About two weeks ago I got a call out of the blue that a major Japanese department store wanted to buy our clothes. They wanted to come to our store during market week to put in an order. This is the department store which is sort of equivalent to Barneys or Saks.
When they came in they loved everything. They said they wanted to start small. But they ordered 21 different items. Smaller quantities but still it is a foot in the door. The hope is that we can sell out in thirty days and they will want to really increase their order for next spring. It is all so absolutely positive that it is unbelievable.
Now we have to produce the clothing. That won't be the problem.
I think it was all because of the Hideki Matsui Bobble Head doll I had on my desk. Just sayn'
34 comments:
Over 60% of what my company makes is exported. Japan typically accounts for more than 40% of our total business, sometimes over half. If women's clothing is anything like musical instruments, you will find the Japanese to be loyal customers who pay promptly.
You will also find they are completely crazy. They will ask for all kinds of special orders on insane schedules. You will have weird complaints that make no sense, but you will have to go through the motions of addressing them. Making the effort is what counts. No one has any idea or will forget about the original problem. Oh, and you will be asked for more special orders, and you will have endless meetings about design and/or new whacko ideas whenever they show up.
Did I mention special orders?
Watch out for returns, too.
However, if the Japanese like your stuff, it sells in Japan, and you establish a relationship,
THEY. WILLL. KEEP. YOU. IN. BUSINESS.
You should not forget that when they say, "Jump!"
The only rational response ought to be, "How high?"
They still need to answer for Hedeki Irabu. Congrats. As my Uncle Charlie always said, "The harder you work the luckier you get." Meaning, luck and shit compared to hard work.
Tim w/ some real world experience advice. Is Pearl Harbor a taboo subject. What about Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
Ichiro has performed. I would get one of his bobbles too.
ndspinelli, sort of like bringing up Auschwitz and Dachau to some visiting Germans.
Ndspinelli, I had a friend who was accosted in the airport by some protester who had a picture of Hiroshima and said: "Do you know what this is?"
My friend looked long and hard at the picture and said: "Pearl Harbor?"
Brilliant.
Of course the protester was not Japanese. Fortunately most Japanese will never bring up WWII. At least in my experience.
I was riding the Romance train from Tokyo to Nikko back in '82, with two coworkers, both attractive blonde women.
An old Japanese guy, a man old enough to be a WWII vet, was sitting across from us. He saw us get on the train, glared at us, then got up and walked to another car.
I don't know whether it was because I was with two blondes or because I was obviously an American.
That was the only time a Japanese person was even remotely rude to me in Japan. Most of them mask their feelings very well. Then chop you up with a sword or jump out of a building.
Either way, it's over pretty quickly.
Evi, You're correct. However, I think much of the shame preventing Japs from bringing up WW2 is the shame of losing, not the shame of their barbarism. Losing in their culture is much different than in ours.
Rumor has it that Hideki Matsui has a Trooper bobble head on his desk.
Did you tell 'em what you did on the deck of the USS Missouri?
@Sixty: Fight the glower!
My uncle did that for me on Tarawa and Guadalcanal.
Bam!
It's funny but they both loved Hawaii. They had been there many times. The buyer was a fey Jap who did not speak much American.
Hawaii is crawling with Japanese. Like hipsters in Brooklyn and cockroaches in Manhattan.
And mayo sandwich eating, sister fucking, Crackers in the South.
If Matsui has a bobblehead collection, it's the Greatest Pornstars series.
Which I recommend, btw.
ndspinelli wrote...
"And mayo sandwich eating, sister fucking, Crackers in the South."
Yeah, we do have a huge population of Italians here, that's for sure.
OMG, this means big bucks! I better practice up on my buttering-up patter. I mean...just in case Uncle Sam swoops in and takes my pissing pot, I mean that IS the definition of rich init? And there's nothing worse than rich...well, private sector rich anyway.
Sixty Grit said...
Reference: ndspinelli
"And mayo sandwich eating, sister fucking, Crackers in the South."
Yeah, we do have a huge population of Italians here, that's for sure.
Damn! Yes, that one made me laugh out loud.
Sixty, My grandfather would not allow mayo in his restaurant. Immigrant dagos thought it was the epitome of worthless American cuisine. It took a lotta lobbying by my father and uncle to allow BLT's to be served.
I don't think I have ever had any mayonnaise. Sounds like Y*nkee food.
What I learned from doing business with the Japanese: The guy who "doesn't speak much English" understands English better than you do, and can speak it like a Shakespearean actor. They want to know what you are like if you think they can't understand what you are saying. Character matters to them.
Isn't alfredo sauce mostly mayonnaise?
Haz, Cream and butter, not a manly dish @ all but good to make for a woman if you want some horizontal dessert. I had an uncle who would put just a little caviar in it.
Michael Haz is exactly right. I have dealt with the same situation, and he's nailed it.
Pretending not to speak English while being able to do so.
Seems sneaky.
Like something a Tora-ist might do.
Omedetōgozaimasu!
I would imagine an international wholesale would be less subject to the whims of whatever dictator is currently in charge of your city.
blake, Went to see Dallas Buyer's Club yesterday. I've now seen all the leading candidates and give the award to Mad Matt. We love being on the west coast for tonight's awards. We can stay awake to see best movie award. We have a tradition of takeout Chinese.
Trooper, that's great news. I hope it ends up being a good deal for you.
Nick,
The Foreign Language entries this year kick ass over the English ones.
That may usually be true, actually, but this is the first year I've seen all five.
I've heard others say that, I've not seen any. Troopmudgeon would call me a Commie traitor and I just couldn't handle that! We're going w/ Thai and I'm having the Rama Chicken.
Oh and ricpic, you are a Commie traitor.
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