Why the Japanese Brand is on the Decline (Muji History)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.ค. 2024
- This is about the history of Muji. Muji is a brand that has built a cult-like following around the idea of simplicity but the very thing that people love about Muji is also causing its decline. This video is about how Muji started out.
Here's what you'll learn:
- The History of Muji (Early Days)
- What the Muji brand is all about
- Why Muji is immune to copycats
- Why Muji is doing well in Asia but is failing in the US
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Timestamps 👇
1:07 - Story starts
2:26 - The meaning behind the MUJI brand (What makes it different)
5:18 - MUJI's first products. Other products: car, convenience store, furniture, and a house
7:45 - Why MUJI is failing in the U.S.
I will need a maximalist income to afford Muji's minimalist lifestyle.
Muji may be brandless but their products are crafted by famous designers, artisans, etc. Thus, they are quality products. For those who don't know what quality is, you can buy other brands. The products I bought from them last for years, of course, except the pens.
And even those have options for refills!
God bless this comment !
Muji opened in my city around 2 years ago and pretty much became an instant success, all the stores had line ups for months!
Can relate! Word-of-mouth about the brand spreads like wildfire wherever it opens a store 🔥
Of course the Japanese quality is the best and affordable that Avery body loves
I'm a Japanese and wow I'm amazed at your comprehensive summary in depth and width! You've covered SEIYU (I remember as a teenager excited buying their wooden (bare) pencils at low price in SEIYU) along with recent houses, hotels, groceries, remote-counseling services, and its strength - pouched curries (many Japanese love its curries). I didn't know their bankruptcies in US. And yes, I (and many Japanese) agree the brand now sells products at high prices. Thanks for the video!
Because it was a post war period... and trying to get people to be back to a good standard of living was the ethos. When I look at the list of items today. Now is totally ruined. Absolutely ruined. I don't understand why a pint glass is on the list of muji items in the UK. Many items are also no longer Asian in aesthetics. It is locked down by bureaucracies. Because now they have to 'esg'. But then again, how come Ikea, has the same idea and just opened in SE Asia ? How did they circumvented that then ? Why is Ikea not put through the same restrictions as Muji is doing ? When you see Ikea selling more Asian things than muji is doing... you know something is very wrong... Many a small pottery firms are revered from the list of muji things.
I'd say MUJI is doing relatively well here in Australia, they always have customers and a cult following, as well as this, their prices are not really that expensive, especially compared to other stores here.
In the PH, Muji is considered as a luxury brand and as much as I love their philosophy of 'simplicity', I can't help but think that their price isn't on point. When compared side by side to other Muji branches, Muji PH is relatively priced high. Anyway, great video as always! Love your content!
So I’m not a minimalist, but I’ve always found myself attracted to brand and couldn’t find out why. But I know now that their philosophy is Similar to mine:) this was very interesting thank you. ❤️
The problem with Japanese companies like this is that when they set up shop in the US, management tends to over hype certain products (like their furniture some of their apparel lines), ignore recommendations by industry experts and market trends, and are completely oblivious to consumer preferences. Their prices are also way too high. So high, in fact, that they always cover up the retail price printed on the label with US price tags/stickers.
Sony, Panasonic, Uniqlo and now Muji are sort of plodding along when they could be so much more if they listened to US consumers and the market, not to each other in the boardroom.
It's because America is all about cheap and cheerful... other companies and countries, just 'buy once, and stays forever'... is what many people like. I would love Muji to come back to the UK ! The US is about going round in a circle... but many countries are not about that.
If there's one thing I learned about America consumer culture, it's that nothing fails so spectacularly as good design
Great video! As a marketing student, this type of content is very insteresting and helpful! Regarding MUJI, I love it! We have a store in my city, Lisbon (Portugal) and it is popular. I think the concept of simplicity and functionality does work in most European countries as this type of "lifestyle" is raising here. We can find the same philosophies from scandinavian countries, which a lot of europeans also really admire! In terms of prices, I honestly find it very affordable for the quality. Maybe when I was a student I wouldn't buy anything from MUJI but now that I work I value more my money and how I spend it and I think everything from there it's worth it. Specially stationary and clothes. But again, what really sells it's the whole minimalism look, which like I said, in many parts of Europe is very appreciated!
"Maybe when I was a student I wouldn't buy anything from MUJI but now that I work I value more my money and how I spend it" - Lol me too!
"We can find the same philosophies from scandinavian countries" - Completely agree! I see the similarities and I get why Muji's appeal is working there.
