Mastering data, FE SOGO Department stores drive retail dance, Taishin International Bank chapter

        The values of consumers are rapidly changing, and the retail stage driven by practitioners in the past has now undergone a change in direction. Only by making good use of data insights, involving customers in designing their consumption journey, and transforming their needs into real experiential scenarios, can we transform customers from being "budget conscious" to "willing to invest", and jointly create a touching retail drama.

                According to the Nielsen Market Research (Nielsen IQ) report, in 2025, consumers in the Asia Pacific region will place greater emphasis on "value" when shopping and consider innovation and sustainability as important criteria for choosing brands. In other words, consumption is no longer just about comparing prices, but about bringing meaning, experience, and a sense of responsibility.

        At the same time, Taiwanese consumers have shown a sensitive and conservative attitude towards the highly changing environment. According to the latest information from the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the annual growth rate of retail revenue from January to August 2025 has slightly declined by 0.68%.

        Data and Value, Rewriting the Retail Script

        In this context, international retailers have actively responded. Nordstrom, a high-end department store originating in Seattle, USA, is known for its attentive service and digital innovation. In recent years, it has also improved customer experience through data investment, and its financial results have repeatedly exceeded expectations. Nordstrom has demonstrated a "technology and humanity co performance" model by introducing generative AI and collaborating with professional stylists to create trend reports on the app, tailoring fashion inspiration for customers. At the same time, through its self built data analysis platform, it tracks customer behavior and feedback in real time, quickly transforming insights into service adjustments. This AI assisted+human interaction model not only enhances accuracy, but also preserves the core warmth and trust of retail brands.

        Another well-known department store, Selfridges, adheres to the famous saying of its founder Harry Gordon Selfridge, 'Retail is theatre', positioning the department store as a theater that plays out every day. In the past, this stage focused on display and service as the main characters; Now, through Project Earth, the script has been rewritten, extending the stage function of the 'theater' to curation and education, not just showcasing products, but planning a sustainable journey that customers can participate in. Whether it's the second-hand, rental, and repair services on the Reselfridges platform, or the sustainable themed exhibitions in the "The Corner Shop" flash mob space, sustainability has transformed from an abstract product label into an experience that customers can see and practice every day when they step into the theater. This means that shopping is not only a consumer behavior, but also a process of value selection and learning. Selfridges started the Project Earth project in 2020, and from 2021 to 2022, the sales of Project Earth Edit products grew from GBP72 million to GBP104 million, with a staggering increase of 44%.

        These cases demonstrate that the key to winning or losing in retail is no longer who offers the biggest discounts, but who can use data and values to make customers truly feel like they are the protagonists on this stage.

        Far Eastern Group's SOGO Practice: Amplifying Customer Value with Data

                From Nordstrom's AI Trends report to Selfridges' Project Earth, we see how international retail giants are redefining the stage with data and sustainability. These cases remind us that the future of retail is not just about fancy displays or discounts, but about allowing customers to become true drivers of the story through data and values. And Far Eastern Group SOGO has already started practicing, turning "shopping data" into a force that can guide scenes. Through the One SOGO member data platform, the past scattered member consumption processes in various stores are identified and compared in a secure manner for accurate labeling and communication. The massive consumption data is also real-time and visualized, allowing business decisions to accurately focus on customer needs. These insights are not just reports, but new 'script drafts'.

        However, the value of data lies in whether it can be transformed into a story of life. The seven major clubs established by FE SOGO Department stores are aimed at deepening the needs of different ethnic groups into communities and services. Whether it is families, foodies, or those who pursue fashion and health, they can find a stage in the club that matches their values. This is not just about consumer segmentation, but an extension of customers' lifetime value.

        The SOGO App currently has over 1.7 million members and will undergo a complete redesign next year. It is not only a trading portal, but also a more intuitive and personalized interactive platform, allowing customers to customize their consumption journey according to their preferences.

        In the background, the application of AI is gradually deepening. From marketing copy to design process, we use AI tools to improve efficiency, reduce repetitive editing work, and release manpower back to "creativity and value".

        These efforts all point to the same core: FE SOGO Department stores do not simply collect data, but use data to create longer-term value for customers, and the real director is the customers themselves. Our role, like the best production unit, is to prepare the stage for these directors, provide lighting and props, and let them perform to their heart's content in the retail drama.

        Smart and Sustainable Future Stage

                FE SOGO Department stores are replacing the backdrop and props of the retail stage with sustainable elements, and the intelligent application of AI and the sustainable practice of ESG are our dual engines. AI will delve into customer journey design, bringing real-time shopping guidance and immersive interaction; In terms of sustainability, from AI energy management to traceable material flow in second-hand clothing recycling actions, customers can promote a new story of zero carbon retail while consuming.

        In terms of technological applications, we will further deepen the role of AI in customer journey design. Enhance the user experience of the app, customize functional requirements and information, and make data not just a cold analysis, but an intelligent assistant that accompanies customers in making choices.

        In terms of sustainable practice, FE SOGO Department stores regards department stores as a sustainable curatorial education venue and has recently actively utilized technology to promote circular fashion. Cooperate with social innovation units to launch a second-hand clothing recycling service that can track the flow and analyze the material. As long as the public receives a "clothing tracking bag" and binds it to the SOGO app, they can see the subsequent flow of their donated clothing. Through the intelligent sorting system, clothes identified by their material may become charity items, reusable bags and dolls, upgraded food street trays, or converted into recycled fabrics and renewable fuels. Every donation not only continues the life of clothing, but also connects social care and the development of circular industries.

        As a sustainable leader in department store retail, we believe that when data and experience are combined, and ESG and consumption are integrated, the script of the retail stage will no longer be written by a single brand, but will be woven by countless customers to create new retail value together.

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