Potential of MARUI GROUP’s Business from the Perspective of Inclusion

Potential of MARUI GROUP’s Business from the Perspective of Inclusion

Dialogue

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Potential of MARUI GROUP’sBusiness from the Perspective of Inclusion
As a provider of fulfilling lifestyles, MARUI GROUP strives to include allcustomers, regardless of their age, gender, or physical characteristics. We
are thus committed to developing products, services, and stores that canbring joy to a wide range of customers.
On the following pages, we will recount a discussion held between theleaders of MARUI GROUP’s Retailing and FinTech businesses, in which
they discussed the inclusion initiatives being implemented in their­businesses, the issues faced in this regard, and the potential for i­ntegrated
Group businesses.

Yoshinori Saito

Hajime Sasaki

Senior Executive Officer (left)
President and Representative Director, Epos Card Co., Ltd.

Senior Executive Officer (right)
President and Representative Director, MARUI CO., LTD.

Mar. 1986 Joined the Company

Mar. 1986 Joined the Company

Jul. 2008	Executive Officer
General Manager, Financial Department

Oct. 2007	Director and General Manager,
Card Planning Division, Epos Card Co., Ltd.

Apr. 2011	Director and General Manager,
Direct Marketing Department, MARUI CO., LTD.

Apr. 2012	Director and General Manager,
Private Brand Department,
MARUI CO., LTD.

Apr. 2013	Director and General Manager,
Collaboration Card Business Department,
Epos Card Co., Ltd.
Oct. 2013	Director and General Manager,
Sales Promotion Department, Epos Card Co., Ltd.
Apr. 2015	Managing Director, Epos Card Co., Ltd.
Director, M & C SYSTEMS CO., LTD. (Incumbent)
Apr. 2016	Senior Executive Officer (Incumbent)
President and Representative Director,
Epos Card Co., Ltd. (Incumbent)
Director, MRI Co., Ltd. (Incumbent)

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Dialogue 02

Apr. 2013 Executive Officer
Apr. 2014	Managing Director and General Manager,Specialty Store Department, MARUI CO., LTD.
Jun. 2014	DirectorApr. 2015	Director and Senior Executive Officer
Responsible for Retailing and Store Operation Business
Senior Managing Director, MARUI CO., LTD.
Director, Epos Card Co., Ltd.
Apr. 2016	Senior Executive Officer (Incumbent)
President and Representative Director,
MARUI CO., LTD. (Incumbent)

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Potential of MARUI GROUP’s Business from the Perspective of Inclusion

Potential of MARUI GROUP’s Business from the Perspective of Inclusion

Broadening of Focus to “Inclusion”
After Entrenching “For All Customers”
Sasaki: I think it was around 2007 when President Aoi
began using the phrase “for all customers.” At the time,
we were limiting our scope of target customers byfocusing primarily on providing fashion to youths. Later,
we had customers participate in the development
process for the Rakuchin Kirei series, which hit store
shelves in 2010. I believe this experience is what
broadened our focus, drawing it to the idea of “inclusion.”
Saito: The idea of “for all customers” was a drastic
departure from standard marketing conventions, whichcall for clear targets.
Sasaki: This idea was difficult to warm up to at first.
I was eventually able to get used to it by considering theneeds of people with “non-standard” body sizes, seniorcitizens, people with disabilities, members of the LGBT
community, and others, and thinking about how I could
address these needs. In the process of creating­successes and hearing the words of satisfied customers,
I began to reexamine what our true mission was. It was at
this point that “for all customers” went beyond a mereslogan to become a concept entrenched in our business.
Saito: Now, the idea of “for all customers” is just anormal part of conversation.
Sasaki: The results of this change can be seen in theRakuchin Kirei series of private brand shoes and in thestore development approach taken at Hakata Marui.
Through these undertakings, we came to realize the factthat this demand had always been present in society; we
had just failed to address it. The next step in addressing
this demand is the try-on store initiative we are testingwith shoes. I now recognize that there are several unresolved issues faced by society and communities.

