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>TSI seems to be following a strategy of diversify or die. It is using its vast cash resources to invest in and build new businesses with some success.</li>
<li>But it also has a couple of compelling brands in strong growth sectors, particularly in golf, providing growth of nearly 50% last year in one case.</li>
<li>This isn't enough to sustain overall growth however and more needs to be done to get on to a more secure footing.</li>
</ul>


TSI seems to be following a strategy of diversify or die. It is using its vast cash resources to invest in and build new businesses with some success.
But it also has a couple of compelling brands in strong growth sectors, particularly in golf, providing growth of nearly 50% last year in one case.
This isn't enough to sustain overall growth however and more needs to be done to get on to a more secure footing.


Japan Apparel Diversification: TSI Tries New Markets

<ul>
<li>The outlook for big apparel remains uncertain; most executives are optimistic about a rebound in sales of premium apparel brands, they are also running around looking for ways to diversify.</li>
<li>Despite years of closing stores and a recent re-listing, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/world-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27437:1" rel="noopener">World Co Ltd (3612 JP)</a> remains in uncertain territory as it tries to boost sales of key brands.</li>
<li>More brands may need to close but the apparel firm is at least investing in new ventures, even if small scale.</li>
</ul>


The outlook for big apparel remains uncertain; most executives are optimistic about a rebound in sales of premium apparel brands, they are also running around looking for ways to diversify.
Despite years of closing stores and a recent re-listing, World Co Ltd (3612 JP) remains in uncertain territory as it tries to boost sales of key brands.
More brands may need to close but the apparel firm is at least investing in new ventures, even if small scale.


Japan Apparel Rethink: World Tries Diversification

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shimamura-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15213:1" rel="noopener">Shimamura (8227 JP)</a> is on a roll at the moment, clawing back share after a troubled few years of mis-merchandising and confused targeting.</li>
<li>After a record year, Shimamura now thinks its merchandise teams are strong enough to take on urban centre consumers – without raising operating costs. This could be a worry for Uniqlo.</li>
<li>Shimamura has tried this before but back then its focus was on young women and had weaker merchandising skills. This time around too urban consumers want more discount apparel.</li>
</ul>



Shimamura (8227 JP) is on a roll at the moment, clawing back share after a troubled few years of mis-merchandising and confused targeting.
After a record year, Shimamura now thinks its merchandise teams are strong enough to take on urban centre consumers – without raising operating costs. This could be a worry for Uniqlo.
Shimamura has tried this before but back then its focus was on young women and had weaker merchandising skills. This time around too urban consumers want more discount apparel.


Shimamura Back on Track, Targeting Urban Centres

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

Fashion retailers continue to rely on third-party platforms, especially <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zozo-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18379:1" rel="noopener">ZOZO Inc (3092 JP),</a> to sell online but the scale of investment in direct mobile and web is growing. With Baycrews alone seeing customers that shop both online and in stores hitting 52% of all customers and spending 3.7 times more than store-only customers, it is not hard to see why.While there is no likelihood of direct sales taking significant share from the major online malls anytime soon, it is also true that the biggest competitive threat to the big three malls plus Zozo isn't another mall but the determination of fashion retailers and brands to wrest more control of online. On advantage they do have is experience of running retail stores and re opening more stores branded with the online shop name to increase awareness and cross-use.With one fashion retailer seeing the average annual purchase value of cross-use users 3.7 times that of store-only users, an astonishingly high difference, it is no surprise there is momentum to invest more in direct online sales.

Fashion retailers continue to rely on third-party platforms, especially ZOZO Inc (3092 JP), to sell online but the scale of investment in direct mobile and web is growing. With Baycrews alone seeing customers that shop both online and in stores hitting 52% of all customers and spending 3.7 times more than store-only customers, it is not hard to see why.While there is no likelihood of direct sales taking significant share from the major online malls anytime soon, it is also true that the biggest competitive threat to the big three malls plus Zozo isn't another mall but the determination of fashion retailers and brands to wrest more control of online. On advantage they do have is experience of running retail stores and re opening more stores branded with the online shop name to increase awareness and cross-use.With one fashion retailer seeing the average annual purchase value of cross-use users 3.7 times that of store-only users, an astonishingly high difference, it is no surprise there is momentum to invest more in direct online sales.

Japanese Fashion Retailers Advance Online Investment

Firms like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/world-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27437:1" rel="noopener">World Co Ltd (3612 JP), </a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tsi-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19259:1" rel="noopener">Tsi Holdings (3608 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/onward-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11370:1" rel="noopener">Onward Holdings (8016 JP)</a>  are facing serious problems adjusting to a new distribution reality for apparel trading in Japan. While World is cutting more brands and investing in home decoration and other projects and TSI is focusing on sports and e-commerce (please see our other insights on these changes), Onward is doing all of these things: cutting more brands, investing in non-apparel and beefing up e-commerce sales.There is still a long way to go.

Firms like World Co Ltd (3612 JP), Tsi Holdings (3608 JP) and Onward Holdings (8016 JP)  are facing serious problems adjusting to a new distribution reality for apparel trading in Japan. While World is cutting more brands and investing in home decoration and other projects and TSI is focusing on sports and e-commerce (please see our other insights on these changes), Onward is doing all of these things: cutting more brands, investing in non-apparel and beefing up e-commerce sales.There is still a long way to go.

Big Apparel in Trouble: Onward Aims for 30% of Sales from Non-Apparel Brands

Japan

TSI Holdings Company Ltd. manufactures men's and women's clothing, and retails women's clothing.  The Company produces and sells coats, dresses, suits, sweaters, shirts, skirts, and pants.

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Tsi Holdings (3608 JP)

Japan Apparel Diversification: TSI Tries New Markets

TSI had a better 2021 than its peers but only thanks to golf. More work is being done and it has some interesting new ventures but growth may not...

Michael Causton

Japan Apparel Rethink: World Tries Diversification

Japan's big apparel firms have slashed operations and remain bullish about their outlook despite a lot of data to the contrary. Growth won't be...

Michael Causton

Shimamura Back on Track, Targeting Urban Centres

Shimamura has fixed many underlying problems and looks stronger than in a decade. It is now targeting city centres and the athleisure and golf...

Michael Causton

Japanese Fashion Retailers Advance Online Investment

The major competitor for the major online malls in the Japanese fashion market, like Zozo and Rakuten, isn't another online mall but the growing...

Michael Causton

Big Apparel in Trouble: Onward Aims for 30% of Sales from Non-Apparel Brands

Onward Holding, like its peers, is being forced to restructure further and faster than planned three years ago when competition in the apparel...

Michael Causton

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