Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. has positioned its digital strategy as the core of its business, and integrated cyberspace and the real world to develop new values, customers and business projects. As part of its efforts toward that end, Isetan Mitsukoshi has begun tests in preparation for opening the first online store by Japan's department store operator on Tmall Global, an electronic commerce website operated by the world's largest retailer Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., in late November.

Purpose of opening online store on Tmall Global:

Isetan Mitsukoshi group stores' sales of duty-free items in the first half of 2016 were approximately 3.7 times those in the corresponding period of 2013. Chinese customers, who account for about 70% of Isetan Mitsukoshi's sales of duty-free goods, are interested in high-quality Japanese products that are selling well to Japanese customers.

Isetan Mitsukoshi will participate in Tmall Global as a strategic partner to build a long-term relationship with its customers who have done shopping at its stores in Japan and develop new customers in China.

Isetan Mitsukoshi will select safe and high-quality goods to 1) sell mainly high-quality Japanese products on Tmall Global; 2) facilitate an alliance between its Chinese and Japanese stores; and 3) help accumulate know-how on marketing in China.

Assortment of products:

Isetan Mitsukoshi will sell its unique products to differentiate itself from other companies that mainly deal with daily necessities.

Category:

Isetan Mitsukoshi will initially sell hundreds of types of products ranging from fashion clothing, miscellaneous goods, cosmetics and foodstuffs to daily necessities, and subsequently expand the scope of goods it will sell. Initially, the company will focus on its own brands and seasonal products. It will gradually add Japanese brands to its lineup. In spring 2017 and beyond, the company will increase special campaigns in collaboration with designers, thereby adding new brands and items to its lineup.

Services:

Isetan Mitsukoshi will provide unique services, such as after-sales services, including repair and additional processing, and pop-up stores showing its products to customers, by utilizing its store network in China.

About Alibaba Group and Tmall Global:

Alibaba Group, which operates Tmall -- China's largest BtoC online shopping mall -- and other e-commerce portals, had 434 million active users on China's retail market as of June 2016. Alibaba Group's total sales on China's retail market had surpassed 3 trillion yuan (approximately 46 trillion yen) by March 2016.

About Isetan Mitsukoshi:

Isetan Mitsukoshi was formed in 2008 by merging Mitsukoshi and Isetan, originally inaugurated in 1673 and 1886, respectively, as kimono shops. It is the operator of Japan's largest department store network comprising 27 outlets in Japan and 31 others overseas.

*For more details, visit the following websites:

http://www.imhds.co.jp/english/company/about.html

http://www.imhds.co.jp/english/company/number.html

Source: Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd.