Japanese women explore new ways to purchase fashion
Girls Trendy is a fashion portal site for mobile phones.
It has become commonplace for trendy young Japanese women to utilize their mobiles for shopping. 87% of the users on their mobile portal “Girls Trendy” have made purchases on their phones in the past, according to Xavel, the company that operates the site.
Xavel also presents the Tokyo Girls Collection fashion shows, which have been shaking up the catwalk since 2005, showcasing affordable clothing aimed at girls aged 15-24. Unlike other fashion shows which present apparel that will not be on the market for another six months, at the Tokyo Girls Collection, attendees get photos of outfits e-mailed to their mobile phones mere moments after they appear on the runway, along with a link to purchase the item online. Over 22,000 people attended March’s show, and the concept has been exported to Paris and Beijing.
According to Xavel, Japanese fashionistas can be divided into four categories:
Edgy Girls: Numbering slightly more than 10%, they are always up-to-date on fashion news and have a unique and personal style; willing to cut spending on food but not on fashion
Popular Girls: Equally up-to-date; passes this information along to friends, but also listens to their input. They make up 26% of the total.
Talky Girls: Looks for fashion news from their many friends rather than magazines and news sites. At 31%, the largest group.
Keep-An-Ear-Out Girls: Loyal followers of trends, but not prepared to sacrifice everything for fashion – willing to spend on food and drink. Slightly above 30%.
Not only do Edgy Girls stay ahead of the pack in terms of fashion, but they are also the ones who spend the most when it comes to impulse buying. Is this the new core target group for the mobile retail industry?
Natalie Meyer