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perspective of a company that emphasizes efficiency tothe perspective of the customers that visit our stores.
Similarly, we placed card application centers, which werepreviously located on the top floors of buildings, in areasthat were more convenient for customers.
Sasaki: In the still unfinished process of developing
Hakata Marui, we enlisted the aid of Kyushu University,
Lifestyle Design Lab, and Mirairo to help us craft thestore’s facilities. These universal design specialists put
forth many ideas we would not have come up with on ourown, such as signs displaying the distance to restrooms
and areas for charging electric wheelchairs, which wereactually implemented in the store.
Saito: I think some of the issues fixed had been pointed
out previously but had gone unresolved. We were able toaddress these issues as we gained encouragement
through ongoing co-creation activities based on thecustomer’s perspective.

Shift from Company Perspective toCustomer Perspective
Sasaki: Customers do not get joy from buying products;
they get joy through the products as well as through theexperiences they have. This realization enabled us to give
form to a store development concept that puts the spotlight on the joy customers seek through products, which
was a major shift in perspective.
Saito: To put it differently, we shifted from the26

Familiarity with Finance,
Growing Potential of FinTech
Saito: The areas targeted by FinTech are, in fact, areas inwhich MARUI GROUP has always operated. In regard tocredit cards, the higher the income—and subsequently
credit limit—one has, the more likely they are to have abank-issued card. MARUI GROUP, meanwhile, has

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supplied installment payment services and credit cards
to youths and low-income individuals since its founding
to encourage them to buy its products, and we createdcompletely unique credit evaluation standards throughthis process.
Sasaki: Our proprietary system in which customers areprovided a credit limit that increases based on theirpurchase and repayment history is inspired by thefounder’s basic belief that creditability should be built
together with customers.
Saito: The services currently provided in MARUIGROUP’s FinTech business remain based on this belief
and are centered around payment services using credit
cards. However, interest in asset management is highamong individuals of all ages and genders, and financeneeds are diversifying. The most significant changebrought about by the advent of FinTech is that consumers who rarely went to banks or securities companies are
now becoming familiar with financial services throughthe Internet. Considering the idea of inclusion, I thinkthat FinTech has real potential to develop into newbusinesses.

Fulfilling Lifestyles Provided throughUnion of Retail and FinTech
Sasaki: Looking at our try-on stores for shoes, the size ofshoes is an important factor for grabbing customers.
After that, we can encourage them to apply for an EPOS
card when they order their products through the Internet.
Once customers become used to this method of purchasing, we will be able to encourage more customers tobuy our products as they will no longer be restricted toin-store purchases. The stores that serve as a space forexperiencing our products as well as our e-commerceand credit card operations are all supported by ourin-house IT and logistics operations. If we strategicallyintegrate the Group’s various businesses, we should beable to forge new strengths.
Saito: I believe a major strength of MARUI GROUP is thatit handles all functions in-house, allowing us to operate
our business in an integrated manner. EPOS Card could
not exist without both the Retailing business and oursystem development company. Perhaps our greatest
strength is that employees versed in both retailing andfinance are able to accumulate know-how by beingtransferred between Group companies.
Sasaki: By integrating stores, the Internet, and credit
cards to develop a business model that fully leverages
the strengths of physical stores, we will be able toinclude an even more diverse range of customers.
Saito: Pursuing new ways of inclusion through the integration of the Retailing and FinTech businesses is also an
undertaking very characteristic of MARUI GROUP. Ourstrength is, after all, born out of this union of our two
major businesses.
Sasaki: When attempting to tackle a new challenge,
it can be easy to become preoccupied by pressing
short-term issues and lose sight of the uncertain future.
However, we cannot create fulfilling lifestyles 10 or 20
years down the line with this shortsightedness. I believe
it is important for everyone to envision such lifestyles
and actively work toward making them a reality. Thisendeavor will require all employees to have the courage
to change.
Saito: We strive to bring our customers joy through
EPOS cards and to give them a chance to pursue various
dreams. Our credit cards are not just cards; they givecustomers access to services at a wide range of locations
and act as a reliable ally to help them out in times ofneed. Our mission is to develop our business based on
the customer’s perspective. I hope to create a corporate
culture in which MARUI GROUP’s businesses are unitedin accomplishing this mission.

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