Shiseido will commence sales of cosmetics products consecutively in three Balkan Peninsula countries, beginning with Albania followed by Kosovo and Macedonia, as part of its initiatives to strengthen its business in the European market. The global development of the Shiseido brand is being handled the Everet Group Ltd., a distributor with a track record for handling Shiseido’s business in Eastern Europe. Acquiring regular users of Shiseido products will be promoted by meticulously addressing customer needs through counseling services, the company says.

With Shiseido’s entry into these new markets, cosmetics sales activities overseas will encompass 77 countries and regions worldwide, including 44 countries in the European region. Additionally, Shiseido will make inroads into these three countries as the first Japanese cosmetics brand.

Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia are situated in an area of southeastern Europe within the Balkan Peninsula, which is surrounded by the Black Sea, Aegean Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Adriatic Sea. In recent years, as evidenced by the population exceeding 500,000 in respective capital cities, the economies of these countries are showing signs of growth accompanied by stabilization of social foundations. Amid such circumstances, cosmetics specialty stores handling imported prestige cosmetics have started to open,targeting the affluent population with a high interest in beauty. Along with this development, an environment is being facilitated in which highly recognized, European prestige cosmetics brands can be purchased in these markets.

Shiseido is currently promoting its Three-Year Plan, which was formulated in 2008 in seeking to become “a global player representing Asia with its origins in Japan.” Accordingly, Shiseido has thus far specifically carried out initiatives directed toward the “expansion of operations in new markets” and “strengthening of operating bases in existing markets” as key thrusts among its central activities. Since realizing full-fledged entry into European markets beginning with making inroads into France and Germany in 1980, Shiseido says its products are regarded as high-quality, prestige cosmetics products. Similarly, Shiseido will promote prestige marketing in these three uncultivated markets in southeastern Europe, and in turn, enhance Shiseido’s presence throughout Europe.

While the development of marketing channels is being promoted, the opening of department stores and launch of prestige cosmetics products are underway in respective countries. In this respect, as a means of comprehensively maintaining its prestige brand image, Shiseido will open two or three stores in each country during the first year by carefully selecting stores centralized in capital cities. Additionally, Shiseido aims to establish a counseling sales model for prestige cosmetics in respective markets with an emphasis on Shiseido’s excellence in skincare products.