One way to make sure customers don’t become bored with the same old thing is to look for ways to liven up a store’s product mix. The Nikkei Marketing Journal reported on 21 December that mass merchandiser Yodobashi Camera Co., Ltd. has set up several special sales corners on the premises of its big store in Tokyo’s Akihabara district. One that started on September 30—almost the Christmas season in the minds of retail store planners—adopted film and comic character displays and spinoff goods from Star Wars and Marvel Superhero comic books, both of which are enjoying popularity in Japan.
Another corner, in October began to display a selection of guitars, and included a section where prospective customers could try them out.
Yodobashi’s archrival Bic Camera Inc. took a completely different tack at its Shinjuku East Exit store on the other side of the city. It announced the operation on its premises of the Bic Sports Bar. On 11 December, for one day only, it tied up with a beer garden at the Tokyo Dome stadium and broadcast women’s softball games—the aim was to promote alcoholic beverages. While revenues had declined during the two fiscal quarters ending in August, food and drink saw an increase of 3.8% the following quarter.
The firm attributes the better sales to its successful PR efforts, but another factor was choosing to promote them at an outlet close to a major rail station. As many customers in the suburbs drive when they shop, they avoid consuming alcohol.
While both Yodobashi and Bic are regarded mainly as retailers of electrical home appliances and photographic equipment, in-store diversification as a strategy to attract new customers appears to be taking root.