Comments on: The OMIYAGE Custom http://www.ronmartin.net/blog/archives/1775 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:53:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Lestie http://www.ronmartin.net/blog/archives/1775#comment-23469 Lestie Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:48:00 +0000 http://www.ronmartin.net/blog/archives/1775#comment-23469 Hello Ron and everyone, Thanks for this, since this first appeared I used the wrong pronounciation, (since corrected!) but told a couple of colleagues about it. One runs a gift store and changes specialities as and when she feels like it or depending on what she 'finds' overseas. She has all sorts of good things that suit the "I need it" urge for any shopper, and her latest adventure is in porcelain dolls. She's building up a word of mouth clientele with her 'omiyage' approach to her customers. Of course if she recognises a Japanese person, she says "II Omiyage" and starts off well and sells (says she has a lot to learn still with Japanese customers), but has taken to telling any of her customers that whatever they are interestied in would make a good gift for someone at home. I am not sure that I have put over the idea properly, but her sales have shot up, her two retail sales assistants are earning more commission and this new 'technique' has meant that her stock turnover is getting better, even on previosuly slow moving items. This is for several reasons perhaps, but one thing is for sure it is also because of her staff's new approach, based on this advice above Ron, that millionaires need to buy trinkets and workers fancy goods. Of course, for every sale there is a happy customer too, something she is very pleased about. She even got a postal request the other day for a direct purchase to be shipped out. This is an everyday occurrance with Ebay and internet shopping, but not for her snail mail. She was thrilled and aims to carry on developing this kind of market. Yes she says, there are still many who do not use the computer to go shopping and want to deal with a live person rather than a fi;l your shopping cart option. She also thinks I am very smart for having taught her something she says she should have realised long ago. Basking in your sunlight is nice Ron ... but I did tell her where I got my info from so thanks a lot. She is working on the wrapping and presentation of her gifts as well in terms of making sure that when they arrive they are crisp and new and smart and all those good words. More similar advice please Ron and if anyone out there has other 'international' cultural shopping customs or systems to share, I would apreciate it too. Regards Lestie Jo'burg South Africa Hello Ron and everyone,
Thanks for this, since this first appeared I used the wrong pronounciation, (since corrected!) but told a couple of colleagues about it. One runs a gift store and changes specialities as and when she feels like it or depending on what she ‘finds’ overseas. She has all sorts of good things that suit the “I need it” urge for any shopper, and her latest adventure is in porcelain dolls. She’s building up a word of mouth clientele with her ‘omiyage’ approach to her customers. Of course if she recognises a Japanese person, she says “II Omiyage” and starts off well and sells (says she has a lot to learn still with Japanese customers), but has taken to telling any of her customers that whatever they are interestied in would make a good gift for someone at home. I am not sure that I have put over the idea properly, but her sales have shot up, her two retail sales assistants are earning more commission and this new ‘technique’ has meant that her stock turnover is getting better, even on previosuly slow moving items. This is for several reasons perhaps, but one thing is for sure it is also because of her staff’s new approach, based on this advice above Ron, that millionaires need to buy trinkets and workers fancy goods. Of course, for every sale there is a happy customer too, something she is very pleased about. She even got a postal request the other day for a direct purchase to be shipped out. This is an everyday occurrance with Ebay and internet shopping, but not for her snail mail. She was thrilled and aims to carry on developing this kind of market. Yes she says, there are still many who do not use the computer to go shopping and want to deal with a live person rather than a fi;l your shopping cart option. She also thinks I am very smart for having taught her something she says she should have realised long ago. Basking in your sunlight is nice Ron … but I did tell her where I got my info from so thanks a lot. She is working on the wrapping and presentation of her gifts as well in terms of making sure that when they arrive they are crisp and new and smart and all those good words.

More similar advice please Ron and if anyone out there has other ‘international’ cultural shopping customs or systems to share, I would apreciate it too.

Regards
Lestie
Jo’burg
South Africa

]]> By: Lestie http://www.ronmartin.net/blog/archives/1775#comment-23006 Lestie Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:06:56 +0000 http://www.ronmartin.net/blog/archives/1775#comment-23006 Hello Ron and everyone, I found this article very very interesting and will be on the lookout for more. Thank you very much for the advice and lessons and insights into the mindset of Japanese tourists and customers. Please confirm phonetic pronunciation of OMIYAGE and SENBETSU. The senbetsu is probably a given but the first? ARGHEE or AYJ at the end? Thanks and cheers, Lestie Hello Ron and everyone,

I found this article very very interesting and will be on the lookout for more. Thank you very much for the advice and lessons and insights into the mindset of Japanese tourists and customers. Please confirm phonetic pronunciation of OMIYAGE and SENBETSU. The senbetsu is probably a given but the first? ARGHEE or AYJ at the end?

Thanks and cheers,
Lestie

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