October 2024 Issue

FOCUS:

Fashion Retailing: the analogue pleasures of self-expression through clothes

The shakeout in clothing and fashion retailing continues, with most of the good fortune spread amongst a smaller group of either very large or very small retail chains and brands. In specialty, lower cost national chains largely located in the suburbs continued to increase share but premium fashion retailers also had a great year thanks to local and inbound support. More dramatic was the major revival in department store clothing floors, where the startling growth of a few stores and chains helped the format increase share of the total apparel market for only the fourth time in the last 20 years.

Seibu Ikebukuro: from warehouse to Luxury Maison

Seibu Ikebukuro’s much anticipated rebuild will complete in stages during next year, with a radical new concept: moving away from gender-split sales floors to inclusive retailing that focuses on glamour and a much better showcase for brands. The result could be a new benchmark for luxury retailing here – and one that could match Isetan Shinjuku’s lead ranking in sales densities.

Editorial: Omni-retail

Famivision: precision marketing for 3rd-party brands

Familymart continues to lead in retail media. As well as in-store digital signage, it has beacon tracking in place in most stores and recently opened its FamiPay app to 3rd-party brands. The system has hosted ads for more than 250 brands this year and, as more detailed options for customer interaction, personalised targeting and behavioural analysis become available, could transform brand advertising and marketing.

Oisix targeting ¥300 billion by 2030

Oisix is planning to double its sales by 2030 and the acquisition of several B2B and other companies means it is well on the way already. Sales are forecast to grow 72% this year alone.

Goldwin: 50% growth in 5 years

Goldwin has big plans for both The North Face and its own brand but there are worries about saturation for the former and lack of expertise for the latter’s expansion overseas. Goldwin has had an amazing run but can it build a global brand?

New retirement rules in 2025

In anticipation of raising the general retirement age, new regulations will come into force in 2025 requiring companies to provide options for older people to continue working. The move is very popular with workers, and should boost consumption by the over 65s considerably, but companies need to find the best ways to comply.

Onward goes young with Wego 

Most of Onward’s current customers are in their 40s and older but the purchase of casual clothing retailer, Wego, increases its exposure to people in their teens and 20s. It will accelerate development of new omnichannel brands to match as part of plans to grow sales by 50% in the next six years.

@Cosme jumps 30% on omnichannel

Originally an online forum for chatting about cosmetics, @Cosme has emerged as a major channel for sales too. While its online store is popular, the real driver of recent growth is its chain of stores.

KDDI-Lawson to create techbinis

Since acquiring its stake in Lawson, we’ve been patiently waiting to see how a telecoms business like KDDI will  leverage its new retail interest. The first experiments will launch next Spring and, not surprisingly, it’s all about tech. So far at least, details remain broad and truly innovative ideas are either thin on the ground or securely hidden away until launch day.

Muji opens more fashion stores, expands in Korea 

Muji continues its aggressive plan to move into food but it is also now reinventing its focus on clothing, with more dedicated stores, while investing further overseas.

20% work from home in 2024

Many insist that work-from-home was a Covid-blip and that Japanese simply love being in the office – and, by extension, those long commutes. In reality, this claim was probably never true. Working from home remains popular and the large cohort of staff avoiding the commute has once again begun to grow.

Aoyama Shoji: the future is omnichannel and custom suits

Aoyama Shoji leads the mass market suit sector but is suffering from changing trends: fewer working people and a devastating collapse in businesswear sales during Covid. It now believes omnichannel will be the key to a profitable future, especially for custom-made suits, which it expects to account for 50% of all suit sales by 2030.

