Hypermarkets to extend business hours for year-end shoppers

Taipei-Hypermarket chains in Taiwan will extend their business hours in the days leading up to the Lunar New Year to drive up sales during one of Taiwan's peak shopping seasons.

One of the major hypermarket brands, Carrefour, plans to stay open around the clock for more than three days in a row, from 9 a.m. on Jan. 24 to 6 p.m. on Jan. 27, before it returns to its normal business hours on Jan. 28.

The Lunar New Year holiday starts on New Year's Eve on Jan. 27 and will run through Feb. 1, the fifth day of the Year of the Rooster.

Carrefour spokesman Lin Meng-shao (???) said it decided to extend its business hours to accommodate the large numbers of consumers expected to shop just before the holiday and give them maximum flexibility.

Carrefour also plans to offer special discounts on some items during the extended hours to encourage spending, Lin said.

Carrefour rival RT-Mart (???) said it will keep its outlets open on Jan. 14 and from Jan. 19 to 26 until 1 a.m. the next day and stay open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Jan. 27.

RT-Mart's business hours will return to normal the next day.

Another Taiwanese hypermarket chain, A.mart (??), said it will extend its business hours on Jan. 21-22, Jan. 25 and Jan. 27 to 2 a.m. the next day.

A.mart will also provide a NT$200 (US$6.33) coupon for every single purchase of NT$2,000.

Costco, an American membership-only wholesale club that just opened its 13th outlet in Taiwan last week, said its stores will be open an hour longer than usual to 10:30 p.m. from Jan. 20 to 26 but will close at 6 p.m. on Jan. 27.

Costco will resume its normal business hours from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 28.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel