Importing into Japan

[Mark_USA1]

Hello

I recently traveled to Japan. I noticed brands like North face, Columbia and many others are expensive in Japan. I was wondering if there was a way to import into Japan. I see vintage stores that could sell these.

Any thoughts?

 

[mdchachi]

I'm sure there's a way. But those brands aren't that cheap in the U.S. either. Or are you thinking of importing used?

 

[Mark_USA1]

I'm sure there's a way. But those brands aren't that cheap in the U.S. either. Or are you thinking of importing used?

Actually they are quite cheap where I live and always sales and specials all New

 

[Mark_USA1]

Just checking the prices today at the mall I could sell most products at 1/2 price

 

[johnnyG]

Instead of shopping in the US, maybe visit/shop in Vietnam, where it's made--might make it more worthwhile.

I have a northface 60/40 parka that's been in a drawer for years--they sent it free after I complained about some repairs they'd done to the original I had. I continued to use the old one until it gave out, and never warmed to the new one. And iIt's, uh, a little small around the midsection...)

Have some old Levis (same problem), well worn and used but not raggedy, should probably visit some vintage shop and try to turn them, too.

 

[Mark_USA1]

Maybe?
The big retailers in the USA by in bulk at a discount I probably can't get and the at the end of the season sell then at cost to the public. It looks like I can sell into Japan at 50% off store prices. I figured that would give a small vendor plenty of room to sell below everyone else and still make a 25-35% profit. It would all come down to volume and if they sold to other vendors at a smaller profit they could make 10 million yen a year easy

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Be sure to check into import regulations and tariffs on imported clothing in Japan.

If this works out, you probably don't want to undercut your competitors too much. That would draw too much attention to yourself and possibly create more competition to the point you go out of business.

 

[johnnyG]

at the end of the season sell then at cost to the public.

On the one hand, you may then be selling last year's product--and unless you can get it here and onto the market and sold immediately, it'll be a year 'stale', warehoused somewhere till the relevant season comes up again. (There are end-of-season sales here, too.)

Second, I have a sister who has been in retail her whole working life. Besides customer-facing jobs early on, she also was a buyer for marshall fields for a number of years. She'd travel about half the year, first to europe where they'd get a good look at fashions/design, then to asia where they started ordering for the following year's merch. She ended up co-managing the big Macy's right downtown Chicago, a store which occupies a full square block there.

And the point of that is that you have no idea how cheaply stores are buying their stock if you think that at the end of season they're selling at cost.

Also, take a look at a company called VF Corporation: scroll down a little and you'll see that they own Northface, Timberland, Smartwool, Vans, Jansport, and Eastpak, among others. And also the ones they've sold off. These names look like brands to shoppers looking to confirm their identity with a purchase, but it's really the same company, using branding to sell to consumers.

Anyway, good luck with your project. Also, by shopping at source (SE asia), you could get ahead of any new designs coming out--e.g., if you shop there this winter, or next spring, you'll be able to get what Northface or some other brand is going to be introducing the following autumn for the winter shopping season.