Eslite Spectrum Corp (誠品生活), which runs the Eslite bookstore chain and department stores, has seen e-commerce sales double from June to last month compared with a year earlier, it said on Thursday, as online shopping soared during a nationwide level 3 COVID-19 alert earlier this year.
The boost in online sales came as strict disease prevention regulations in May to curb local COVID-19 infections affected sales at traditional retail outlets.
Eslite in December last year launched a new Web site and mobile app to further tap into the e-commerce market.
Photo: Chang Hui-wen, Taipei Times
Its membership has grown 14 percent from 2.5 million to 2.85 million, company representatives told an event at one of its department stores in Taipei’s Xinyi District (信義) to announce an anniversary sales campaign.
Members drive 65 percent of overall sales, from 50 percent last year, nearing a goal of 70 percent set by Eslite chairwoman Mercy Wu (吳旻潔), company officials said, adding that the number of “black card” members, who are believed to be highly loyal and relatively affluent, soared 63 percent.
Black card status is awarded to “gold card” members who make NT$50,000 in purchases, they said, adding that this low barrier to entry led to the rapid increase of black card members.
Black card members on average make 1.2 purchases per week, both online and at retail outlets, they said.
Eslite Spectrum plans to create a “premium” room for black card members at its department store in New Taipei City’s Banciao District (板橋) next month, after the success of a similar space at its Eslite Spectrum Songyan Store (誠品生活松菸店) in Taipei’s Songshan Cultural and Creative Park (松山文創園區).
Books remain the company’s most popular items, followed by cosmetic care products and consumer electronic devices, the company said.
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