Sephora is a French beauty retailer that expanded to Japan in 1999 but left the market in 2001 due to difficulties. The document discusses Sephora's history, products, international presence and reasons for entering the Japanese market. However, Sephora faced challenges with market research, brand image and operating only 7 stores. To succeed in Japan, the document recommends adapting products to Japanese tastes, hiring local representatives and forming partnerships with distributors.

1. HOW TO DEAL WITH
JAPAN
TEAM MEMBERS
Hillary BALLA-MOTHO
Jihene BEN HALED

2. I. ALL ABOUT SEPHORA
II. PRODUCTS AND BRANDS
III. STORES
IV. INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE
V. WHY DID THE COMPANY CHOSE JAPAN
VI. DIFFICULTIES
VII.ADAPTION FOR THE MARKET
VIII.DOING BUSINESS IN JAPAN FOR A
FRENCH COMPANY
IX. RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUCCEED IN
DOING BUSINESS IN JAPAN
PLAN

3. I. ALL ABOUT SEPHORA
 Founded in France in 1969 as a perfume shop
by Dominique Mandonnaud
 Madonnaud expanded this entity to several
stores in 1979
 A flagship store opens on the Champs Elysées
1996: more visitors than the Eiffel Tower.
 LVMH bought it for $262 million in 1997
 Sephora in Japan 1999
 Sephora quits Japanese market 2001
 25 000 employees worldwide 2018
 Turnover :7 billions euro 2017

4. II. PRODUCTS AND BRANDS
 Over 17,000 listed products :
 Fragrance
 Cosmetics
 Skincare
 Makeup
 Bath and body
 Hair care
 Smile care products
 Private label products in nearly every category
 Over 300 Brands

5. III. STORES
 2300 stores worldwide
 Friendly shopping atmosphere
 Knowledgeable and professional sales associates
and makeup artists to answer questions
 Retail stores :
• Organized by product type and brand and color
• Wall of fragrances for men and women
• Self-service retail model
 Internet : Online stores
• Interactive
• Pages for each brand
• Section for gifts

6. IV.INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE
 Sephora is present in more than 30
countries around the world
 The brand is present today in North and
South America, Middle East and Asia

7. V. WHY DID THE COMPANY
CHOSE JAPAN
 Japanese market: 127 million people living in Japan
 Third world power :Mature market with strong
potential
 Consumers with high purchasing power
 First world market in skin products
 Perfumery: 5% of the cosmetics market, compared to
25% in France,40% in the United States
 Sephora wants to expand their brand and conquer the
world

8. QUESTION : WHAT DO YOU
LIKE THE MOST WHEN YOU
ARE GOING TO SEPHORA ?
 Japaneses like to be advisable
by sellers
 Sephora is one of the
cosmetics company who’s
giving the most advices.
 Sellers are trained and the
brand was thinking that would
be their strong point.

9. VI.DIFFICULTIES
A. Market research What women wants
B. Market research Competition
C. Brand image
D. 7 Stores

10. VII.ADAPTION FOR THE MARKET
 MIX MARKETING
PRODUCT PRICE
PLACE PROMOTION

11. VII.DOING BUSINESS IN JAPAN FOR A FRENCH COMPANY
Japan : An unknown poweful economy
3rd powerful economic country
127 Millions inhabitants
High purchasing power
• Good solvency and fiscal advantages
• The country of innovation
• An appreciated french « how-know »
Advantages
• Long time before first trade flows  Long prospecting phase
• Important cultural differences
• High exigency
Inconveniences

12. VIII.RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUCCEED IN DOING
BUSINESS N JAPAN
 To find many information about the Japanese
culture and adapt the French concept to their vision
 Facilitate the presentation in speaking Japanese
 Set up offices in Japan at the beginning
 To hire a Japanese representatives
 To create associations with reliable distributors and
importators

13. CONCLUSION
Sephora did not work in Japan because the
population target was different of Europe.
The expectation was not the same and the
products are different.
Japanese like the most French luxury
products that's why for example the Sephora
products are not appreciate. The Japanese
middle class prefer save money and buy
luxury product with a big quality instead of
pay less some Sephora's products.
To succeed in Japan they have to adapt their
products, hire more sellers because Japanese
doesn't like self service so they have to
accompany each customers during his
shopping.

14. THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION
ANY QUESTIONS ?
WE HAVE

15. QUESTION 1 :
WHAT WAS THE
DIFFICULTIES
THAT SEPHORA
FACED IN JAPAN ?

16. WHY DID
SEPHORA
CHOSE
JAPAN ?
QUESTION 2 :

17. WHAT
SEPHORA
SHOULD
HAVE
DONE TO
SUCCEED
IN JAPAN ?
QUESTION 3 :