The company also plans to develop a line of cards specifically for Japan. Also on tap is the in-store equipment that allows people to design their own cards. Gillette hopes to sell the Frontier line in office supply stores and volume retail outlets as well as through department stores, its traditional marketing channel. The products, sold in the United States for the last year, will be available initially at only seven to nine department stores that handle foreign-made cosmetics. During FY 1997, however, Japan's top cosmetics company plans to raise to 60 the number of outlets selling the Benefiance line.
Japan remains a major draw for U.S. manufacturers of golf clubs.
Sumitomo Rubber is projecting the new line's annual sales at 40,000 clubs. A new string-wrapped ball will come on the market in April. Wilson expects to sell 100,000 dozen of the new products in 1997. The device, which stores a number assigned to the animal's owner, is not harmful to the pet. The veterinary association in Aichi prefecture already has said that its members will use the chip.