With the efforts of the licensees, Japanese brand Cocolulu has been marketed in the Chinese Mainland since a decade ago. Today, this middle-high end causal ladies' wear brand has its retail points scattering in 40 cities all over the country, with major outlets found in premier department stores.
Eyeing on China's burgeoning apparel market, Cocolulu's representative Miss Tang has been keen to launch more sales outlets in each city where the brand has already established its presence. On top of joining the HKTDC Style Hong Kong Shows in Guangzhou, Chongqing and Fuzhou, Cocolulu has further taken part in a series of HKTDC Business Matching Meetings in March 2010 to connect with delegates of an incoming Fuzhou trade mission before setting off to the Style Hong Kong Show in Fuzhou.
"We are really glad to have found four potential partners out of the five meeting companies which have been pre-selected by the HKTDC Business Matching Specialists; and among them are second-tier department stores which we have longed to collaborate with. In addition, all their representatives are either directors or person in-charge from the management level who are able to give immediate response on whether our products are suitable for their stores," enthused Miss Tang.
After the Business Matching Meetings, two department stores have already planned to visit the booth of Cocolulu at the Style Hong Kong Show in Fuzhou event to look into the brand's collections, while the sales and marketing team of these department stores would take charge of further business discussion with Cocolulu.
"There are certain periods of time during a year when Mainland's department stores re-allocate the space of their consignments. The detailed information provided by the Business Matching Service prior to the meetings has not only speeded up our discussion progress, but also enabled us to catch up with the critical timeline of the re-allocation," highlighted Miss Tang.
Miss Tang was also delighted as the matching service further enhances her knowledge in the ways which the Mainland department stores operate.
"Through exchanging views with these department store representatives, they have given me a better picture of the how Mainland's second-tier department stores work; their consumers' spending culture; and the requirements and conditions to become their consignees. As compared to the first-tier department stores, they are apparently more meticulous in choosing the right partners. It has also been so nice that a few of them refer us to some of their contacts, making our attempt this time even more rewarding."
