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

Japan Fashion E-Commerce Review: More Competition Coming for ZOZO and Rakuten

A New Online Premium Mall to Open in Japan in November

United Arrows Comes Out Fighting with Plans for Major New Chain

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

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

Yahoo Japan Reporting Strong Growth in ECommerce and Fintech. Competing Hard with Rakuten

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

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/26993" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26993:1">Locondo (3558 JP)</a> has for long talked up its plans to become a major player in the fashion e-commerce market and a rival to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/18379" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18379:1">ZOZO (3092 JP)</a>.This hasn’t happened yet, but the e-commerce firm hasn’t given up and now plans to create a chain of franchised Locondo stores to build its name.Locondo posted GMV growth of 48.4% in FY2018 ending February to ¥14.1 billion and sales rose 68.9% to ¥6.7 billion.Like Zozo, Locondo is also launching its own private brands and to differentiate from Zozo is introducing a high-end online mall called Locondo Department.Last month, Locondo acquired a mobile fashion mall called Mobakore from Senshukai and says it has ¥5 billion set aside for more acquisitions to help build scale.

Locondo (3558 JP) has for long talked up its plans to become a major player in the fashion e-commerce market and a rival to ZOZO (3092 JP).This hasn’t happened yet, but the e-commerce firm hasn’t given up and now plans to create a chain of franchised Locondo stores to build its name.Locondo posted GMV growth of 48.4% in FY2018 ending February to ¥14.1 billion and sales rose 68.9% to ¥6.7 billion.Like Zozo, Locondo is also launching its own private brands and to differentiate from Zozo is introducing a high-end online mall called Locondo Department.Last month, Locondo acquired a mobile fashion mall called Mobakore from Senshukai and says it has ¥5 billion set aside for more acquisitions to help build scale.

Zozo Competition: Locondo up 48%, Unveils Store Franchise, Adds Higher End Brands

Jade Group

Zozo Competition: Locondo up 48%, Unveils Store Franchise, Adds Higher End Brands