For the most part I would agree with you, I like shopping online. But, for groceries, I still prefer going to the store and have a look.
Also, if I need something immediately, going to the store gives me that, online I need to wait the delivery and they fuck up my orders (happens, although rarely).
It’s more than that–it’s the most useful and concrete information anyone has provided here up until this point. Let’s not shoot the messenger.
No need to shoot anyone! My take instead is that the Taipei Times piece is more an indication of how journalism works here (press conference driven, not investigative, with some notable exceptions including the work of CommonWealth).
Speaking of which . . . 
Guy
I wish they’d restock Schweppes tonic water before they leave.
Yeah, but have you seen PCHome? The standards aren’t high here. It’s not as confusing as some. My main problem with it is their promoting of products that have been out of stock for months. The English version is nearly unusable, but not really needed, and it’s there which is one up on most sites.
During lockdown? It’s 24H if you order before 2pm.
Yeah, I don’t feel like looking for them but I’ve got pictures of one small item alone in a box. But cardboard is recyclable and I’m not worried about the environmental impact.
But then you have to go there and carry it back. It’s not worth my time, I got things to do. Or burn gas getting there.
According to my wife, me having a look isn’t an advantage.
They’ve got an app for 1H delivery, but it’s more expensive. It’s basically the same as Uber Eats grocery delivery, but not that expensive.
That’s how the English media works. Articles come in fairly randomly translated from random online sources. Taipei Times (grinding my teeth) is one of the better ones remaining. CommonWealth publishes so rarely they’re barely on my radar. As for “journalism”, the state of it in the world seems to be about what you’ve described. This is corporate news and they don’t say more than they have to. I suspect the trademark answer had been out there for a while, but it hasn’t made it into English yet.
Did you read the CommonWealth piece?
Guy
Many of their Carrefour ‘house’ products are good, even the jars pasta sauce, not sweet as all the other brands in Taiwan.
I looked at it but it was long and I don’t care about the monopoly. Did it specifically say something relevant to what I said, or are you just praising their journalism? Their journalism is above average, it’s just not on my radar. They’re good at deep dives like this, and sometimes it’s even interesting.
Then you didn’t read it carefully enough, you naughty boy. The issue is a future duopoly!
There are many insights in that CommonWealth report, but this one stands out:
Whether President Chain Store’s planned takeover of Carrefour Taiwan will be approved by regulators will not be decided before next summer [i.e. summer 2023].
The Fair Trade Commission narrowly approved the Uni-President takeover (in a 4-3 vote) but apparently there are still some other regulatory hurdles to clear before this is a done deal.
Guy
I do. I like walking the aisles and looking at things
I asked a worker this weekend. Apparently it needs to be pre-ordered now.
I’m pretty sure I saw some stocked in the Danshui branch a week or two ago, so it is at least still coming into the country.
I could also order it from Shopee, but it will be a fiddle not having it readily available.
Does Shoppee give the 10% discount for a case? I-MEI doesn’t.
I don’t know. I’ve not bought online before.
I go to the store sometimes. Usually I’m just looking at the same things.
how do they deliver perishable items like dairy, eggs and meat? can you schedule the time of the delivery so they come when someone is at home?
In Kaohsiung, one is Cookbox (two locations), and the other I’d have to dig up the location (some Chinese name). Are you in K-town?
Ah, i don’t like their bread. I don’t think they have cans i can’t get a simple mart or px. I don’t eat cereal anymore but again the two marts or costco have
They sell retail, I’m in K-town
I get the French jam from Costco. Jam is easy to get. My first ham here was from Poya, and Showba has it. Kinda tough to fuck up jam, isn’t it?