Taiwan Convenience Store Services: 7-Eleven & FamilyMart Beyond Snacks
Taiwan's convenience stores — 7-Eleven (統一超商), FamilyMart (全家), Hi-Life (萊爾富), OK Mart — are closer to civic infrastructure than shops. With roughly one store per 2,000 people, you are never more than a short walk from bill payment, parcel pickup, printing, and cash. Here is what newcomers should actually use.
繳費 Bill payment
Pay almost any bill in cash at the counter: electricity, water, gas, NHI premiums, tuition, traffic fines, parking fees, and credit card bills. Hand the paper bill (or show the barcode in the issuer's app) to the cashier. There is usually a small handling fee (NT$0–15 per bill), and some bills above a threshold (commonly NT$20,000–40,000 depending on the chain) cannot be paid in store.
取貨 Parcel pickup (0元取貨)
Order online from Shopee, Momo, PChome, or Taobao TW and choose 超商取貨 — the parcel goes to the store you pick, you collect it with the pickup code/ID, usually within 2–7 days. Standard service fee is around NT$60 per parcel (often waived during promotions). Unclaimed parcels are returned after about 7 days. This is also how most people receive packages when their building has no doorman.
列印/影印 Printing and scanning
- 7-Eleven's ibon and FamilyMart's FamiPort kiosks print documents from USB, email, or cloud upload (ibon even accepts files via its app/website with a pickup code).
- Black-and-white A4 is a few NT dollars per page; color costs more. Scanning to email/USB is available too.
- Need something official printed for immigration or banking? These kiosks are the fastest option outside business hours.
ATM and cash
Every store has an ATM (7-Eleven partners with CTBC; FamilyMart with Taishin, among others). Foreign cards generally work but watch for the local withdrawal fee plus your home bank's charges. For large amounts, use your bank's own ATM instead.
Everyday extras worth knowing
- Ticketing: ibon/FamiPort sell concert, exhibition, and THSR/TRA tickets, and handle registrations.
- Prepaid top-ups: phone credit and EasyCard top-ups at the counter.
- Coffee and food: the NT$35–65 store coffee is genuinely decent; tea eggs (茶葉蛋), onigiri (御飯糰), and microwave meals are the newcomer's survival kit.
- Restrooms: many stores have customer restrooms — invaluable in an unfamiliar neighborhood.
- Seating: larger stores have eat-in areas with microwaves and hot water.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay bills with a foreign credit card at the counter?
Bill payment at the counter is cash-only in most cases. Some chains accept specific local e-payments; foreign cards are generally not accepted for 繳費.
How do I know my parcel arrived?
You will get an SMS with a pickup code and the store name. Bring the code plus an ID matching the recipient name.
Do stores stay open on holidays?
Nearly all are 24/7, 365 days — including Lunar New Year. It is one of the most reliable things in Taiwan.
Sources
- 7-Eleven Taiwan service information: https://www.7-11.com.tw
- FamilyMart Taiwan service information: https://www.family.com.tw