What to buy in Taiwan

Taipei has a dazzling array of department stores and shopping malls, among which Capital City and Taipei 101 Shopping Center are the most famous. Budget-conscious buyers can also enjoy shopping and bargaining among the vendors at major night markets. Of course, don’t forget the Ximen Commercial District, where you can find all the youngest and most popular products.

Guidelines for shopping for famous brands

Taipei’s department stores usually sell world-famous brands, are located in bustling urban areas, and are decorated in a fashionable and comfortable manner. Even if you don't buy anything, just walking around and looking around is still a kind of enjoyment.

In these department stores, it is recommended to buy three types of brand-name goods:

1. Cosmetics. The cosmetics sold here are not only authentic and have a complete range of products, but the price is 1/4-1/3 cheaper than in mainland China. There are also gifts and lucky draws for every purchase. You can also choose to buy shampoo and hair care products. There are many types of washing and hair care products produced locally in Taiwan, and the quality is also very good. Although they are slightly more expensive than those from mainland China, they are still very cost-effective.

2. Shoes. The shoemaking industry in Taiwan is very developed. Although most Taiwanese shoe factories have moved to the mainland in recent years, Taiwanese shoes are generally of good style, high quality, and reasonably priced.

3. Brand-name clothing. Department stores in Taipei usually have discounts during festivals, and the discounts are amazing. If you happen to catch a sale when traveling to Taipei, be sure not to miss it!

Cheap shopping guide

If you want to buy daily necessities, you can go to the ubiquitous convenience stores that are open 24 hours a day. For example, 711, FamilyMart and OK; you can also go to large night markets, such as Shilin, Raohe Street and Siping Street, where daily necessities, shoes, hats and clothes are cheap and of guaranteed quality.

If you want to buy clothes but don't care about brands, you can go to "Fenfenpu" near Taipei Songshan Train Station. There are many kinds of goods there, and the styles are fashionable. As long as you know how to match them, you will definitely have a high "turn-over rate". It is said that people from Hong Kong and Taiwan’s entertainment industry often go there to choose clothes.

Guidelines for selecting specialties

Before leaving Taipei, you will definitely want to pick some specialties to take home. There are four more famous ones: Yingge Ceramics, Gangshan Three Treasures, Penghu Four Treasures and Meinong oil-paper umbrellas. As for food, it is recommended to buy high mountain tea, Kinmen sorghum wine and some pastries with Taiwanese characteristics, such as pineapple cakes. Tea can be bought at tea houses. For example, if you want to buy the famous "Dongding Oolong", you should go to "Cha Zizi" in Xizhi, Taipei. The owner is the descendant of Dongding Oolong. To buy Kinmen sorghum wine, just go to a convenience store.

Tips: 1. If you buy something at a tourist spot, remember to go to a regular store and beware of counterfeit banknotes;

2. When entering and leaving Taiwan, a passenger can only carry two A carton of cigarettes and two bottles of wine. The taste of Taiwanese cigarettes is slightly lighter than that of mainland China. Changshou cigarettes are sold for NT$380-NT$400 in Taipei and NT$350 at the airport. Baodao cigarettes are sold at the airport for NT$400, which is NT$50 cheaper than in the city. So if you plan to buy cigarettes or alcohol to take home, you might as well arrive at the airport in advance and take a stroll in the duty-free shop after the security check.

Other Taobao strategies

Dry goods and antiques

In addition to fashionable goods such as clothing and jewelry, Taipei also has many distribution centers for traditional goods. Take Dihua Street, a neighborhood full of old Taipei flavor. Coming here is like going back in time. Surrounded by red brick buildings, the most Chinese products such as traditional Chinese medicine, tea, dry goods, etc. are gathered together. What you can’t miss is the Jianguo Holiday Jade Market. All kinds of antiques and modern jade jewelry will make you unable to help but empty your wallet.

If you are interested in cultural relics, you are likely to spend a lot of money around the Palace Museum. First of all, you can buy a brochure introducing the exhibits of the National Palace Museum in the museum, and then in the underground souvenir supermarket, you can also buy a bunch of exquisite souvenirs related to the National Palace Museum in Taipei. Among them, it is recommended to buy a mirror with a jade jade cabbage picture, which costs NT$380. It is the perfect gift to bring back to a girl.

Books and Electrical Appliances

Books and magazines from all over the world are gathered here. Whether it’s the 24-hour Eslite Bookstore Dunnan store or Page One in Taipei 101, all kinds of bookstores with rich collections will make you forget to leave. (Taipei’s seven book shopping destinations)

Don’t forget that there are also many specialty shopping malls, such as Guanghua Shopping Center, a distribution center for computers and portable appliances, as well as Boai Road and Hankou, which are famous for various audio and photography peripheral equipment neighborhood.

Recommended Shopping Districts

Taipei’s main shopping venues are concentrated in three blocks, attracting different consumer groups with different positionings.

Xinyi Business District: With Taipei 101 as the landmark, Warner Village Roadshow Studios, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi, New York New York, World Trade Center Exhibition Center and Capital City, together form the most fashionable high-end shopping and leisure area in Taipei. neighborhood.

Taipei 101: Currently the second tallest building in the world, it is 508 meters high and has 101 floors. Address: No. 45, Shifu Road.

Shin Kong Mitsukoshi: No. 12 Songgao Road.

New York New York Mall: American style shopping mall. Address: No. 12, Songshou Road.

Jinghua City: not only a super large department store, but also a place for food and entertainment. Address: No. 138, Section 4, Bade Road.

Zhongxiao Dunhua: With the Zhongxiao East intersection of Dunhua South Road as the center point, department stores such as SOGO, Mingyao, and Breeze Plaza are the first choice for shopping among Taipei’s white-collar beauties. You can often find unique items on the street stalls along the street. And cheap and good-quality clothing. Besides shopping, you can also stop by the Eslite Bookstore main store on Dunhua South Road and choose one or two of your favorite books.

Breeze Plaza: It is famous for being good at creating hot topics. Address: No. 39, Section 1, Fuxing South Road.

Mingyao Department Store: No. 200, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road.

Eslite Bookstore: Not only a bookstore, but also a cultural symbol. He is very famous among Taiwanese literary and artistic youth and even among Chinese people around the world. Address: No. 245, Section 1, Dunhua South Road.

Ximending: Ximending is located in the block consisting of Chengdu Road, Kangding Road, Hankou Street and Zhonghua Road in Wanhua District, Taipei City. It is the most important consumer business district in the West District of Taipei City.

There are fancy shops all over. Although the materials and workmanship are not very particular, the styles are definitely the most popular and the prices are low, so they are very attractive to teenagers.