UNIQLO AND MARC JACOBS IN WOMEN'S CAUSAL WEAR

Uniqlo and Marc Jacobs in Women's casual wear

Uniqlo and Marc Jacobs in Women's casual wear

 

Introduction

This report focuses on the Uniqlo and Marc Jacobs business analsis, comparison in terms of opportunities and threat, and how they do business from inhouse systes to attracting customers. It also includes SWOT Analysis of the companies and how they position themselves using different strategies. Uniqlo is Japan's apparel retail chain in terms of sales and profits of the company also operates in China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Britain, France, USA, Singapore, Taiwan, Russia and Malaysia. Total Japanese wholesale apparel market in 2000 is estimated at 5500 billion yen, or $ 47 billion. With the sluggish economy and lower average product price, the market fell significantly. However, after the U.S., the Japanese apparel market is still the second largest clothing market in the world, with young women market of casual fashion to maintain a large segment of the apparel market. Based on the Japanese "Family income and expenditure surveys and industry experts, women's apparel market is approximately 60% of the total market, or in terms of wholesale value, estimated at 3,300 billion yen, or $ 28.0 billion.

1949-1994: The Rise in Japan

Since March 1949, Yamaguchi-based company, Ogori Shoji (which until then had been operating men's clothing store called Men's Store OS) existed UBE, Yamaguchi.

In June 1984 they opened a store men's casual wear in fukuro-machi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima, called "Unique Clothing Warehouse. It was during this time that the name of "Uniqlo" was born, as an abbreviation of "unique clothing". In September 1991 the company name was changed from "Ogori Shoji" to "Fast Retailing", and by April 1994, there were more than 100 stores operating throughout Japan Uniqlo. 1997: "SPA" Strategy

In 1997, they adopted several strategies, from the American retail giant Gap, known as "SPA" (Speciality-store/retailer clothing own brand), this means that they will produce their own clothes and sell them exclusively. Uniqlo have started outsourcing their garment production to factories in China, where labor was cheap, well-established corporate practice. Japan was in deep recession at the time, and low cost, high quality products has proven popular. Their advertising campaign has also proved fruitful.

1998-2002: first Tokyo store and overseas expansion In November 1998 they opened their first store Uniqlo city in the trendy Tokyo district of Harajuku, and branches soon spread to major cities throughout Japan. In 2001, turnover and gross profit reached a new peak, with more than 500 retail stores in Japan, Uniqlo decided to expand abroad, the creation of Fast Retailing (Jiangsu) Clothing Co., Ltd in China (in 2002, opening its first Chinese Uniqlo outlet in Shanghai) and the opening of its first four overseas outlets in London, England. But sales did not go well in England, and stocks in Japanese warehouses were filled (Antonio, 2010, p. 41-61). In 2002 and 2003, Uniqlo profits fell sharply. In 2004 the company began joint ventures with Japanese fashion magazines, and has hired such celebrities as ...