American Apparel launches Japanese mobile store

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American Apparel, the vertically integrated clothing manufacturer based in downtown Los Angeles, has announced the launch of a new mobile store serving Japan.

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The store, located at mobile.americanapparel.co.jp, will be the company’s first venture into the mobile e-commerce space. Japan was chosen for the launch as its customers are among the most attuned to the potential of mobile shopping.

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“Mobile marketing is more important in Japan than in any other region. The majority of teenagers in Japan actually use their mobile phones for apparel shopping. It was clear that this would be a great new way to serve our Japanese customers in a way that they’ve come to expect from other retailers,” said Dov Charney, founder and CEO of American Apparel.

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Web store policies will remain the same as the original Japanese regional web store. Much like the regional web store, customers will be able to pay via COD, which has been chosen for almost 40% of purchases since being added as a payment option. The mobile store and regional web store will also possess matching inventories, which will be updated concurrently as transactions take place.

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Notably, the store will be accessible through a user’s mobile web browser rather than through an application, a common requirement amongst Japanese retailers. Customers will be automatically trafficked to the mobile site if they access the web store from their mobile phone. The site can also be accessed by major web browsers.

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In addition to the mobile site and regional web store, the company also operates four retail locations in Tokyo and one in Osaka. Its most recent retail expansion was in September 2009 in the Shibuya district of Tokyo.

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