Overview
The eCommerce market in Taiwan has grown rapidly in recent years. According to Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) data, in 2022 Taiwan’s eCommerce market (pure online platforms) grew by 10.95 percent, reaching NT$492.9 billion (about US$16.1 billion).
As Taiwan’s eCommerce market continues to develop, young shoppers are increasingly choosing to shop at online retailers. Digital media and entertainment, apparel and footwear, and consumer electronics remain the top three most purchased products from online retailers. The demand for quick delivery has led to an increase in sales of basic household necessities on online platforms.
Top categories sold online
The Taiwan eCommerce market features a wide variety of products and services, such as the following:
- Apparel
- Beauty and skincare products
- Computers and accessories
- Eyewear
- Groceries
- Food delivery
- Household goods
- Digital entertainment and videogames
- Baby-care products
- Shoes, bags, and brand name goods
- Travel packages, hotels, and flights
Business-to-Business eCommerce
Taiwan has a robust business-to-business (B2B) eCommerce environment, with two major web portals run by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA). TaiwanTrade is an eCommerce portal that allows businesses to find suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors. iDealEZ Online Marketplace is a platform that allows businesses to buy small quantities to sample items directly from suppliers. B2B eCommerce is the most developed in the information technology, chemical, and textile industries.
- Amazon
- eBay
- Taiwan Trade
- TaiwanTrade iDealEZ
Business-to-Consumer and B2B-to-Consumer (B2B2C)
- books.com.tw
- Coupang
- ET Mall
- Friday
- ibon Mart
- Momoshop
- PChome
- Ruten.com
- Rakuten Ichiba Taiwan
- Shopee Taiwan
- Yahoo! Taiwan
Cross Border eCommerce
- Amazon - U.S.
- eBay- U.S.
- iHerb - U.S.
- Rakuten - Japan
- Shopee-Singapore
- Taobao.com/Tmall.com - China
Legal & Regulatory environment regulating ecommerce
In Taiwan, there are no general laws regulating e-commerce. E-commerce businesses are treated the same as non-e-commerce businesses and are subject to the same Taiwan laws and regulations. Relevant legislation includes,
- the Personal Data Protection Act, enacted to protect consumer information privacy,
- the Consumer Protection Act, enacted to protect the interests of consumers; and
- the Electronic Signatures Act, enacted to establish a secure and reliable network environment to ensure that information is not easily falsified.
Online Payment Methods
Online shoppers in Taiwan have several payment options for their eCommerce purchases:
- Mobile payment
- Credit card
- Cash
- Electronic stored value cards
Electronic payment is gaining popularity as more Taiwanese consumers use cellphones. According to a 2022 survey, the top four electronic payment institutions based on transaction amount, are Jko Pay (27.9 percent), PX Pay (22.4 percent), iPass Money, also known as Line Pay, (19.3 percent), and E Sun Bank (12.2 percent). This was followed by iCash (5.2 percent), Plus Pay (4.9 percent) and EasyWallet (3.6 percent). (Source: Mirai Business Research Institute)
Major Shopping Holidays
November 11th (11/11), known as “Singles’ Day,” is an unofficial consumer holiday observed by young people in Taiwan. On this day, young people who are not in a relationship celebrate their single status by indulging in both online and offline shopping for themselves or purchasing gifts to initiate a new relationship.
Some Taiwan consumers are also beginning to celebrate other international consumer holidays. These include Christmas, Black Friday, and Mother’s Day, among others. On these holidays, suppliers offer special discounts, which generates higher sales.
Social Media
Digital and social media are effective marketing platforms in Taiwan. In 2022, Line (90.7 percent) was the leading social media platform in Taiwan, followed by Facebook (85.3 percent), Instagram (65.3 percent) and Facebook Messenger (60.3 percent). (Source: Digital 2023: TAIWAN) **