TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwanese shoppers rushed stores Tuesday (Nov. 11) as Typhoon Fung-wong (鳳凰) approaches, driving unprecedented demand combining Singles' Day shopping with storm preparation. Major retailers, including Carrefour, A.mart (愛買), and Costco, launched aggressive promotions targeting customers who were stocking up before the typhoon hit Taiwan. The convergence of the annual shopping festival and emergency preparation created exceptional demand for retail across the island.
A.mart launched a Japan and Korea exhibition offering 33% discounts on refrigerators, washing machines, and TVs through Tuesday (Nov. 11). Special promotions include Japanese A5 Wagyu beef slices at NT$149 (around US$4.82) per box and Aomori TOKI apples at NT$89 (around US$2.88) each. Costco runs a seven-day online event with NT$7,400 (around US$239) savings on HP laptops and NT$13,000 (around US$421) off Google TVs.
PX Mart (全聯) joined the shopping surge with buy-one-get-one-free anniversary promotions featuring washing machines, refrigerators, and air conditioners as top sellers. The Double 11 Day shopping festival, China's e-commerce giant Alibaba's (阿里巴巴) Taobao (淘寶) initiative launched in 2009, attracts widespread retailer participation annually. Multiple brands capitalize on the event to boost sales during the typhoon preparation period.
Industry forecasts predict 20% higher appliance sales compared to last year, driven by government cash distributions of NT$10,000 (around US$324) per recipient. Group buying platforms report dehumidifiers, air purifiers, and washer-dryers will lead the sales surge with 30% growth expected. The typhoon timing amplifies demand for essential household appliances and emergency preparation equipment.◼
>>> For comprehensive weather updates, consult these official meteorological agencies:
- Central Weather Administration (CWA, 中央氣象署), Taiwan's national weather service: CWA Typhoon Information: https://www.cwa.gov.tw/V8/E/P/Typhoon/TY_NEWS.html
- Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), U.S. Navy's Pacific storm tracking facility: JTWC Tropical Warnings: https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/jtwc.html
- Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA, 気象庁), Japan's official weather authority: JMA Tropical Cyclone Information: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/multi/cyclone/cyclone_detail.html?id=61&lang=en