Happy that you enjoyed the video 😄
in essence, functionality is top priority and I wish US commercial culture would create products with this mindset.
I discovered muji one year ago and I must say the quality of clothes is amazing. I used to wear top luxurious brands and Muji is the same or even better quality for a tiny price. (tiny compared to luxury brands)
Agree 100%. Exactly why people love Muji. Thanks for watching, Adam!
in japanese culture, you deservingly get what you pay for. the high price is commensurate with the high quality, a time-tested principle.
People who says that this is an expensive brand, but from where you are comparing it from? How about it’s quality? I am in Middle East but I can say that their prices are reasonable. I’ll give one example: years ago I visited Lulu Hypermarket and checked out their pants, I was taken aback as for supposedly affordable supermarket the pants I have seen was priced 169AED. For the same amount I can get a pants from other brands from malls (Mango, Zara, Pull & Bear, Stradivarus) or wait for a sale from Levi’s. I’m sure you get my drift. Brands from the malls are almost identical with one another not unless the brand is considered luxurious. As for the quality, so far so good, I don’t have any complaints with the products I bought from them.
I love the brand so much that I named my cat after it :)
Perfect! Muji is such a cute name!
I named my car Muji.
Wow, this is actually great content, I don't understand why so little views
Thanks for the kind words! Glad you liked it 😊
I love Muji 😍 Their simplistic products and aesthetically pleasing packaging are my favorite things about the brand. I’m sorry to hear they’re struggling in the US market. But I’ve always wondered why they have so many stores in NY and not a single one in the DC/MD/VA area. I haven’t been able shop at Muji, since there aren’t any stores in my area and I can’t travel due to the pandemic.
I agree with Hoi's commentary below, Muji is a huge hit in Europe. In France (and more especially in Paris) we have 6 stores ! It's the asian counterpart of the scandinavian lifestyle which is a strong trend in Europe. I guess that European market is its next priority after US failure
I love muji, this is the best quality and affordable ❤️
It’s on the decline because unless you like blue or grey/ gray, tough.
I bought a "sharp pencil" at MUJI by accident once, just because I needed one. And it is the best I've ever had and I still use it. I've had others from Pentel and famous art companies none of them ever worked longer for me than 1 year. It really is because MUJI focuses on use and simplicity. Ever since then I am hooked and was so happy when they opened a store in my home country.
I'm amazed to see Muji not working well in the west. In my country, although expensive, it is definitely loved by the community.
Muji is like Japanese IKEA
But better (:
I have a muji store near me in portland and I always go shopping there
I came here from that exact same 0.38 pen. It is by far the best pen I own, and I have no idea where I got it from. I googled '0.38 pen' in the off chance it would show. Sure enough, I found it when searching through images. It's an elite pen, for sure - the best I've ever used.
Reminds me of "Anonymous" in the late 90s early 2000s.
Miss that store.
Muji is so underrated !
I think their philosophy would work well in Northern Europe especially Scandinavian nations and Germany
Muji is pretty expensive in my opinion, but I still miss the day shopping in the Muji store for a little toothbrush. I just order the Muji bean bag online today. This is how much I miss Muji.
I love muji
Muji houses? WTF? I definitely would love to stay at the Muji Hotel and the camp site!
Here in Kuwait muji is doing pretty bad, not many ppl are interested and things are overpriced
Not sure middle easterners would get the philosophy of the brand 😂
it's not that japanese products are unreasonably overpriced. in japan, the set price is justified by the high quality. not so with cheap china-made trash because you get what you paid for.
Muji are expensive in Malaysia, even for a pen ...
My favorite brand ✨🥰✨
I was curious, found out there is a store in Poland in Warsaw in capital. Looked at the prices, here it's more expensive than ikea accessories or flying tiger ( denmark brand)
Even clothes are more expensive than other brands or similar prices.
(dont know about quality tho)
But still im curious and maybe someday i will try some clothes or his pen. Because if quality is so good, then it can hook me too.
all the stationery lovers love muji. in my country muji pens are cheaper than sarasa pens for some reason
Local version of company man ... keep it up
Nowhere near as good as Company Man! Haha. Thanks, Kevin!
Tano-shii - Enjoyable greed
tano - greed
shii - surroundings
shi - death
muji - Enjoy childhood (Best case scenario)
mu - enjoy
ji - child
** j - hiragana of shi
'mu- shi' - Enjoy death (If older brother ** again **)
Becomes just all mushy.
