Far Eastern Department Store's cross border alliance

        Since the 1990s, the global department store industry has experienced the plundering of the revolutionary development of transportation, network and logistics technology, and faced the challenge of 24-hour convenience stores all year round. In addition, the impact of covid-19 epidemic in recent years has impacted the existing business model. Facing the increasingly complex industrial boundaries and the rapidly changing new normal, how can Far Eastern Department store, which has run in Taiwan for more than half a century, continue to maintain a key position in the retail battlefield?

        Collaboration between industry and official, department store becomes the International Exhibition Hall

        On May 19, 2021, Taiwan officially entered the level III alert. As soon as the news came out, people poured into large stores and chain supermarkets immediately to buy necessary living materials. The "Miss Thailand - Thailand food fair " jointly held by Kaohsiung Far Eastern Department store, Thailand Trade and Economic Office, Taipei TOURISM AUTHORITY OF THAILAND and brand owners was timely launched on May 20, allowing people to buy all kinds of materials with ease in the environment of strict epidemic prevention measures. In addition, Far Eastern Department Store plays a public welfare promoter, encourage manufacturers to donate materials, care for rural areas and families in need.

        Timely response benefits from long-term deep ploughing. As the oldest department store in Taiwan, Far Eastern Department store has always been ahead of the industry in its marketing methods. In addition to making good use of the advantages of large shopping malls to attract many international well-known brands and enhance the diversification and refinement of stores, it also brings new stimulation of fashion to the public through cross industry joint cooperation. The international exhibition, which has been held for years, is a classic masterpiece of Far Eastern Department store.

        As early as 48 years ago, Far Eastern Department store and the U.S. Department of Commerce jointly organized the "first American commodity exhibition", which started the trend of holding international exhibitions by department stores. Since then, it has continued to cooperate with official authorities in Taiwan, official institutions, local governments and agricultural, forestry and fisheries organizations to introduce the most authentic artistic and cultural performances, delicious snacks, agricultural specialty and famous products and design processes into shopping malls, so as to broaden local consumers’ horizons. For example, the "cultural products Carnival of Hirosaki " jointly organized by Far Eastern Department store and Aomori-ken, Japan, and the "Korean charm in Far Eastern Department Store" jointly organized with Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. Also because of actively promotion of international exchanges, Far Eastern Department store has repeatedly won various honors and affirmation. In 2016, the the "cultural products Carnival of Hirosaki " achieved remarkable results. President Nancy Hsu was not only personally presented with a certificate of appreciation by the Mayor of Hirosaki, Aomori-ken, but also invited to plant apple trees in Apple Park in Hirosaki, leaving the best witness for enterprise national diplomacy.

        In addition to international official institutions, Far Eastern Department store also actively work with Taiwan governments at all levels and farmers' and fishermen's associations to introduce the characteristics and specialties of Taiwan in interesting interactive ways such as cultural and creative flash mob, small-scale farmers' market and talent show. Recently, in order to care for local farmers, a series of "pineapple Carnival" with local authorities and fruit and vegetable transportation and marketing companies were launched to display and sell pineapples and related snacks on site and demonstrate how to put pineapples into dishes. At the same time, it purchased a large number of pineapples as the gifts of dropping by the store o share high-quality local agricultural products in Taiwan with consumers.

        Virtual and real integration to connect consumers’ journey

        Far Eastern Department Store is not only an expert in promoting local products, but also actively plans innovative services and interactive experience with brand manufacturers. Recently, Far Eastern Department Store Xinyi A13 cooperated with "Wupaochun Bakery " and "DIY baking club" to open the first " Wupaochun bread DIY experience store in Taiwan. Combined with the online baking course of "Wupaochun baking College", it developed a new business format of "online teaching and offline DIY", which triggered a hot discussion on the Internet.

        On the other hand, Far Eastern Department store also found that in recent years, the proportion of social media combined with scientific and technological applications has increased significantly, especially short video, special effect filters, interactive games and other commodities, which have a more significant spread among young consumers. During this year's Mother's Day, it especially worked with Meitu and Pixnet to develop instagram AR special effect filters and interactive games, which successfully created topics and attracted more young consumer groups.

