Our sale is for the future
Hello, this is Fujiwara.
KUON will be having a sale at the store from January 15th.
On the online store, the sale will start on the 18th.
There are both pros and cons to having a sale.
In our meetings, we have had more opinions than ever before.
In order for the brand to survive in this uncertain situation, it is important to reduce inventory, increase funds, and maintain a healthy state of mind and body in order to continue creating better creations. This is why we decided to hold the sale.
Although the fact that we had a lot of cancellations was a big factor.
In short, I misjudged the inventory and that's all.
Today, I'd like to write about our idea of a sale.
On Making a Sale
Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with having sales, and I have told KUON's suppliers that they are free to have sales. I don't believe that KUON is a brand that requires sales, so I don't think that our branding will be ruined so soon.
Rather, I believe that in an unprecedented situation like the current one, if we don't move when we can, we may not make it in time.
I think the problem is that the fashion business, which is based on the premise of having a sale, has become the norm around the world. As I wrote at the end of my last note, "Our Sustainable Business Recommendation," I am looking for a solution to this problem.
We decided to have a sale, and we wanted to make it a positive one. We hope that our customers will decide how to use the profit from the sale.
What kind of sale do we want?
1. Make it easier to buy than ever before
I think this is the common denominator in most sales. I also try to buy new brands or brands that are a bit expensive but I'm interested in at the sales. I also buy more items that I already have that I like.
2. Introduce an appointment system
The situation is stagnant not only in Japan, but all over the world. In January, we started to make appointments at our store. The number of customers who make appointments to come to our store is much smaller than I thought. I want to change that. We also want our customers to smile, at least at KUON. That's why I want to create a contact point with customers.
3. Return a portion of profits to society
If the sale leads to a loss of trust between the brand and its business partners and customers, I think it is the brand's responsibility to ensure this. If the sale is for the sake of sound management, I think the key point is how to utilize the profits from the sale.
How do we return our profits to society?
1. Building an archive store
Our flagship store was opened in September of this year, five years after the brand was established. Therefore, we don't have any stock of past products. When I stand in the store, I often get asked, "Do you have anything from that season? I noticed that I was often asked, "Do you have that one from that season? I realized that there were more customers than I thought who wanted us to re-release their favorite items, even if they were old favorites for us. So, this is the history of the brand. However, it costs a lot of money to re-release a product. It is very difficult to do so without the assurance that the factory can turn out the lot.
Although the approach is different from that of KUON, there is a brand called ALL YOURS that I have always been interested in. As you may know, ALL YOURS recently held an archive sale, where they re-set the prices, and some of the items were raised. I thought it was a very wonderful initiative.
The fact that the early items of Martin Margiela and Raf Simons are soaring in price is also a result of the brand's history.
If we don't have the inventory, can't we collect from those who do?
In the Archive Store, we would like to centrally manage the products stocked by our business partners on the KUON online store, re-set the prices, and deliver them to customers who are looking for them. This is what we would like to do. Perhaps it would be a good idea to allow customers to freely list their own items there as well. Our store also has a repair function, so we can offer it as a service. It's a system similar to Mercari, but I'm thinking of creating a system where people can buy KUON's archived items here.
It would be interesting if we could introduce a system like dynamic pricing.
Sale Description
We want our customers to choose how to spend their money.
We ask our customers to choose a discount card when they check out.
For example, there are cards for 40%off, 30%off, and 20%off.
In case of 40%off
All sales will be made by KUON.
In case of 30%off
10% will be used for the archive store and uniform production.
In case of 20%off
20% will be used for the archive store and uniform production.
I believe that consumption is a special treat. There are times when you see a store that has gone out of business and you say, "I actually liked that store," or "I was going to shop there next time," but I think it's better for brands, stores, and customers to all move on before that happens. It doesn't matter if you want to buy cheaply or if there are other ways. I think it's all about special treatment and support for us. I hope you will take this opportunity to pick up some KUON products.
How to participate in the sale
Online Store
Date: January 18 (Mon.) - 24 (Sun.)
We will have a sale page, so please shop there.
We will also issue a coupon code for each discount so that you can see it on the online store.
Please note that sale items cannot be returned or exchanged.
KUON OFFICIAL SITE