Apparel retailers entered FY2014 with a good deal of worry about just how long consumers would stay away from stores after splurging before the consumption tax increase. The good news was that for many the second half of the year was positive, and by the end of the year, losses had been recouped. As a […]
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 […]
Fast Retailing’s number two chain is set to expand rapidly in coming years, adding 50 stores a year and increasing average store size. GU provides Fast Retailing with a new route to growth at home given saturation of the Uniqlo brand, and it also allows room to adjust positioning between the two brands, moving Uniqlo […]
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 […]
With retailers now firmly in control of their supply chains, and e-commerce growing quicker than any other sales channel, the major brands are just beginning to initiate moves to take better control over logistics functions too. Last month Fast Retailing completed a deal with Daiwa House aimed at improving distribution both at home and overseas. […]
GMS share of the apparel market shrank last year, with sales down yet again. There is some glimmer of hope as the top chains expand private brand ranges, design better apparel floors, and in many cases, hand over space to specialty tenants, with some even making a profit. General Merchandise Store (GMS) chains continue to […]
FY2013 retail results were heavily influenced by both renewed consumer confidence and increased spending spurred by the pending tax increase, but they also represent a new benchmark for the industry. Whereas a decade ago, the high performing retailers stood out as the exceptions, last year the opposite was true, with just a small number of […]
If you need logistics services for e-commerce or are looking for store construction, Daiwa House may have the solution. It is about to break ¥120 billion in sales from its logistics business, offering multi-tenant logistics facilities ideal for SMEs and especially for anyone selling online. It is also a major, if low profile, SC developer […]
A new listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange is part of Fast Retailing’s wider strategy to globalise its operations in a bid to get its stores into every key international market. Non-Japanese sales are certainly rising fast on the back of a rapid store roll out, but profitability remains elusive in some markets and […]
The results for specialty apparel retailing in FY2012 were even better than 2011, reflecting higher spending on premium fashions as well as a general uplift in consumer demand. The top specialty apparel retailers outperformed the market, averaging 9.1% growth and now account for 35% of the entire apparel market – the top 20 alone own […]
Fast Retailing finally achieved its target of ¥1 trillion in sales for the year ending August 2013. It took four years more than originally hoped, but is still a significant achievement as the first apparel firm to break this iconic target. The company claims to be still on track to meet CEO Tadashi Yanai’s next […]
