Retail - Shaping Taiwan's Lifestyle

Every morning at 10:55 a.m. sharp, Far Eastern Department Stores (FEDS) staff, stand behind glass doors, dressed in red and white uniforms, complete with jackets and hats, waiting to greet the first customers at 11:00. A smile and a “Welcome” is how the hosts at FEDS have traditionally greeted its customers. FEDS is the oldest department store chain in Taiwan, and has always set the pace for Taiwanese department stores.

Service staff uniform at early years

In 1967, when Taiwan’s economy emerged, FEDS accurately estimated the purchasing power of Taiwan consumers by converting four “Skyscraper” knitwear retail stores on Yongsui St. in Taipei into a six-story building, establishing the first Far Eastern Department Store. FEDS opened the Taichung branch in 1969, followed by the Baoqing store in 1972, which attracted an unprecedented number of customers and establishing the model for their future stores.

Far Eastern Department Stores events over the years

One of many future retail trends it would establish, the Baoqing store was the first department store in Taiwan to include a supermarket. The building includes a spacious retail area and an open and airy design. Its basement, with over 1,300 square meters of space, features a popular food court as well as a fresh meat and produce supermarket. The fifth floor with boutique shops offering unique and specialized products continue to follow the Far Eastern Group’s Founder Mr. Yu-Ziang Hsu’s focus that “Far Eastern Department Stores are operated based on consumers’ desires.” 

At the time the Baoqing store opened, Taiwan had resigned its seat in the United Nations and foreign affairs were in crisis mode. During this emotionally turbulent period, the opening of the Baoqing store was a major reassurance for the local population of Taiwanese who appreciated its risk with “What are you afraid of? Even, Far Eastern Group believes in Taiwan and is opening up this huge department store!” The Far Eastern Baoqing store is a symbol of Taiwan’s economic stability. It was the last stop of foreign presidents visiting Taiwan, who purchased local delicacies, clothes, and hand-made crafts and not an uncommon sight would be chauffeur driven foreign dignitaries in signature black sedans line the road on the annual Double-Ten Day Holiday (Taiwan’s National Birthday). 

Far Eastern Department Stores not only provided a window for foreigners into Taiwan, but it also exposed local Taiwanese to the world. A unique example of this occurs at all stores, which periodically hosted international expositions. In 1973, FEDS collaborated with the American Institute in Taiwan to host its first American product exhibition. The company also collaborated with Japan, South Africa, Germany and Italy for similar exhibitions, each time receiving positive feedback from consumers and were such major events that even the former vice president of Taiwan, Mr. Chia-Kan Yen, and the former president, Mr. Ching-Kuo Chiang visited. 

FEDS’s flexible marketing strategies have made it a mainstay in the life of the Taiwanese consumer. Every branch store offers frequent special promotions for budget conscious customers such as a rock-bottom price for an item though with a purchasing limit and limitless ‘window shopping’ opportunities during its many store events.

FEDS has the most diverse locations of any department store chain in Taiwan. When Far Eastern Department Stores invested in Pacific Sogo Department Stores in 2002, it became the largest department store retail group in Taiwan. Since then, it has ventured into mainland China and set up various retail locations on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, becoming a part of people’s lives in all cities it reaches.
Far Eastern Department Stores have been modifying its services to keep up with the ever-evolving lifestyle changes of its customers for many years, but has been unrelenting in maintaining its insistence on quality and service excellence.