Reporting and analysis on retail, e-commerce, and consumer trends in Japan, updated continuously by our newsroom.
In a region where masses of users are newly armed with smartphones and more spending power, Southeast Asia is a new gold mine for tech enterprises. China’s quickly saturating market for all things tech has pushed Asia-bound start-ups to seek new territory,…
Sign up and we notify you about new features and Add-Ons By Kim Eun-jung SEOUL, Sept. 17 (Yonhap) — The chief of South Korean retail giant Lotte Group pledged Thursday to untangle a cobweb of cross-shareholding among its affiliates and speed up the listing…
Uniqlo Belgium is to open its first store – in Antwerp, on October 2. The opening will mark a further expansion of Uniqlo parent Fast Retailing’s European footprint as it tries to achieve its goal of becoming the world’s largest apparel retailer by 2020. The…
American edtech startup EnglishCentral earlier this week announced the acquisition of a Japanese startup offering similar online tutoring for English learners. Langrich will be acquired in a share-swap agreement that sees the Tokyo-based startup’s investors –…
Japanese watchmaker Seiko has opened its first boutique in Russia – 50 years after it first started exporting watches to Russian. The Seiko Moscow boutique opened at the St. Nickolas complex on Nikolskaya St, a high-end shopping district in the capital city.…
Japanese convenience store rivals Lawson and Three F say they are “discussing options” for a capital and business alliance. The move was announced in a statement which was short on detail. Lawson, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation, is Japan’s second…
A sense of security is paramount for nearly one quarter of shoppers when evaluating whether to purchase goods from a retailer online, according to a new survey from Worldpay, a payments provider. Assuring customers they are in safe hands throughout the entire…
The first official theme stores of Japanese bear character Kumamon have opened in Thailand’s capital city, Bangkok. Kumamon is a mascot created by the government of Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan. It was created in 2010 for a campaign called to draw tourists to…
Hermes Japan has driven the luxury handbag and apparel brand to a 20 per cent increase in first half profit. For many successive quarters, Japanese have been maintaining tight control of their spending – but this year life has returned to the retail sector –…
Singapore-born sportswear brand RedWhite Apparel is expanding into two new Asian markets. RedWhite Apparel makes clothing for cyclists, high quality gear for those undertaking ultra-long distance rides. The company has announced the appointment of…
According to the English-language Japan news site RocketNews 24, a few weeks ago two families got into a fight at a large retail outlet in Kobe over disposable diapers. Both families had come to the store when it opened in order to buy as many diapers as they…
Retailers FamilyMart Co. and Uny Group Holdings Co. are mulling putting off the conclusion of a basic accord on their planned business integration to September or later, it was learned on Thursday. This is because Uny’s work to draw up measures to shore up…
An eCommerce venture relaunched in Japan this week claims to be the world’s largest wholesale website. Super Delivery, launched domestically by Raccoon Co back in 2002, offers apparel and general merchandise produced or developed in Japan for supply to 134…
Israeli sandal maker and retailer Teva Naot is gaining a cult following in Japan. The footwear brand has just opened its fifth “high class boutique” in Japan, and plans even more stores as it wins the hearts and wallets of Japanese. The company already has…
British footwear brand Clarks says it sees Asia Pacific growth as a “a key strategic focus” for the company. The 190 year old, £1.5 billion business, plans to open 100 stores in the region in the next 12 months. “As we celebrate a significant birthday, we are…
Japan’s leading eCommerce portal Rakuten has launched Rakubin – a new rapid delivery service which promises goods in as little as 20 minutes – 2 hours a day. The new service has made its debut in the Tokyo suburbs of Shibuya, Setagaya, Minato and Meguro. It…
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