- Total stationery sales amounted to approximately \1,300,000,000,000. in 1994
- Price destruction has arisen in the Japanese market, due to imported goods and large shopping facilities such as DIY stores, super markets and shopping malles, located in the surburbs.
DAIEI Co., who is one of the biggest discount centers, has sold B5 sized note-books for \29. (normal retail price \130.)
- The distribution system is also about to change. Small retail stationery stores that often used to be located on front of shools have een decreasing remarkably, and have been incorporated into large shopping places, such as those mentioned above.
- Imported goods come mainly from Europe, the U.S.A., and Asian countries such as China, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and so on. However, there are still problems with quality and design, so the quantity of imported goods is still quite small.
- The overseas advence of Japanese manufactures is still limited, and most of them are only importing parts, and a few commodities.
Even so, they tend to conceal the fact that their products are manufactured overseas.
Imported goods are mainly markers, plastic stationary goods, files, staplers, correction fluids, note-books, and so on.
- The problem with the stationery industry is the huge number and variety of goods so that there is no time to categorize them on computer. For example, each retail shop has approximately 20 thousand items.
- Ab unsual characteristic of Japanese stationery market is the so-called Òdelivery dealersÓ, who go to their customers, which include offices/factories, to get orders. They then place the obtained orders with the manufactures, and deluver the goods to their customers. They usually donÕt have their own shops. Total sales of such Òdeliverly dealersÓ are higher than that of small retailers.
- Antibacterial andantimold products were popular at one stage, but sales have since declined.
- The use of PCs at the office, and at home has increased, and soe fear that major stationery products such as writing articles, slips, etc. will not sell, because the multi-media period is considered paperless, due to internet communication, etc.
- Regarding point No.9 above, this phase seems unavoidable. There is a pessimistic view that the stationery market will become just-a hobby industry in the near future.
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