ummary
Japanese Market
Risk Avoidance
– Japanese culture does not encourage risk taking or standing out from the crowd. Once a precedent has been set for things looking or behaving a certain way then everybody follows it, regardless of whether there is a better solution.
First Mover Advantage
Is the advantage gained by the initial ("first-moving") significant occupant of a market segment. It may be also referred to as Technological Leadership.
FMA in Japan
If you are in a fast moving market (and these days which market is not fast moving?) then you need to achieve
first-mover status
especially in the Japanese market if you want to succeed.
Consumers and corporate buyers tend to be unusually loyal to suppliers; assuming of course the suppliers consistently return that loyalty with excellent service, quality and reliability.
Conlusion
In summary:
The Japanese market is a first-mover's market.
The Japanese market is a quality conscious, service conscious and brand conscious market.
In the Japanese market being #2 is like winning Silver at the Olympics - it will be another 4 years before you get the chance to try again, if ever.
For originality, nothing rivals Tokyo`s teenyboppers.
Japan - test market for the world
by: catherine lambuson
aaron hedjazi
Diego f. riaño
Japanese Market
Japan, as a country, is extremely unique. Unique tradition, culture, people, and fashion. With these, the country has become a vast lab for Google and other western companies.
This is because Japanese consumers represent the most diverse – and discriminating – customers on the planet.
Japanese are often more critical because they are as likely to tap into the internet with a high-tech phone in a very high speed.
For the western brands, these young people are a well-spring of ideas that can be used back home. That is why these companies use Japan as testing ground for new concepts.
They are offering products in Japan before they roll them out globally. If the product sells in Japan, then the product will surely be successful.
Consumer Behaviour
– People require a high degree of assurance, by means of lengthy descriptions and technical specifications, before making a purchasing decision.
Advertising
– Marketing is not a well known tool for Japaneses CEOs. Even today, companies are using their resources on improving their engineering and not their marketing division.
Urban Landscape
– space comes at a premium in Japan, none of it is wasted and the same goes for space on a webpage.
Mobile Legacy
– Japan was using their version of the mobile web on advanced flip phones long before the iPhone came along and in even larger numbers than had personal computers. Back then, the screens were tiny and the way sites had to be designed to cram content into this small space has continued to influence the way things are now.
First-movers are rewarded with huge profit margins and a monopoly-like status.
Disadvantages: free-rider
effects, resolution of
technological or market
uncertainty, shifts in
technology or customer needs,
and incumbent inertia.
Reputation
– Women are the consumers who, as a group, will determine many companies' success or failure. The Japanese market is one huge rumor-mill which can near-bankrupt a company within weeks