The top 100 shopping centres continue to grow. After a great year in FY2013, with sales rising an average of 4.2%, the leading SCs overcame the downturn in spending in 1H2014 to finish with another 3.9% jump in FY2014. The top selling SCs fared much better than the sector as a whole, which was flat […]
Familymart-Uny deal finally inked in October In mid-October, a month later than expected, Familymart and Uny announced they’d reached agreement to merge in 2016. The deal will be formally inked at the two companies’ AGMs next Spring with the merger initiated in September through a share swap agreement. For Uny, the deal offers business security […]
Nikkei’s annual ‘Net Life’ survey for 2015 shows a downturn in spending online due to the overall expenditure cut backs over the past year. As Amazon has added new brands and sub-stores, more shoppers are moving away from domestic rival Rakuten, although Rakuten still comes out as number one in apparel and food sales online. […]
Epsilon’s latest study on brand loyalty in Japan reconfirms a high level of loyalty to certain brands in some sectors. Loyalty programmes are popular, with consumers more likely to be members of multiple schemes rather than none at all, but shoppers look for value in their loyalty points, with programmes such as T-Points or Ponta […]
Seven & I is determined to make its GMS and department store businesses more profitable. It has already invested in upgrading key department stores, while converting others to hybrid SC operations, and last month announced the closure of 20% of Ito-Yokado stores. Key to future profit will be the rapidly expanding range of brands sold […]
Lumine just signed a franchise deal with an overseas pizza chain. Nothing particularly unusual about that, but what is radical is that it is a direct franchise, and Lumine has plans for more, not only in dining but also in apparel, accessories and home fashion. It is even looking at Lumine-managed select shops. JR East’s […]
Anyone claiming access to the important 24-34 year old women’s market in Japan is going to get attention. A new start up backed by @cosme and Itochu’s Excite Japan claims not only access to 15 million young women but also a sure fire way to get their attention: curated ads on their smartphones as they […]
World shocked the apparel industry with its plan to cut 500 stores, and TSI Holdings continues to slash away at its brand portfolio. Other major apparel groups are also under serious pressure too. Itokin may well be forced to accept management by its main bank and Onward has failed to see any renewal after pulling […]
Japan’s network of 55,000 convenience stores, 80% of them run by just three companies, is an ideal delivery system for online sales. The growth in online retailing in general is a tremendous opportunity for domestic and overseas brands alike, with expanded market access and lower cost distribution options of particular interest to overseas firms. The […]
The small format chain ambitions of the major department stores are a great opportunity for overseas brands to reach new parts of the country and new customers. Isetan Salone was there first and is very much a high end select shop, but now Takashimaya has come up with its own chain, one designed specifically for […]
Laox, a name apparently derived from Latin, was born in Japan more than 50 years ago, but in 2001 the company went under. Since being rescued by its new Chinese parent, the chain has re-emerged as the single leading retailer targeting tourists, and a major source of sales for brands of cosmetics, fashion, jewellery, and […]
Daimaru Matsuzakaya installs four Laox stores this Autumn Daimaru Matsuzakaya has agreed with Chinese-owned Laox to open four concessions within its department store chain this Autumn. The small 100 sqm Laox in Daimaru Shinsaibashi moved to a 400 sqm space in the South Annex in September prior to the main building’s closure. The same day […]
In the first case for a department store, Isetan-Mitsukoshi will establish a joint venture company with leading third-party loyalty card provider, CCC. The T-Point loyalty card system is the most widely accepted in Japan. Signing Isetan-Mitsukoshi is a major coup, and the department store is expecting the relationship to pay equal dividends in helping it […]
With all the major drugstore chains introducing new value added services in efforts to compete in the increasingly saturated sector, last month the leading chain, Matsumotokiyoshi, added to the competition with the first of an entirely new format. Matsukiyo LAB is aiming for 50 stores within five years, targeting single person households in urban areas […]
Lohaco, Askul’s online shopping site aimed at the general consumer market, is fast becoming a significant competitor for the likes of Amazon and Seven & I. Backed by Askul’s considerable experience in non-store retail, Lohaco took a further step this summer by introducing a major update to its smartphone shopping app. The app has been […]
In November Mitsui will open its biggest Lalaport shopping centre and the largest single SC in the country to date. The Expocity Lalaport will open in northern Osaka. 2015 marks 35 years since the first Lalaport opened and this year has been the busiest yet in terms of SC openings. Mitsui Real Estate’s largest ever […]
Everyone knows that tourist spending is booming, helping department stores in particular offset weaker domestic spending on discretionary items. But how much each tourist spends and what they spend it on is harder to define. A recent survey of 15,000 tourists helps to shed light on Japan’s great Tourist Dividend; while Chinese dominate in both […]
It is no secret that the general merchandise store (GMS) sector is past its prime, but recent results suggest the crisis is only getting worse. Last month two of the largest chains announced store closures, following on from similar announcements from Seiyu. Aeon too is looking to restructure its operations. Is there any chance the […]
Two years after announcing its much vaunted omnichannel strategy, Seven & I is launching the first stage in its integration of both offline and online sales channels, introducing large scale ‘click & collect’ to Japan for the first time. While Amazon can provide same day delivery in some areas, Seven & I is about to […]
IKEA to build chain of satellite stores IKEA Japan is set to expand through small format satellite stores – a major departure for the big-box retailer, which has traditionally seen its store investments as the key to marketing its brand and its large product range. A typical store is more than 20,000 sqm, even in […]