Retail Data: Osaka boom continues

IN BRIEF

Shinjuku MyLord to close in March 2025

Nakasan closes in Aomori as other stores fight to survive

Mitsui and TBS to popularise pickleball

Tactics opens in Japan

Izumi acquires Sunny chain from Seiyu

Tokyu to sell Korinbo Tokyu Square

Almost 3,000 FMCG items see prices up this month

Amazon expands to 65 local delivery stations

Adastria chain offers lounge services

Mitsui Fudosan to build mall at Tokyo Station

Wacoal acquires Bravissimo 

Coke ON app reaches 57 million downloads

Shopping malls up 7.1%

Emi Terrace Tokorozawa aims for ¥30 billion sales

Aeon ramping up Ocado-backed investment

OK Super to open in Kansai

Amood fashion platform up 17.5 fold

Yutori opens 4 stores on the same day

Fried chicken skins a hit at Don Quijote

Yamato tries last-mile delivery robots

Rakuten introduces analytics platform

Core inflation stabilises at 2% in Tokyo

Retail Partners joins Amazon’s netsuper platform

Louis Vuitton Mito Keisei store to close in December

Brands and C0mpanies in this Issue

Adastria, 1, 6–7, 14, 16–19
Aeon, 5, 10, 18
Aeon Hokkaido, 17
Aeon Kyushu, 14, 17
Allbirds, 7
Amazon, 4, 6, 10, 13
Amood, 10
Aoki Holdings, 13, 16–18
Aoyama Shoji, 1, 13, 16–17, 19
Bankan Wamonoya, 18
Barneys Japan, 17
Baroque Japan, 17–19
Baybrook, 18
Baycrews, 14, 16–19
Belluna, 17
Bic Camera, 3
Bravissimo, 7–8
Brooks Brothers, 16–17
Cawachi Yakuhin, 1
Coca Cola, 8–9
Cosmos Yakuhin, 5
Cox, 17, 19
Cyberagent, 4
Daimaru, 1, 17
Daimaru Hakata, 17
Daiso, 9–10
Daiwa, 17
Daytona Int, 17
Don Quijote, 11, 14, 18
Dormeuil, 13
Efuego Corp, 4
Emi Terrace, 6, 9
En Japan, 8
Familymart, 3–5, 11
Famimania, 4
FamiPay, 4, 11
Felissimo, 17
Five Foxes, 17
Fortress Investment, 1
Gap, 17
Genky Drugstore, 1
Global Style, 16–19
GlowPick, 10
Goldwin, 1, 6–7
Green Beans, 10
GU, 14, 16–19
Hankyu, 1, 3, 16–17
Haruyama Shoji, 17, 19
Heiwado, 17
Helly Hansen, 7
Hentai Meshi, 11
Honeys, 16–19
Hulic, 7
Isetan, 1, 3, 16–17
Itochu, 4, 18
Itokin, 17
Iwataya Mitsukoshi, 16–17
Izumiya, 17
Izutsuya, 17
Jun, 17, 20–21
Junkudo, 10
Kajima, 7
KDDI, 1, 5, 11
Keio, 16–17
Kintetsu, 17
Komeri, 1
Konaka, 17, 19
Lacoste, 9
Lalaport, 4
Laox, 18
Lawson, 1, 5, 11
Leilian, 17, 19
Loft, 3
Louis Vuitton, 13
LVMH, 1
Mac House, 14, 17–19
Maruhiro, 17
Marui Mitsukoshi, 17
Mash Holdings, 16–17, 19
Matsuya, 1, 16–17
Meitetsu, 16–17
Mito Keisei, 13
Mitsubishi Corporation, 11
Mitsui Bussan, 7
Mitsui Fudosan, 4, 7
Muji, 1, 3, 12, 14, 16–19
Nakasan, 3
Nishimatsuya Chain, 1, 14, 16–19
Nitori, 1, 3
Nojima, 3, 10
Ocado, 10
Odakyu, 3, 16–17
Oisix, 1, 5–6
Onward Holdings, 16–17
Pal Group, 16–19
Palemo, 17–19
Pan Pacific, 14
Paseos, 17
Ponta, 11
PPIH, 17
Purple Carrot, 6
Rakuten, 12
Rio Holdings, 5
Ryohin Keikaku, 12, 16–17
Sakazen Group, 17
Sanki, 17–18
Sazaby League, 14, 17, 19
Seijo Ishii, 13
Seiyu, 4, 17
Senshukai, 17
Seven Eleven, 6, 11
SG, 14, 18
Shimamura, 1, 14, 16–19
Sogo Seibu, 1, 17
Speedo, 7
Stripe International, 14, 17–19
Sumitomo Realty, 7
Sumitomo Shoji, 9
Sunny, 4
Suntory, 5
Tabio, 16–19
Tactics, 4
Takashimaya, 1, 3, 16–17
Tatsumiya, 17, 19
Tawaraya, 17
Tenmaya, 17
Tobu, 16–17
Tokiwa, 17
Tokyo Base, 17, 19
Tokyu, 5, 16–17
Tsuruya, 17
Tutuanna, 16–17, 19
Uniqlo, 1, 3, 9, 14, 16–19
United Arrows, 1, 17, 19
Wacoal, 17
Wego, 1, 9, 17
Workman, 1, 16–19
Yodobashi Camera, 1, 3
York Benimaru, 17
Younger Song, 10
Yutori, 10–11
Zazahoraya Group, 17
Zozo, 16–18