• Nordic Flagship Design Brands in Taiwan: The Challenges of Online to Offline (O2O) Commerce

Abstract

This case describes the strategic transformation of an SME (Small and Medium Enterprises) in Taiwan, in which the once pure online business transitioned into a click-and-mortar operation. As its name implies, Nordic was established as an online company selling designer household items imported from Nordic region. The online operation began in 2003, and experienced an immediate success. To offer customers look-and-feel experience, Nordic opened its first physical store in 2005. The store was set up in the famous emporium, Eslite, in Taipei’s modern shopping area, Xinyi district. Nordic continued to expand the off-line operations to increase revenue and market share. Besides the new openings of physical stores, a fast growth was achieved by also seeking alliance opportunities with other brick-and-mortar businesses, which effectively increased the physical presence of Nordic’s products. Nordic was acquired by JUT Living Development Group in 2012.

Keywords: Nordic, E-commerce, Click-and-mortar, Operation strategy, Entrepreneurship