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. 

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Amazon Japan continues to lead in online merchandise sales, with GTVs rising faster than Rakuten in 2021 and far ahead of Z Holdings. </li>
<li>Nevertheless both the domestic incumbents are fighting hard to overcome their weaknesses and use their strengths in mobile networks, loyalty points and cashless payments to win share.</li>
<li>Rakuten is also now making it possible to consolidate orders from multiple merchants and plans to open this service to any online merchant – a game changer for online platforms. </li>
</ul>


Amazon Japan continues to lead in online merchandise sales, with GTVs rising faster than Rakuten in 2021 and far ahead of Z Holdings. 
Nevertheless both the domestic incumbents are fighting hard to overcome their weaknesses and use their strengths in mobile networks, loyalty points and cashless payments to win share.
Rakuten is also now making it possible to consolidate orders from multiple merchants and plans to open this service to any online merchant – a game changer for online platforms. 


Japan E-Commerce Wars Intensify Among the Big 3 Online Platforms

Executive Director, Metrical Inc

Aki Matsumoto

Executive Director

Independent Leading Corporate Governance Research

Metrical Inc

METRICAL INC. is an independent leading Corporate Governance research firm in Japan where Corporate Governance is increasingly recognized as an important element on corporate management in these days. Thus, CG research and solutions would become an essential component of global capital markets and play important to contribute to transparency of the markets and maximize shareholders’ value in Japan. 

METRICAL INC. provides Corporate Governance research and analysis including rating services, and  also offers investment research and IR services with solutions and customized profound research on CG and IR issues.

<ul>
<li>The E-Commerce Model, which is a source of revenue, is seeing a decline in profit margins while marketing costs remain high.</li>
<li>In the Delivery Model, the profitability of Outsourced Delivery is improving, but it has yet to break even. Demae-Can intends to seek opportunities in retail delivery to accelerate break-even process.</li>
<li>Demae-Can plans to achieve the operating loss for FY8/2022 to 50 billion yen, but hasn't indicated when it returns to black-ink due to the competitive environment in food delivery business.</li>
</ul>


The E-Commerce Model, which is a source of revenue, is seeing a decline in profit margins while marketing costs remain high.
In the Delivery Model, the profitability of Outsourced Delivery is improving, but it has yet to break even. Demae-Can intends to seek opportunities in retail delivery to accelerate break-even process.
Demae-Can plans to achieve the operating loss for FY8/2022 to 50 billion yen, but hasn't indicated when it returns to black-ink due to the competitive environment in food delivery business.


Japan's Governance: Demae-Can (2484) 2QFY8/2022 Briefing

<ul>
<li>OniGo only opened its first dark store in the middle of last year and along with competitors is expanding rapidly.</li>
<li>But it also recently signed up to deliver orders from Lawson Store 100 and is running a trial from Comfort Market, Seven &amp; I’s concept store in Setagaya.  </li>
<li>In both cases, online orders are picked, not by store staff, but by OniGo’s own staff, to increase the speed of order preparation and to tie to store’s inventory systems.</li>
</ul>


OniGo only opened its first dark store in the middle of last year and along with competitors is expanding rapidly.
But it also recently signed up to deliver orders from Lawson Store 100 and is running a trial from Comfort Market, Seven &amp; I’s concept store in Setagaya.  
In both cases, online orders are picked, not by store staff, but by OniGo’s own staff, to increase the speed of order preparation and to tie to store’s inventory systems.


Dark Store Delivery in Japan Takes Off – Collaborating with Retailers

<ul>
<li>As we have been tracking in recent months, the market for rapid home delivery of FMCG and food is hotting up, with much of the action at convenience stores.</li>
<li>The CVS sector was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic but with a network of 56,000 stores, there is an opportunity to use these stores as supply points.</li>
<li>CVS need to engage with delivery services given the growing number of firms creating their own dark store networks which compete with local supermarkets and CVS.</li>
</ul>


As we have been tracking in recent months, the market for rapid home delivery of FMCG and food is hotting up, with much of the action at convenience stores.
The CVS sector was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic but with a network of 56,000 stores, there is an opportunity to use these stores as supply points.
CVS need to engage with delivery services given the growing number of firms creating their own dark store networks which compete with local supermarkets and CVS.


Quick Commerce and Unmanned Stores Challenge Japanese Convenience Retailing

Telco/Internet specialist

Kirk Boodry

Redex Research

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Q3 21 in-line for revenue but well ahead for EBITDA on solid advertising growth leading to an upgrade in management's full-year EBITDA target.</li>
<li>Operational results were encouraging with double-digit gains in ad sales and 7% eCommerce growth despite strong year-ago comps.</li>
<li>Impairment losses for equity associate Demae-Can sting but the overall story is positive.</li>
</ul>


Q3 21 in-line for revenue but well ahead for EBITDA on solid advertising growth leading to an upgrade in management's full-year EBITDA target.
Operational results were encouraging with double-digit gains in ad sales and 7% eCommerce growth despite strong year-ago comps.
Impairment losses for equity associate Demae-Can sting but the overall story is positive.


Z Holdings (Buy) Q3 21 Results Reaction: Mostly Positive as Ad Sales Continues to Impress

Japan

Demae-can Co., Ltd. operates websites offering comprehensive delivery services.  The Company's websites allow users to order food, dry cleaning, and repair and recycling services through the Internet.

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Demae-Can Co., Ltd. (2484 JP)

Japan E-Commerce Wars Intensify Among the Big 3 Online Platforms

The intensity of competition between the big 3 in e-commerce (Amazon, Rakuten, Z Holdings) means that all are investing heavily. Amazon leads but...

Michael Causton

Japan's Governance: Demae-Can (2484) 2QFY8/2022 Briefing

As for the progress in 2Q, the expansion of retail delivery partners seems to be a good news. However, there is still significant problems in...

Metrical Inc

Dark Store Delivery in Japan Takes Off – Collaborating with Retailers

Dark stores are taking off, set up by delivery firms to ship food and basic daily use products. Some are competing with retailers but others are...

Michael Causton

Quick Commerce and Unmanned Stores Challenge Japanese Convenience Retailing

As we have been tracking in recent months, the market for rapid home delivery of FMCG and food is hotting up, with much of the action at...

Michael Causton

Z Holdings (Buy) Q3 21 Results Reaction: Mostly Positive as Ad Sales Continues to Impress

This was a good quarter with better-than-expected growth in eCommerce, ad sales and cashless payments and an upgrade to the full-year EBITDA target...

Kirk Boodry

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