Consulting · Distribution & market entry · コンサルティング
Bringing Japanese products to Europe with precision, compliance and a long-term strategy
日本の製品を、正確に、確実に、長期的な戦略でヨーロッパへ。
From product selection to customs clearance and the shop shelf: a complete process, designed for sustainable growth. Since 2015 we have been applying it to our own exclusive brands; we also put it to work for brands, houses and retail chains that are not part of our catalogue.
What we do
For Japanese brands, from Japan all the way to European shops
Four building blocks that follow on from one another or can be taken separately, depending on where your brand stands. Robinson KK, our company in Tokyo, handles the Japanese side; Paris and Berlin, the European side.
In Japan
Before the first shipment, everything is decided in the workshop and around the table: what we select, what we sign, and what shipping will really cost.
- Selection of products and SKUs suited to Europe
- Discussion of distribution agreements, in Japanese
- Logistics due diligence and shipping quotes
- Workshop visits and content preparation
Import management
The invisible part, the one that makes most launches fail: compliance, customs and paperwork, then storage.
- Compliance: CE marking, REACH, packaging and labelling
- Customs and duties: HS codes, VAT, EORI, fiscal representation, documentation
- Coordination of shipments from Japan to the EU
- Storage in our warehouse in France or with a partner, and stock control
Distribution, market access and positioning
A wholesale price that leaves a margin for everyone, country-by-country positioning, and the right people across the table.
- Wholesale price structure and margin analysis
- Brand positioning for each European market
- Definition of sales channels, online and in shops
- Direct relationships with European buyers, trade shows, B2B portal
Operations and supply chain
Once launched, a brand lives to the rhythm of its restocks. We organise the mechanics so that they hold up over time.
- Demand planning and buying cycles
- MOQ negotiation and gradual market entry
- Reverse logistics and returns management
- Local customer service and B2B support for retailers
And in the other direction
For European houses and retail chains
Producing or launching in Japan
You are a European house looking for a Japanese workshop for a bespoke edition, or for a way into the Japanese market. Robinson KK supports you on the ground.
- Sourcing of Japanese workshops and makers
- Product development and bespoke editions
- Production follow-up and quality control in Japan
- Introductions to Japanese shops and distributors, interpreting
Building a Japanese selection
You are opening a shop, a corner or an online shop and you want a coherent Japanese selection that sells. Ten years of feedback from shops, at your service.
- Selection and assortment, beyond our own brands
- Layout, merchandising and signage
- Training sales teams on Japanese products
- Pop-ups, events and maker visits
Why Robinson
Ten years of Japanese brands, three offices, one warehouse
Local, multilingual teams
Paris, Tokyo and Berlin, in French, English, German, Japanese and Korean. In Japan, Robinson KK and Naofumi Mochizuki talk to makers in their own language and time zone.
Direct access to buyers
Shops in 23 countries, from independent stationery shops to department stores: Le Bon Marché, Merci, Manufactum, Globus, Vitra, Japan House… and a newsletter reaching 15,000 retailer contacts.
Lean operations
Small MOQs, fast restocks, a transparent cost structure, a warehouse in France and a B2B portal: the mechanics we use every day for our own brands.
Ten years of experience
18 exclusive Japanese brands, from Toyo Steel to Hobonichi, and bespoke projects for Saint Laurent, Orient Express, Van Cleef & Arpels, Diptyque and Muji.
Our method
Four steps, from assessment to restock
Every project is different: we always start by understanding yours before proposing an assignment, one-off or ongoing. A first conversation with no obligation, in Paris, in Tokyo or by video call.
[Terms and fees for assignments to be defined: fixed price, day rate, monthly retainer]
Assessment and readiness check
Product audit, wholesale and retail price simulation, compliance review: what can work, what will be expensive, what is best avoided.
Import set-up
Customs, certifications, documentation, logistics routes and storage: everything is ready before the first order.
Distribution launch
Introductions to retailers, trade shows, B2B portal, launch content – photos, videos, newsletter.
Ongoing management
Restocks, forecasts, feedback from shops and optimisation, with regular check-ins and figures.
They have collaborated with our brands
Saint Laurent · Orient Express · Van Cleef & