers were among other businesses allowed to reopen yesterday, as Singapore proceeds cautiously with the resumption of some services.
At Bugs Bunny Barber in Toa Payoh, customers started arriving from as early as 6.30am even though opening time was 8am. Mr Hasbullah Abdul Latiff, 51, whose father owns the shop, said business was so brisk that the barbers were barely able to catch a break all morning.
There was also a constant stream of customers at Snip Avenue salon in Bishan Street 13, with more than 10 people spotted in a queue.
Many customers in the line declined to be interviewed, although one man in his 50s, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he "could not stand" his unkempt hair for a day more. "It's messy and too warm," he said.
Two TCM halls in Clementi Avenue 2 also had a steady flow of mostly regular customers, most of whom were stocking up on herbs and medicine.
One customer who wanted to be known only as Madam Zhang, in her 60s, made a trip to Ban Joo Tong Medical Hall as she needed certain herbs for cooking and making soup.
"This is a traditional business and it does not sell its products online, so I had to come down to have a look," she said.
