Tag: H&M

  • H&M: green field market entry to Japan, opens first Japan store in Tokyo – Ginza on September 13, 2008

    H&M: green field market entry to Japan, opens first Japan store in Tokyo – Ginza on September 13, 2008

    H&M entered Japan’s fashion market initially using a green field strategy, opening stores. On September 13, 2008, H&M opened the first store in Japan in Ginza, and is planning two more stores in Shibuya (see picture below) and in Harajuku.

    H&M adapted it’s global way of doing things to Japan’s market needs – for example, H&M introduced “Quality Managers& in it’s Japan store, in order to match Japan’s consumers high expectations for quality (and I guess also to avoid problems with Japan’s recently introduced product liability laws).

    One week after opening, customers are queuing in line to enter the store – typical waiting time is about 2 hours, daily number of visitors to the store are estimated ot be about 8000/day.

    Closest foreign competitors in Japan include US retailer GAP, and Spanish retailer Inditex (Diseno Textil SA)’s ZARA.

    Biggest Japanese competitor is Fast Retailing’s UNIQLO.

    H&M is preparing to open the second and third stores in Shibuya (photo below) and in Harajuku.

    Our comments:

    H&M has had a very successful start and has created a successful opening “event”. To be successful longterm H&M will have to:

    • sufficiently tune to Japan,
    • continue to innovate,
    • compete successfully especially with UNIQLO
    H&M opening in Ginza
    H&M opening in Ginza
    H&M's building in Ginza
    H&M’s building in Ginza
    H&M in Tokyo-Ginza
    H&M in Tokyo-Ginza
    H&M building the second store in Tokyo-Shibuya
    H&M building the second store in Tokyo-Shibuya

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