Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets, JapanConsuming

Michael Causton

Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets

Real Insight on Japanese Consumer Markets

JapanConsuming

JapanConsuming is a specialist research firm producing intelligence on Japanese retail and consumer markets. Founded in 2000, JapanConsuming has become the leading provider of insights on Japanese retailers and consumer trends to retailers, brands, government agencies and investors. As well as a highly regarded monthly report on the market, JapanConsuming produces in-depth reports on retail sectors, seminars on key trends and telephone consulting to investors on trends and retailers.

JapanConsuming was founded by Michael Causton and Roy Larke. 

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Zozo may be the leading online fashion mall but it has spent the last two years using its power to drive more traffic to its merchants’ physical stores. </li>
<li>Its latest service allows stores to sell stock held at Zozo’s fulfilment centre when they themselves have sold out and thus avoid lost sales opportunities.</li>
<li>Zozo itself, meanwhile, will open a physical store in Omotesando but one entirely devoted to styling services for its customers.</li>
</ul>


Zozo may be the leading online fashion mall but it has spent the last two years using its power to drive more traffic to its merchants’ physical stores. 
Its latest service allows stores to sell stock held at Zozo’s fulfilment centre when they themselves have sold out and thus avoid lost sales opportunities.
Zozo itself, meanwhile, will open a physical store in Omotesando but one entirely devoted to styling services for its customers.


Zozo Opens Store in Omotesando, to Increase Retail Ties

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>The apparel/fashion sector made a partial recovery last year but was still down on 2019. 2022 looks a lot brighter with customers now back in stores including even inbound tourists. </li>
<li>The same challenges that the sector faced before Covid remain but there is plenty of room to grow by taking share from the less innovative competitors – i.e. more consolidation.</li>
<li>The sector saw the highest fall in store numbers in its history last year, but there was more investment in creating a compelling omnichannel model suited to Japan’s particular market.</li>
</ul>


The apparel/fashion sector made a partial recovery last year but was still down on 2019. 2022 looks a lot brighter with customers now back in stores including even inbound tourists. 
The same challenges that the sector faced before Covid remain but there is plenty of room to grow by taking share from the less innovative competitors – i.e. more consolidation.
The sector saw the highest fall in store numbers in its history last year, but there was more investment in creating a compelling omnichannel model suited to Japan’s particular market.


Japan's Apparel/Fashion Sector Big Review: Momentum Builds for Full Recovery

<ul>
<li>Like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/workman-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8467:1" rel="noopener">Workman Co Ltd (7564 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/honeys-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3829:1" rel="noopener">Honeys Holdings Co., Ltd. (2792 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shimamura-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15213:1" rel="noopener">Shimamura (8227 JP)</a> has been a beneficiary of both household budget worries during Covid and inflation concerns since. </li>
<li>The apparel retailer has also worked hard to develop better cost performance ranges and more exciting marketing through collaborations with influencers, helping regain footfall levels.</li>
<li>Shimamura has clearly regained momentum and looks set to continue to benefit from consumer fears over inflation and ongoing shifts in spending towards low-price retailers.</li>
</ul>


Like Workman Co Ltd (7564 JP) and Honeys Holdings Co., Ltd. (2792 JP), Shimamura (8227 JP) has been a beneficiary of both household budget worries during Covid and inflation concerns since. 
The apparel retailer has also worked hard to develop better cost performance ranges and more exciting marketing through collaborations with influencers, helping regain footfall levels.
Shimamura has clearly regained momentum and looks set to continue to benefit from consumer fears over inflation and ongoing shifts in spending towards low-price retailers.


<ul>
<li>Lowya is an online furniture brand run by Vega Corp that hit the headlines with 42% growth in 2020 while most other lifestyle retailers were reeling from the pandemic. </li>
<li>Sales fell last year post-Covid and won't grow much this year either but Lowya wants to become a ¥60 billion business and looks a good bet for the long-term.</li>
<li>Lowya will shift to a mall model similar to Zozo which should allow it to grow faster, while tie-ups with major retailers like Aeon should raise brand awareness fast.</li>
</ul>


Lowya is an online furniture brand run by Vega Corp that hit the headlines with 42% growth in 2020 while most other lifestyle retailers were reeling from the pandemic. 
Sales fell last year post-Covid and won't grow much this year either but Lowya wants to become a ¥60 billion business and looks a good bet for the long-term.
Lowya will shift to a mall model similar to Zozo which should allow it to grow faster, while tie-ups with major retailers like Aeon should raise brand awareness fast.


<ul>
<li>Adastria's growth has been sporadic in recent years as it adjusts to maturity and saturation in core apparel markets.It has diversification projects but these will take time to develop.</li>
<li>It thinks it can find faster growth by franchising and licensing with already well-known brands, starting with Forever 21.</li>
<li>It also has a new business providing apparel collections to General Merchandise Retailers, starting with Izumi.</li>
</ul>


Adastria's growth has been sporadic in recent years as it adjusts to maturity and saturation in core apparel markets.It has diversification projects but these will take time to develop.
It thinks it can find faster growth by franchising and licensing with already well-known brands, starting with Forever 21.
It also has a new business providing apparel collections to General Merchandise Retailers, starting with Izumi.


Adastria Signs Forever 21, New Growth Through Licensing?

Japan

ZOZO Inc operates internet shopping sites for apparel.  The Company also provides communication services relating to apparel such as blogs by fashion moguls and internet chat room for users.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

ZOZO Inc (3092 JP)

Zozo Opens Store in Omotesando, to Increase Retail Ties

Zozo has proven that it can continue to innovate in the nexus between fashion and technology even without its founder and in fact has become more...

Michael Causton

Japan's Apparel/Fashion Sector Big Review: Momentum Builds for Full Recovery

Japan's fashion and apparel sector was severely hit by the pandemic and the loss of tourism. With wallets full, Japanese are now spending again...

Michael Causton

Shimamura Set for Another Record

Shimamura is back doing what it does best: low cost apparel for women and their families, a formula that is just what consumers are looking for...

Michael Causton

Lowya – the Zozo of Home Decor?

Home decoration is a strong consumer category in Japan and Lowya a big name in online furniture. Tie-ups with Aeon and its own stores combined with...

Michael Causton

Adastria Signs Forever 21, New Growth Through Licensing?

Adastria has suffered from inconsistent growth recently as it adjusted to maturity and the pandemic but has come up with two new growth ideas:...

Michael Causton

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)