Reporting and analysis on retail, e-commerce, and consumer trends in Japan, updated continuously by our newsroom.
Japanese department store operator Isetan has reported mounting losses in Singapore as sales fall and rents rise. Group sales for the three months to June 30 were $71.467 million, a decrease of $10.819 million or 13.15 per cent over the same quarter a year…
Starbucks Japan is involved in a unique trial which allows customers to order and pay for their coffee with a swipe of their phone. The concept uses a branded smartphone case which is preloaded with the customer’s preferences. Trend monitoring website…
As the brick-versus-click-sales war intensifies, shopping malls in Singapore are plotting aggressive strategies to stay ahead in the game while they continue to battle falling tourist arrivals, the oversupply of retail space and growing competition for…
The head of South Korea’s Lotte Group yesterday vowed a new era of corporate governance and transparency as he apologized for the family feud engulfing the beleaguered retail giant. In an address broadcast live on TV, group chairman Shin Dong-bin also sought…
Japan’s Aeon is to build a second shopping mall in Cambodia’s capital city Phnom Penh. The news was revealed on the first birthday of Aeon’s first Cambodia mall, which it says has attracted 15 million visitors. The new mall will be built about 10km north of…
Korean underwear brand GearX says sales of its functional sportswear online is booming – especially in Japan, China, Southeast Asia and America. While not revealing actual sales figures the company says its online mall is succeeding because the brand is…
Seiko Japan has opened a world first “Seiko Premium Boutique” in Tokyo. The new store is the first shop to carry Seiko’s three luxury brands exclusively: Grand Seiko, Credor and Galante. It is located in the high-end Ginza shopping district. Wang Leehom, a…
Prada Japan has posted a strong sales lift in the first half thanks to a burgeoning number of inbound tourists. Sales in the Japanese market grew by 12 per cent year on year current exchange rates and by five per cent on constant exchange rates. Tellingly,…
Japanese discount retailer Daiso has won the right to use its name in the Philippines after a hearing in the Supreme Court. In a final ruling just issued, the court has blocked Filipino company Japan Home Center from using the trademark Daiso, confirming an…
Uniqlo has announced a global collaboration with Disney Consumer Products, dubbed Magic For All. The initiative will see characters from Disney’s brands, including Marvel action, Star Wars adventure and Pixar creativity to everyday Uniqlo LifeWear fashions…
Turmoil has erupted atop South Korea’s largest retail giant Lotte Group, shining a spotlight on one of the biggest family feuds the country has seen. The week began with 92-year-old Lotte founder Shin Kyuk Ho and his eldest son flying to Japan to fire a group…
Even though Japan’s convenience store sector faces numerous challenges, the country’s second-largest operator, Lawson, plans to open another 450 stores this year, the company’s CEO has revealed. Genichi Tamatsuka said there are 55,000 convenience stores in…
Two of Japan’s largest retail businesses are eyeing a “comprehensive business alliance” according to Japanese news reports. A strategic relationship currently under discussion could see a range of mutually beneficial co-operations spanning physical stores and…
The world’s largest convenience store operator has confirmed the signing of a master franchisee in Vietnam and now plans 1000 stores over the next decade. 7-Eleven Vietnam will be a partnership between the Japanese-headquartered US subsidiary and a new…
Japan retail sales grew 0.9 per cent in June – ahead of expectations but much slower than May’s three per cent. Analysts had been tipping a rise of just 0.5 per cent after the relatively strong May growth. Government data showed rising fuel prices could have…
Koreans travel abroad most frequently, Chinese spent the most money and Japanese visit the most faraway places most often. Those are findings from a study by Visa card, 2015 Survey on Travel Plans, in which 13,603 people from 25 different countries shared…
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