Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets, JapanConsuming

Michael Causton

Michael is co-founder and partner at 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 and seminars on retail sectors and consumer trends, as well as telephone consulting/meetings with investors. 

All of JapanConsuming's team are bilingual and bi-cultural, and the company's research sources are:

Direct meetings with retailers, wholesalers, distributors, trade body staff, govt., marketing firms, academics etc.
Govt. data
Trade association data
Trade Press across all consumer sectors
Unique Network of buyers/managers/marketing staff at retail, as well as wholesalers and trading firms.
Editors/Journalists at publishing houses and PR/Ad firms.


JapanConsuming was founded by Michael Causton and Roy Larke. 

Michael Causton set up and ran a consumer distribution business in Tokyo for 10 years and developed this into a business responsible for annual imports to Japan of several billion Yen, at the same time building up an inside knowledge of how Japanese distribution works and developing a network of contacts across the industry. Seeing the lack of quality market intelligence on Japanese markets, he co-founded JapanConsuming in 2000. He divides his time between Japan and Europe/US consulting for companies, governments and investors, including providing talks, seminars, and webinars as well as writing reports and books.

Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets

3rd Tie-Up for Locondo in 3 Months Brings It Within the Purview of NTT Docomo

Fashion: Still the Biggest Japanese E-Commerce Category – and Still Growing Fast

Fashion Retailers Fight Back Against the Dominance of Zozotown

Laox (8202) Cheap with Some Signs of a Recovery

Laox (8202) December Number Continue to Show Recovery Trend.

Laox (8202) Business Still Tough but 12/18 Will Be Much Better, Shares Very Cheap.

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 class=""><li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/321" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:321:1">Laox Co Ltd (8202 JP)</a>, a Japanese retailer majority owned by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/9178" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9178:1">Suning Commerce Group Co A (002024 CH)</a>, has agreed with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/26993" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26993:1">Locondo Inc (3558 JP)</a>, an online shopping mall operator, to purchase Shaddy, a very traditional gift marketing firm with 3,000 affiliate stores.</li><li>Laox and Locondo started talking about collaboration a year ago and last month formalised a wide ranging agreement on sales and product development.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li><li>The acquisition of Shaddy is being carried out through a new fund called L Capital set up by the two companies, and Locondo suggested further acquisitions may take place.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li><li>M&amp;A is essential to Locondo if it is to grow to sufficient volume to escape the shadow of Start Today’s Zozotown and the major general malls, Rakuten Ichiba and Amazon Japan.</li></ul>

Laox Co Ltd (8202 JP), a Japanese retailer majority owned by Suning Commerce Group Co A (002024 CH), has agreed with Locondo Inc (3558 JP), an online shopping mall operator, to purchase Shaddy, a very traditional gift marketing firm with 3,000 affiliate stores.Laox and Locondo started talking about collaboration a year ago and last month formalised a wide ranging agreement on sales and product development. The acquisition of Shaddy is being carried out through a new fund called L Capital set up by the two companies, and Locondo suggested further acquisitions may take place. M&amp;A is essential to Locondo if it is to grow to sufficient volume to escape the shadow of Start Today’s Zozotown and the major general malls, Rakuten Ichiba and Amazon Japan.

Why Are Laox and Locondo Buying Shaddy, a Traditional Gift Direct Marketer?

Jade Group

Why Are Laox and Locondo Buying Shaddy, a Traditional Gift Direct Marketer?