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. […]
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 […]
Seven & I has authorised large budgets for any group retailer that comes up with projects to help in its efforts to become Japan’s first true omnichannel retailer. The latest is a luxury online store from Sogo Seibu with its own branding. Seven & I’s generous budgets for any group project promoting omnichannel retailing […]
Takashimaya and Onward have launched a collaboration that allows sales assistants in Onward’s brand concessions to order unavailable items directly from Select Square, Takashimaya’s online store. For Onward, this means more flexibility in merchandising and better use of limited space. For Takashimaya it expands the options for omnichannel services and provides an opportunity to better […]
Following J Front’s investment, Senshukai is working hard to realign itself as an omnichannel retailer. With close to 80% of sales coming from online, and a legacy supply chain reliant on wholesalers, this is a challenge, but it is now launching new brands designed for both store roll out and online sales, all with direct […]
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 […]
LINE is expanding its online retail operations through a new social shopping function, offering opportunities for overseas brands to target the Japanese market. The LINE messaging app will act as a social shopping platform, allowing users to digitally window shop for carefully selected brands not currently available at home. Messaging app company LINE introduced […]
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 […]
Senshukai is emerging as the most dynamic of the old catalogue-based direct marketers. Like Nissen it will become the hub for the omnichannel ambitions of a major retail conglomerate – its Belle Maison and Benebis brands now feature prominently in Daimaru-Matsuzakaya stores. Senshukai is also expanding in its own right, looking to the wedding business […]
Retail results for FY2014 show just how well corporate retailing weathered the impact of the consumption tax increase in April 2014. Market share for the largest companies continues to grow, as does the percentage of sales taken up by private brands, but dynamism is also reflected in the emergence of new success stories. These are […]
Most women want to buy luxury bags, but there’s also the option to rent them for short periods. While this might look like bad news for bag brands since it means fewer are sold, it actually expands the market for bags designed for special occasions, times when a new purchase can’t quite be justified for […]
Yamato will launch an e-commerce package for retailers this month, leveraging its vast logistics base. The new service brings competition for Amazon and Seven & I, with rapid fulfilment to customers and backend support, while crucially helping Rakuten and other portals solve their problems with patchy merchant deliveries. Small merchants will even be able to […]
Fast Retailing has announced a new plan to boost online sales and make better use of IT in its stores. It expects to build new systems that allow sharing of online purchase data with store staff in the hope of providing better in-store services. The initiative will mean a significant increase in IT hires and […]
Lawson and Sagawa are launching a new joint venture next month that will eventually see Sagawa take over delivery services for 12,000 Lawson stores across the country. Even more significant, Sagawa will use the stores as small depots for its existing parcel delivery service, as well as delivering orders from stores direct to customers’ doors. […]
Fifth is an online-only, fast fashion store with strong visuals. It is one of the more successful new e-commerce ventures, expecting to grow to sales of ¥10 billion within a few years. It also plans to sell its expertise to other fashion businesses needing help online. Fifth is a fast fashion, online store offering ‘fashion […]
Omnichannel retailing seems to be the holy grail for retailing these days. Seven & I catalysed the strategy when it bought Nissen, aiming to make it the centre of an omnichannel retail empire, and many other major retailers are looking to incorporate e-commerce as part of a multi-channel strategy too. Now J Front has followed […]
The mountains of little used clothing and accessories piling up in the back of closets across Japan is suddenly an area ripe for exploration in the new online sharing boom. A new start up aims to help people clean-up, while another is offering rental services based on expert advice from stylists. There is even a […]
LINE dominates instant messaging in Japan. It is now beginning to exploit the value of its database, helping brands and retailers reach new audiences and finding ways to engage with consumers that, potentially at least, will entertain rather than annoy. The new LINE@ service makes it easier than ever to deliver promotions as well as […]
Although many major fashion brands now sell through online malls, there is a growing shift towards taking greater direct control of online sales. This leaves the two main online fashion malls Magaseek and Start Today with a major problem. Both are trying to solve this issue by providing consulting and operating services in addition to […]
Glamour-Sales is, along with Oak Lawn Marketing, one of very few success stories among Japanese non-store businesses set up by foreign residents. Since the launch five years ago, Glamour-Sales has carved a significant share of the flash sales market. Following US$65 million in new backing last year, it is expanding quickly, and with 50% of […]
