In The US Market, UNIQLO Loss Kamakura Has Been Profitable For The Rest Of The World. Why?

At the end of June, we wrote an article on the theme of Japan's first shirt brand Kamakura wants to open a flash store in China, but in Shanghai, the market was frightened by the inquiry. I didn't expect the rental of Chinese shopping malls to be so expensive that they surpassed Fifth Avenue.

After the article was issued, the influence was still great, and Ali, investment real estate, capital airport and other famous companies sent olive branches to Kamakura.

However, many people doubt that Kamakura is really a famous Japanese brand. UNIQLO is also a Japanese brand. Its development in China is very good. There are UNIQLO stores in all the big stores, and they do not see them calling high rent. I mean, I don't know how to answer them. On the one hand, UNIQLO is a comprehensive brand. Kamakura is just a shirt, and the rental capacity that it can afford is definitely different. On the other hand, UNIQLO enters China early, and has a high reputation, and there must be rent concessions.

But in fact, I can not answer one question. Who is the stronger operator of UNIQLO and Kamakura? Until recently, an occasional interview has given me a new look at the dimensions of retail business and the comparison between UNIQLO and Kamakura.

The thing is, last month, the mischievous electricity supplier did not introduce a Japanese clothing expert to comment on the book that the president Trump and the Japanese Prime Minister dressed too badly. The book's name is "how the New Yorkers laugh at the Asians". This book is very popular in Japan. It is a best seller of Japanese TOP10. Kamakura founder Zhensue Ryu not only recommended colleagues to read it, but also invited Asadumi Youko to discuss with him this month, hoping that the two sides should cooperate with each other.

Asadumi Youko is indeed a costumes expert who has done dress consultancy for president Putin. Indeed, he has a good temperament. By this rare opportunity, I also turn around to interview this temperament beauty. I want to see how the Third Party Costume experts view Kamakura and how to treat China.

Culture.

Anji mentioned a phenomenon which impressed me deeply.

She said, there are many Japanese.

The brand has entered the United States, but like UNIQLO, it has entered the United States for more than ten years, and there are about 100 stores, which have lost ten years. Until last year, the black word was achieved (financial black represents the profit, the scarlet letter represents a loss), and Kamakura, a small company not listed, entered the United States for second years to achieve the black word, which is an incredible thing in the clothing industry.

This question touches me, so excellent business of UNIQLO, in the United States for more than ten years, it is not profitable. Why?

In fact, it can also add Muji, even though it is mainly home furnishing, but there are also a large proportion of garments. The three famous brands of Japanese clothing, UNIQLO, Muji and Kamakura, are outstanding in their operations in Japan. They are outstanding leaders in their respective fields. After entering China, UNIQLO and MUJI products are excellent and their performance is good.

But oddly enough, after entering the United States, UNIQLO and Muji have been losing money. Only non-listed company Kamakura entered the United States and soon realized profits.

The key reason, Asadumi Youko believes, is the problem of integration into the locals.

UNIQLO is a very good company. Some of its products have relatively high technology content. However, like Muji, both of them emphasize their Japanese attributes too much. They emphasize Japanese culture in decoration and advertising.

However, Americans do not like Japanese clothing as much as Japanese cars do. Japanese uniforms are also basic.

The advantage of Kamakura is that Kamakura is a product of European and American culture, suits and shirts, with special respect for Europe and America.

Culture, resolutely and arbitrarily pformed, which makes European and American consumers agree that almost no American consumers say bad things about Kamakura, wear Kamakura clothes to high-end talks, do not lose points at all, but dress very comfortably, proud to make customers more confident.

This is what Zhensue Ryu has emphasized for the company. Even a Kamakura product team has developed an Italian style suit. Because of its casual style, it has been criticized by the old man. He feels that we can stand in Europe and America because our products adhere to the authentic European and American style. If we change our style, we won't win the respect of consumers.

Let Asadumi Youko express the high astonishing is that Kamakura has done a good quality, but the price is very low, in the United States, Manhattan shop, even at a moderate price, but also profitable, this is not allowed; even more amazing, it has never been discounted.

Mr. Zhensue Ryu thinks discount is a betrayal of consumers.

Although Manhattan is a high-end clothing brand, there are often discounted promotional signs, but Kamakura has never been discounted, and it has always been insufficient to sell goods.

There are no warehouses in Kamakura, the goods are directly entered from the factory, the stores are warehouses, the same is true in the United States, and they are new weekly instead of half a year.

Compared to other clothing brands, 35 times the increase rate, Kamakura costs can account for 50%, or even 60%, that is, only 40% of the profits, Asadumi Youko said.

It's unthinkable, but Kamakura did it.

With the integration of culture and the guarantee of product quality, Kamakura soon realized profits after entering the United States. Although the scale was not large, but it was healthy, UNIQLO's reputation was much larger than that of Kamakura, and its advertising was much more, but it was not recognized by American consumers.

In fact, UNIQLO has also done some integration into the local culture of the United States. They have worked with the New York museum to print the designs of several famous American painters on the products. As a result, they sell well. You see, cultural integration is still crucial.

Kamakura makes a suit shirt, to be a pure European and American fan, and to integrate into American culture.

If you want to hit the US market, you need to integrate into the American culture, and Chinese customers need to integrate into the international culture if you want to go to the world.

I asked Mr. Ji Yang Zi, the suit is both imported to China and Japan, can it be localized and innovative? Can it only comply with the European and American styles? Asadumi Youko's answer is positive. Western style clothing is the way of etiquette evolved over the past hundred years in Europe and America. If every country innovates, it will soon be completely different. For us, though it is foreign, it is best to respect and integrate European and American etiquette culture.

Zheng Hao, general manager of Kamakura China, is a Chinese student. He has been studying abroad and working abroad for many years. He also agrees with Asadumi Youko. He believes that for many Chinese parents, we need to pay attention to respect and integration into international culture for many Chinese parents. We spend so much money to let children learn English. However, children's clothing is not in line with international standards. Even if English is better, I'm afraid you have no chance to speak in international talks, and you are despised by others.

This has nothing to do with national prestige. It is an etiquette for international exchange.

On one occasion, Asadumi Youko attended a party with many European and American people. A European and American woman wore a kimono, but it was wearing it backwards. V was in the back, and the backpack was on her chest. Although some people said that you dressed really boldly, Asadumi Youko, who was Japanese, felt that the Europeans and Americans were insulting and kimono, and her dress etiquette was not in place.

Therefore, Kamakura in Japan pays special attention to clothing education, do not let their customers out of the world, or wear inappropriate, what occasions to wear what clothes, according to what rules, there is a set of methods, customers dress appropriately, in social occasions praised, his confidence will increase, his personality will be more open, he will be more willing to participate in social activities, his connections will become more and more abundant, his opportunities are more and more, this is a positive cycle.

This is probably the main reason why Kamakura can make customers keep buying back in the US and Japan.

In the view of Feng Huakui, the founder of naughty business, maybe Kamakura's idea is not to sell a piece of clothing to customers, but to let customers have broader social opportunities and create a richer life.

I hope this brand will be enlightened for all Chinese business people.