Choosing a competitive radius in Taiwan districts
How foot traffic, MRT exits, and night-market spillover change who counts as a real competitor for local firms.
When owners ask us to “study the market,” the first clarification is geographic: who competes for the same walk-in or same-day appointment? Distance alone is misleading in Taiwanese urban blocks.
MRT exit gravity
A clinic 350 metres from an exit may compete with firms beside the station even if a closer shop exists on a quiet lane. For health and personal services, we often draw the radius from the exit, not the storefront.
Night-market spillover
Food and snack brands near night markets face tourists and late-hour crowds that daytime-only competitors ignore. A 500-metre circle may include stalls that are not competitors at lunch. Segment your radius by time of day when you sell.
Residential vs commercial mix
In mixed lanes (Da’an, Zhongshan patterns), a household services firm competes with neighbours who market to families, not offices two streets over. Note building types when you list comparables.
Practical defaults we use
| Business type | Starting radius | Adjust when |
|---|---|---|
| Café / bakery | 400–600 m | Same street cluster |
| Clinic / therapy | 500 m from MRT exit | Hospital referral heavy |
| Hardware / trade | 1–2 km | Delivery accounts matter |
| Packaged retail | 2 km + shelf set | Convenience store overlap |
Document your rationale
Briefs and audits include a one-paragraph radius justification so future staff do not expand the list arbitrarily. If you are preparing your own comparison set, write that paragraph now—it saves rework later.
Need a documented brief? See our Competitive Landscape Brief consultation.