Japanese practices regarding coupons

Japanese practices regarding coupons

Thus you may want to introduce your product at a low price with coupons. I've spoken with people who said that coupons aren't used in Japan because high-brow Japanese consumers won't be attracted to products with sleazy coupons.

This may be, but I think this is a classic example of people inventing esoteric theories instead of just checking the facts. Coupons haven't been used in Japan because they weren't allowed.

It wasn't until 1990 when, under US pressure, the Japanese government allowed the use of coupons. The US wanted to encourage coupons because they are often a way for new products - in this case foreign products - to enter a market.

Since then Coca Cola and others have tried coupons in Japan, but have had mixed results because of the lack of a coupon clearinghouse. In Coca Cola's case, it asked its local bottlers to redeem the coupons. However the situation may improve because advertising giant Dentsu has begun to establish its own coupon clearinghouse.