Narvar’s Post

Do you know that the first country in Asia that #Ikea tried to break into was Japan? In 1974, Japan was the first country outside Europe that Ikea tried to expand. Unfortunately it exited in 1986. The Japan CEO then concluded that Japan was not ready for Ikea and neither was Ikea for Japan. Why? 🙋Ikea product size was standard but Japanese need smaller size than Europeans. 💪Self-assembled furniture concept was foreign, as Japanese emphasized on services. 👵Japanese prefers products that are long lasting despite higher price and at that time total cost of Ikea products were not that competitive either. What can we learn? Always follow the flow of customer. Unless.. unless... your product or strategy has the power to bend the flow, hence changing the customers' flow.... #consumerbehavior #marketing #thelastairbender #avatar

In the world of luxury, the customer is sacred. This was a lesson I learned from various CEOs I had the privilege of meeting, particularly highlighted by an experience I had while working in Japan. One day, I was at the Matsuya department store in Ginza when I ran into a friend who worked for another luxury brand, accompanied by the owner and CEO of that brand. As we exchanged greetings, we noticed a sales associate from their brand engaged in a heated argument with a customer. The CEO, who did not understand Japanese, asked us, "Why are they arguing?" My friend explained that the customer wanted to return a pair of shoes that hurt her feet, but since she had already worn them, store policy did not allow for a return. Despite the language barrier, the CEO intervened. He introduced himself, apologized to the customer, and approved the return. Then, turning to my friend, he remarked, "Does that client advisor know how long it takes to create a customer? We don't want to lose a customer over a pair of shoes." #CustomerFirst #LuxuryExperience #Japan #Tokyo #customercentricity

𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐨𝐤𝐲𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐲 it was obvious that Japan is seeing more foreign visitors than ever before! Around the year 2000 less than5 million foreign visitors came to Japan. According to nippon.com the record annual high of close to 32 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧 2019 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 2024. 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐨𝐤𝐲𝐨, 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞! 𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐉𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 1990𝐢𝐞𝐬 .shopping (for international fashion) was at least triple as expensive than back home in Europe. Despite its wonderful retail offerings, I never shopped. With the Euro passing the 170Yen line just recently, shopping in Japan – for the first time in my life – has become “affordable”. I would rate 𝐉𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬 “𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐞𝐧𝐝” on a global scale, making Japan an 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠. Looks like the current setting of parameters (great retail spaces, affordable products due to x-change rate and high influx of tourists) will boost retail in Japan. 𝑯𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝑱𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒏? 𝑳𝒆𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝑱𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒏’𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕…

Found this. Kansai has a few names on the list: Nintendo (6) Suntory (12) Daikin (19) Shimano (24) Stopping at 30. Yea, not much, but it's interesting how they're all somewhat focused on less explosive industries when compared to NTT, Toyota, Uniqlo. Do big businesses usually start in Tokyo, or do talented individuals often need to go to Tokyo to get real? If the latter is true, why did these 4 decide to stay in Kansai, and how did they manage to thrive despite being far from where stuff happens? Also, diversification is less evident among these brands. I wonder if there's a "Kansaian" way of doing business.

Retro modern mix. In Japan, what we commonly call shopping centers should be called “shopping sanctuary.” Beautiful, well-organized, elegant, and above all, innovative in their approach to retail. I remember that even 15 years ago, they were extremely skilled in displaying food products, as well as in fashion and home goods. The precision and ability to present products heavily reference the local culture. Azabudai Hills is the new prestigious shopping center in Tokyo, a high-quality mixed-use complex combining residences with shops, set in a delightful landscaped environment. It embodies a charm similar to Roppongi Hills and Omotesando Hills. Officine Universelle Buly, which offers a wide range of fragrances, body care, skincare, haircare, and personal care products, sees opportunities for expansion and occupies a standalone structure that is somewhat reminiscent of Forum Les Halles, a late 1970s Parisian shopping complex. 🙌 What’s your take? # 319 RETAIL, Japan 👉 More content on our website and subscribe to the weekly newsletter; the link to the featured news is in the first comment below. 🎯 If you want to learn more about our transformative approach to generating growth (yes, what we call innovation marketing!), feel free to write me privately. Officine Universelle Buly 1803 More about this topics follow #MaurizioRibotti #innovationmarketing #cultureofmodernbusiness #luxury #premium #lifestyle #DRUMROLL --- All rights and credits are reserved to the respective owner(s). Contact us to add you as a reference or content removal.

Savills Japan has released Japan Retail April 2024. "The retail sector has continued improving, especially in areas popular with inbound tourists, and there have been more store openings catering to international visitors. Lukewarm domestic consumption should also improve due to noticeable wage growth. While prime areas are performing very well, some non-prime areas are still struggling, showing some bifurcation in the market. The optimistic market sentiment has led some landlords to eye rental increments, in contrast to tenants who already have had operating margins thinned from rising costs, and this gap in expectations is likely to persist." https://lnkd.in/gdM5GigS

In the world of retail, Japan stands as a beacon of innovation and impeccable customer-centric service, along with an almost theatrical presentation of products. Link to sound in the first comment. #twentyeighty #japan #tokyo #kyoto #retail

“Life without coffee is like something without something…sorry, I haven’t had any coffee yet.” As seen at Jewel Changi Airport, meet “Ellla, The Robot Barista”. As I was going through the airport, checking into hotels, and shopping in local malls in Singapore, nearly everything was automated. From checkin counters to coffee baristas, and when I asked about this, a VERY familiar reply was given, “Nobody wants to work anymore”. It’s not just here in the USA, it’s global. It’s not just in manufacturing, it’s in every industry. So many of the same circumstances we’re all facing around the world. By I digress…back to my morning cup of coffee… Hey Misa Ilkhechi, I have an idea…let’s touch base. Formic Universal Robots FANUC America Corporation ABB Kitagawa NorthTech, Inc. #innovation #technology #digitalmarketing #management #manufacturing #engineering #Networking #lifestyle #LetsTalkManufacturing #coffee #automation #robotbarista

Peering into Japan's Tomorrow: Insights from its Convenience Stores: Japan's journey towards embracing improvement isn't without its challenges. Social blocks, language endpoints, and social compromise issues are among the obstructions that ought to be crushed to make a truly escalated and different workforce. Ensuring fair treatment, vague doors, and palatable assistance for pioneer workers are sincere steps in this cycle. As Japan continues to look at its segment scene, the control of development in supporting head affiliations like corner shops will end up being more imparted. The result of these stores fills in as a microcosm of Japan's more noticeable improvement troubles and entryways, highlighting the meaning of proactive system and cautious practices in trim a prosperous and versatile future. Considering everything, Japan's corner shops, particularly 7-Eleven, give not just a quick eat or a consistent stop yet next to a window into the making portions of relocation and work in the country. By embracing assortment and using the gifts of a general workforce, Japan can encourage a more grounded and even more noteworthy economy that turns despite fragment shifts. https://lnkd.in/dUHJgcxz

Japanese beauty company Pola Orbis Holdings will expand into Southeast Asia within the next three years as it taps into its booming prospects. It outlined plans to establish a "new strategic region" in Southeast Asia, highlighting it as a "promising market", especially with the luxury beauty sector poised to gain momentum. We have produced an original paid report "Southeast Asia Beauty Market Report" to analyze Southeast Asia's beauty layout, distributors, retailers, travel retail duty-free merchants and other major players, allowing you to quickly learn about the Southeast Asia beauty market. Please send a private message for details. #SEA #beauty #luxury #report #data