Taiwan: 2 billion e-bills in 2012, 4 billion in 2013 - eBilling News | EBPP

Taiwan: 2 billion e-bills in 2012, 4 billion in 2013

on Tuesday 17 Jan 2012

President Chain Store Corp, which operates Taiwan's largest chain of convenience stores, recently launched a full-scale and across-the-board issuance of electronic invoices at almost all its 4700 stores in Taiwan. The massive change started begin December.

Update: 100 millionth e-invoice in <1 year

[Update 03/01/2012] The Ministry of Finance announced that the 100 millionth [tag electronic invoice} was already issued by a convenience store. The consumer holding the e-invoice will be given an iPad 2.

According to the Financial Data Center (FDC), the MOF began encouraging stores to issue environmentally friendly e-invoices last year, and, to draw the public's attention to the green policy, the ministry decided to give away an iPad 2 to the lucky holder of the 100 millionth e-invoice.

Convenience E-invoicing in Taiwan

We received some background information on the decision of this major retailer:

*The recent move is in line with the Taiwanese government effort to replace paper invoices with e-invoices.
*The move by Chain Store Corp came after the Ministry of Finance (MOF) wound up its one-year trial issuance of e-invoices, inspiring convenience stores to follow suit.
*Up to 99% of the firm's stores (including 7-Elevens) kicked off with issuing e-invoices to consumers
*All consumers get e-invoices instead of traditional print invoices
*Customers that pay with icash cards or EasyCards get their transactions recorded on the cards.

The E-invoicing band wagon

Other convenience chain stores are also ready to jump on the e-invoice bandwagon:

*Over 800 OK convenience stores will begin issuing e-invoices on Dec. 26,
*Family Mart system is scheduled to start in early 2012
*Hi-Life chain stores will launch e-invoices in the second quarter of 2012.

4 Billion invoices in 2013

Su Chun-jung, the director of the Financial Data Center (that is resided under the Ministry of Finance) stated that:

*around 100 million e-invoices will be issued in Taiwan by the end of 2011
*that figure will expand to 2 billion (!!!) by the end of 2012
*4 billion e-invoices will be issued in 2013.
*in 2013 50% of all invoices in Taiwan are e-invoices. Respect.