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Watsons Taiwan eyes 600 shops

By Sarah ChenTaiwan
1 min read
18407425 2
18407425 2
In this article (5)

Taiwan’s largest cosmetics and medicines retailer, Watson’s Private Care Shops, has opened its 500th retailer.

And the chain says one other 100 are deliberate for opening inside the subsequent two years.

The 500th retailer, that includes what Watsons Taiwan describes as a brand new era design, opened within the Taipei suburb of Ximending.

“We have now improved our retailer segmentation technique to satisfy demand from clients in several areas,” MD Toby Anderson stated throughout a press convention to mark the opening.

Apart from increasing the Taiwan retailer community, Hong Kong-headquarted Watsons is refurbishing and upgarding its present community with 100 shops revamped final yr and an extra 100 renovations deliberate for 2015.

Watsons operates cosmetics shops in 12 nations and territories in Asia and Europe nevertheless it sees Taiwan a testbed for innovation.

“Taiwan has a mature retail market with refined shopper conduct, which makes it a fantastic place for innovation,” Anderson stated.

That’s why the corporate is trialling a brand new Era Y idea retailer in Taiwan, with skincare and cosmetics aimed toward style aware youthful consumers. After the preliminary success of a trial retailer in Taiwan, two Era Y shops at the moment are deliberate for trial in Shanghai later this yr.

The corporate can also be constructing a robust on-line presence in Taiwan with 6 million registered customers and greater than 650,000 downloads of its cellular purchasing app.

Questions & Answers

Q.

How many new stores does Watsons Taiwan intend to open in the near future?

A.

Watsons Taiwan plans to open an additional 100 stores within the next two years. This expansion will bring their total network in Taiwan to 600 shops, building on their current 500 retail locations.

Q.

What is Watsons Taiwan doing to improve its existing store network?

A.

Watsons Taiwan is refurbishing and upgrading its current stores. Last year, 100 shops were revamped, and a further 100 renovations are planned for 2015 to modernise the network.

Q.

Why does Watsons use Taiwan as a location for trialling new retail concepts?

A.

Taiwan is considered a testbed for innovation because it has a mature retail market and sophisticated consumer behaviour. This makes it an ideal place to trial new ideas, such as the Generation Y concept store.

Q.

What plans does Watsons have for its new Generation Y concept store, following its trial in Taiwan?

A.

After initial success with a trial store in Taiwan, Watsons plans to trial two more Generation Y concept shops in Shanghai later this year. These stores focus on style-conscious younger consumers.

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