SUQQU is a beauty brand under Équipe, a member of the Kanebo Cosmetics family. Expanding into China via the country’s largest cross-border e-commerce platform is part of the firm’s strategy to boost its international sales.
“The new SUQQU online space marks a full-scale launch of cross-border e-commerce operations to be staged in step with the strong growth in domestic inbound demand for SUQQU products. Beyond Équipe’s current business operations in five countries and regions, the company will be scaling up international sales by establishing its first official sales channels in mainland China,” said the company in a statement.
SUQQU’s Tmall entry follows the launch of its Weibo social media account in 2017, when the company began to notice the rapid increase of inbound demand from Chinese tourists in Japan.
Since then, Équipe has been preparing for a full-scale brand launch in China by steadily releasing SUQQU content to its’s 490,000 Weibo followers.
Around 150 SKUs, mainly the core SUQQU skin care and make-up products, will be available through Tmall Global.
The line-up will include SUQQU’s updated Extra Rich Glow Cream Foundation, which according to the firm, is an “overwhelmingly” popular item among Chinese tourists in Japan.
According to Équipe, the foundation is its best-selling product and added that it was “almost unrivalled” in inbound demand.
The second-generation Extra Rich Glow Cream Foundation was released in September 2018 as demand for the original version was high.
The product is formulated with twelve Japanese beauty extracts along with other skin care ingredients that moisturise the skin.
Increasing overseas presence
SUQQU is currently available overseas in countries such as Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea and the UK.
The brand has been steadily increasing its presence in these markets. It currently has seven stores in Taiwan. Most recently, SUQQU expanded into South Korea in 2017 where it is now available in three tax-free stores.
The company also noted that SUQQU was the only Japanese brand with a strong presence at Selfridges, a well-known department store on Oxford Street, a major shopping street in London.
Équipe claimed that SUQQU sales are climbing in all its markets and its popularity was steadily increasing in the prestige beauty market.
“Thriving sales are driving more active overseas operations in Asia and Europe and enhancing the brand’s prestige on an international level.”
This was thanks to the brand’s high reputation for quality and appealing concept as a Japanese brand with a “distinct East Asian image”.
