In order to strengthen its businesses in the Swiss market, according to its press announcement, Shiseido will commence operations of a Shiseido Group sales company in the Swiss Confederation in January 2010 by acquiring 100% of the shares of the current distributor, which is handling import and sales of Shiseido Group products in this market, and changing the distributor’s company name to Shiseido S.A. (headquartered in Geneva). The acquisition of shares will be conducted by Shiseido International Europe S.A. (headquartered in Paris), a holding company in Europe.
Shiseido S.A. is expected to handle global brand Shiseido products commonly sold worldwide as well as non-Shiseido brands, those that do not carry the Shiseido name, with the overriding goal of expanding in-store share by enhancing the collective strengths of the Shiseido Group in the market.
Additionally, Shiseido will establish Shiseido Cosmetics Vietnam Company Limited as a wholly owned subsidiary and commence operations from January 2010 (planned) to handle import and sales of cosmetics products in Vietnam.
Shiseido has been previously marketing its global brand Shiseido skin care and makeup products via its distributor in Vietnam since 1997. As a means of more proactively responding to significant growth of the cosmetics market and greater demand in line with Vietnam’s rapid economic development in recent years, Shiseido will undertake measures to further enhance customer satisfaction and expand sales.
Along with business expansion and strengthening of its business foundations in overseas markets, Shiseido is currently undertaking measures for innovating the global brand Shiseido commonly available around the world. In this respect, various initiatives are being promoted such as augmenting the product lineup, remodeling the functions and design of counters and strengthening the customer service skills of the brand's beauty consultants. A key focus among the latter is the training of beauty consultants worldwide in terms of “counseling sales,” which Shiseido has cultivated over the years in the Japanese market underpinned by “omotenashi” (hospitality) activities directed toward communicating brand value and deepening the relationship between Shiseido and its customers.