Data Express Infotech Co (德誼數位科技), one of Apple Inc’s main distributors in Taiwan, opened an authorized flagship store in Taipei on Saturday as part of its efforts to drive up revenue growth this year.
The large ground-level store, located in downtown Xinyi District (信義), is the biggest Apple premium reseller in northern Taiwan and it showcases double the number of Apple products compared with Data Express’ other flagship stores.
Data Express reported NT$3 billion (US$99.3 million) in sales revenues last year and the company expects to record double-digit growth this year, said Grace Chu (朱慧蓮), general manager of Data Express.
DIVERSIFY
“Compared with other Apple distributors, we hope to offer consumers more diversified services to improve the quality of our sales flow,” she said at the store’s opening ceremony.
Established in 2004, Data Express is Apple’s largest authorized distributor nationwide, with more than half of its current outlets located in high-end department stores.
The company has increased its total number of outlets from 30 in 2010 to 37 last year, Chu said. It will add seven to eight flagship stores this year to add to its 11 already existing flagship stores, she added.
Apple’s other main distributors in Taiwan include Studio A Electronic Corp (晶實科技) and Tsann Kuen Enterprise Co (燦坤實業).
ARCOA
Arcoa Communication Co (全虹通信), a subsidiary of the nation’s No. 3 mobile provider, Far EasTone Telecommunications Co (遠傳電信), bought a 70 percent stake in Data Express in November 2010 to expand its network for the distribution of high-end electronic products.
Far EasTone has said that it also plans to sell Apple products in China through Data Express. However, according to the firm, negotiations on that are still in progress.
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