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. 

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jade-group-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26993:1" rel="noopener">Jade Group (3558 JP)</a> made some wild promises about its potential to grow its online fashion mall business last year when it acquired Magaseek. </li>
<li>But recent results suggest what many feared: building scale without due regard for the quality of the assets acquired does not an empire make.</li>
<li>With Magaseek contracting and e-commerce overall showing muted growth, Jade Group´s capacity to escape the shadow of the big three looks limited.</li>
</ul>



Jade Group (3558 JP) made some wild promises about its potential to grow its online fashion mall business last year when it acquired Magaseek. 
But recent results suggest what many feared: building scale without due regard for the quality of the assets acquired does not an empire make.
With Magaseek contracting and e-commerce overall showing muted growth, Jade Group´s capacity to escape the shadow of the big three looks limited.


Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>There have been a lot of deals in the last 5 years, including M&amp;A between Japanese companies, distribution deals/licenses, foreign companies buying into Japan and Japanese buying foreign brands. </li>
<li>Consolidation is a key motivation but so are category expansion, rationalisation and buying in expertise. All these reasons and more suggest more deals to come in the next few years.</li>
<li>Here we provide a comprehensive list of deals between 2019-2025 as well as a map showing who owns who and, as important, who influences who without any paperwork at all.</li>
</ul>


There have been a lot of deals in the last 5 years, including M&amp;A between Japanese companies, distribution deals/licenses, foreign companies buying into Japan and Japanese buying foreign brands. 
Consolidation is a key motivation but so are category expansion, rationalisation and buying in expertise. All these reasons and more suggest more deals to come in the next few years.
Here we provide a comprehensive list of deals between 2019-2025 as well as a map showing who owns who and, as important, who influences who without any paperwork at all.


[Japan M&A] Who Owns Who in Fashion & Lifestyle Markets

<ul>
<li>Qoo10 is tiny in comparison to Amazon, Rakuten and Yahoo but it punches well above its weight by specialisation. </li>
<li>The online mall’s focus on Korean cosmetics and lifestyle has given it a depth of loyalty among young women that was once the preserve of Zozo.</li>
<li>Along with its other platform Move, Ebay Japan has built a solid presence in the Japanese market which looks set to continue to expand.</li>
</ul>


Qoo10 is tiny in comparison to Amazon, Rakuten and Yahoo but it punches well above its weight by specialisation. 
The online mall’s focus on Korean cosmetics and lifestyle has given it a depth of loyalty among young women that was once the preserve of Zozo.
Along with its other platform Move, Ebay Japan has built a solid presence in the Japanese market which looks set to continue to expand.


<ul>
<li>The Japanese fashion e-commerce market is undergoing rapid transformation: while online sales continue to grow, the channel’s share of total fashion sales has fluctuated due to strong in-store performance.</li>
<li>Even the best exemplars of effective integration of online and offline and personalised marketing have seen e-commerce share fall as physical store sales have risen faster for many. </li>
<li>Omnichannel models continue to evolve, with great examples of deeper integration of stores and digital through staff activities like blogging and Live Commerce.</li>
</ul>


The Japanese fashion e-commerce market is undergoing rapid transformation: while online sales continue to grow, the channel’s share of total fashion sales has fluctuated due to strong in-store performance.
Even the best exemplars of effective integration of online and offline and personalised marketing have seen e-commerce share fall as physical store sales have risen faster for many. 
Omnichannel models continue to evolve, with great examples of deeper integration of stores and digital through staff activities like blogging and Live Commerce.


Fashion E-Commerce in Japan: Stores Are Key Too

<ul>
<li>Warren Buffett is investing more in Japan's trading companies for a variety of reasons but Itochu stands alone in its dominance of Japan's fashion sector.</li>
<li>Itochu continues to emphasise investment in consumer brands, particularly fashion and sports, but will now adjust its decades-old playbook, introducing more direct oversight of subsidiaries and affiliates.</li>
<li>This will include a big new push to turn Vivienne Westwood into a luxury brand, upgrading Paul Smith and bringing <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/descente-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8225:1" rel="noopener">Descente Ltd (8114 JP)</a> in-house</li>
</ul>


Warren Buffett is investing more in Japan's trading companies for a variety of reasons but Itochu stands alone in its dominance of Japan's fashion sector.
Itochu continues to emphasise investment in consumer brands, particularly fashion and sports, but will now adjust its decades-old playbook, introducing more direct oversight of subsidiaries and affiliates.
This will include a big new push to turn Vivienne Westwood into a luxury brand, upgrading Paul Smith and bringing Descente Ltd (8114 JP) in-house


Itochu the Fashion Giant Doubles Down on Brand Business

Japan

JADE GROUP Inc operates a mail order site for providing shoes. The company was formerly known as LOCONDO, Inc. and changed its name to JADE GROUP, Inc in June 2023. The company was incorporated in 2010 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.

Price Gauge
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Jade Group (3558 JP)

Jade Group: Magaseek and Locondo Stall

Jade Group's ambitious growth plans for its online fashion mall business through the acquisition of Magaseek have fallen short, raising doubts...

Michael Causton

[Japan M&A] Who Owns Who in Fashion & Lifestyle Markets

Recent years have seen a surge in deals between Japanese and foreign companies in lifestyle/fashion, driven by consolidation and category...

Michael Causton

Ebay's Qoo10 Surges on K-Style Boom

Ebay's Qoo10 may be small compared to giants like Amazon, but its specialization in Korean cosmetics has earned it a loyal following among young...

Michael Causton

Fashion E-Commerce in Japan: Stores Are Key Too

Japanese fashion e-commerce market sees growth, but in-store sales outpace online, challenging even top omnichannel strategies. Staff engagement...

Michael Causton

Itochu the Fashion Giant Doubles Down on Brand Business

Warren Buffett is investing in Japan's trading companies for good reason but only Itochu has a big share of the fashion sector through Itochu...

Michael Causton

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Jade Group: Magaseek and Locondo Stall

​Jade Group's ambitious growth plans for its online fashion mall business through the acquisition of Magaseek have fallen short, raising doubts...

Michael Causton

[Japan M&A] Who Owns Who in Fashion & Lifestyle Markets

​Recent years have seen a surge in deals between Japanese and foreign companies in lifestyle/fashion, driven by consolidation and category...

Michael Causton

Ebay's Qoo10 Surges on K-Style Boom

Ebay's ​Qoo10 may be small compared to giants like Amazon, but its specialization in Korean cosmetics has earned it a loyal following among young...

Michael Causton

Fashion E-Commerce in Japan: Stores Are Key Too

​Japanese fashion e-commerce market sees growth, but in-store sales outpace online, challenging even top omnichannel strategies. Staff engagement...

Michael Causton

Itochu the Fashion Giant Doubles Down on Brand Business

​Warren Buffett is investing in Japan's trading companies for good reason but only Itochu has a big share of the fashion sector through Itochu...

Michael Causton

Jade Group's ambitious growth plans for its online fashion mall business through the acquisition of Magaseek have fallen short, raising doubts...

Recent years have seen a surge in deals between Japanese and foreign companies in lifestyle/fashion, driven by consolidation and category...

Ebay's Qoo10 may be small compared to giants like Amazon, but its specialization in Korean cosmetics has earned it a loyal following among young...

Japanese fashion e-commerce market sees growth, but in-store sales outpace online, challenging even top omnichannel strategies. Staff engagement...

Warren Buffett is investing in Japan's trading companies for good reason but only Itochu has a big share of the fashion sector through Itochu...