        In order to continuously smooth the communication channels with consumers and increase the exposure of activities during the epidemic period, Far Eastern Department store also uses the official app, social media, online shopping... and other channels to introduce the promotion content, product sets, topic trend, and even the secret of life and epidemic prevention by the building management or counter personnel who know the goods best to further stimulate consumption momentum and create business benefits.

        Affiliated companies work together to deepen membership economy

        Compared with other department stores in Taiwan, Far Eastern Department store has abundant resources of multiple business formats of Far Eastern Group and is more flexible in the planning of cooperation strategy. Taking the supermarket as an example, City’super introduces rich and diversified imported goods, so that consumers can enjoy foreign food at any time; In terms of catering, it cooperates with Far Eastern Plaza hotel to sell exquisite meals and gifts. At the same time, it also plans promotional activities with Mega50 to attract consumers; In terms of payment, it cooperates with Yuan Hsin digital payment and Ding & Ding management consultants to promote Happycash and mobile payment HAPPY GO Pay, providing multi-functional and convenient payment methods; In terms of financial services, it worked closely with Far Eastern International Bank to offer the best discount in each holiday to increase the rate of paying the bills and the amount of the bill. And it set up a card promotion center in the store to increase the number of cards issued by Far Eastern International Bank and create a group synergy of mutual benefit and win-win situation; As for the customer relationship management most valued by the service industry, with the full support of Happy Go, which has tens of millions of cardholders, Far Eastern Department store uses member big data to analyze the consumption structure of customers, and launch more accurate product proposals and more exquisite and considerate services, and it cooperates with Happy Go to launch multiple points and points turning into cash to strengthen customer loyalty and attract new customers of Happy Go members.

        Match supply and demand to build a public welfare platform

        As the benchmark of listed department stores in Taiwan, Far Eastern Department Store shoulders corporate social responsibility. It not only starts from itself, introduces real-time energy platform, reduces environmental resource consumption, and works hard for sustainable earth, but also takes advantage of the power of department stores of gathering consumers to join hands with public interest groups to invest in issues such as assistance for the disadvantaged and maternal and childcare for a long time. Despite the shadow of the epidemic, in 2020, Far Eastern Department store still held up to 600 public welfare activities with branches all over Taiwan, connecting employees and suppliers. From north to south, Far Eastern Department store people are in every corner that needs warmth. In particular, in order to alleviate the blood shortage of Taiwan's blood center, Far Eastern Department store gives full play to its marketing planning power, integrates supplier resources, provides gifts such as movie tickets, masks, coffee, small farmers' fruits and vegetables, and successfully called on nearly 10000 people to donate blood, raising more than 2.46 million cc of blood. No wonder many consumers have long equated the Far Eastern Department store with the "public welfare activity platform".

        Far Eastern Department store not only makes good use of brand advantages and channel resources, it has also joined hands with affiliated enterprises to continuously expand the influence of public welfare. In addition to jointly launching health examination activities and health lectures with Far Eastern Memorial Hospital from time to time to care about consumers' health, it has also cooperated with Yuan Ze University, Asia Eastern University of Science and Technology and Yu-Chang Technical Commercial Vocational High School for a long time to hold hot dance competitions, design competitions, concerts, wine mixing competitions, learning achievement exhibition... and other diversified activities, and provide internship and opportunities to give performance to enhance students' practical experience and workplace strength. In 2019, Asia Cement Corporation's " Ecological Exhibition" train was introduced into all branches in Taiwan to let everyone experience the beauty of nature.

        Although the epidemic has brought crisis to the department store industry, under the complementary resources of d horizontal alliances, the support of the group's affiliated enterprises, the cross-border integration of online and offline, and the active use of digital tools and community platforms, Far Eastern Department Store continues to inject a new look into the mall, create a richer and diversified shopping experience for customers, and convey more love and care to the society, which is a new milestone for the history of Taiwan's department store industry!