I learn ideas and lifestyle concepts from Muji, but I buy cheaper and better substitutes to apply the same concepts. Muji in Dubai has limited options compared to Muji in Singapore. In Dubai it operates as a franchise business and is pricy for most products. MUJI’s travel accessories are not great quality and are really expensive. Trolley bags are ridiculously expensive.
Muij is life.
For your info, Muji is still using cotton from Xinjiang for their products…
MUJI is reasonably priced but with much higher quality and better design than similarly priced essential clothing and design brands in the West like Uniqlo, GAP and Ikea. It’s a shame that the concept doesn’t resonate much with Western audiences
Any one Nepali here?
Muji's EU/UK e-commerce website is absolutely awful. Every item I want to buy is Out of Stock, yet still appears as listed. And the high-street store stock levels are never correct, even when you call them in advance, then to be told You've wasted a journey. The delivery charges are really high, even if you're spending £1000+ on furniture.
It's a terrible shame as their products are of good quality.
It's because they've kind of lost now as well... So... And if they want to survive, then they need to reconsolidate in order to help themselves. In large chaotic countries that are in SE Asia... You do not need that much confusion, and chaos ? Everybody just want to buy something which fit for purpose. So this is it really. So... and they just kept to their basic. It is a bit oversold, cos this is how people lived in Europe in general.. but not the case in SE Asia.. This is why they embraced it. People do other things in every day life... so.. They just need basic things, which works, and do not need such headaches to think about. Nobody deserves or need that in their lives.
Today, it is 2022... and this is now youtube, and social media. People have to remember that, Muji represented life back in the 1980s, the 1970s.. of Europe.. or SE Asia.. the very basic life. Cos you do not need anything else really. So why "branding" thing, has just became a kind of philosophical (aka "generation gap")..... Well.. and now, people can only see "brands" and not "philosophy" or history... A lot of people do not even recognise history when they see it online either ?
Many people in Europe embraces Muji... SE Asia embraces Muji too. (For Muji to target China, they need to find a really good basic brand that is European, and then use their label to target China ! lol.... And keep it basic too. I think there is indeed a basic approach here somewhere....)
Hait muji... ( pubac hair.... 😂😂😂😂😂)Love from Nepal 🇳🇵🇳🇵🇳🇵🇳🇵🇳🇵
Yeah reasonably price not cheapp..
Muji is very aesthetic
Chinese great in copycat and then selling at lower price..shame.
# Muji's philosophy is leading the world to be better future 👍
Mujiiiiiiiiiiiiii
me as a nepali here 😂😂🤘
Just too expensive. That’s their problem.
Yeah unfortunately 😥
I don’t understand how they’re too expensive, could you explain? My niche is art so their pens and papers are a steal
@@pininbonanuk7753 Personally, I think it really depends on the product line. My friends and I love Muji pens too 'cuz they're quite cheap. But there are products like their alarm clock for example, which costs around PHP 1,950 ($39) or their plain cotton shirt (PHP 1,450 / $29).
Whereas I can probably just head on to Uniqlo and buy the same plain shirt for PHP 400 / $8)
So I guess it depends.
They are not expensive, you are paying for the quality and the experts behind the durability and precise designs. It's like buying coffee from Starbucks or having a 3-in-1 coffee.
Muji USA is horrible. Their web site is slow and a lot of items are not in stock.
muji's chinese copycat miniso's ccp credo: rob, replicate, replace.
Only Nepalis find humour in this..
Muño mola mucho pero muy asequible no es, la verdad .
I 🤍Muji
We have here in uae too
Muji has no identity, which is its point, but then it becomes more of an overall aesthetic than a brand. Anyone can make muji products
you are right, Muji once launched an activity "find muji" in 2004. The concept of muji style life can be everywhere, but muji is the ultimate brand for this type of lifestyle.
too bad, its no longer cheap and the amount of cheaper alternatives are too much. Alternative products with quality and design
As an American I can say why ya gotta ruin everything, America?
Muji has not stop using the controversial Xinjiang Cotton where there is a high risk of Uighur forced labor according to BCI, where they auditors are not allowed to enter the facilities in Xinjiang for years.
You must be a genuine bad brand consultant if you don't even know the brand Muji.... AIYA ! What Muji has done, is .. it has been b!stardised.. So this is lost... That is why. I also hate the kind of things which is sold on their web sites now. Cos we know what they have done. So... This is why people are letting it go.
NEPALI HO MUJI 😂😂😂😂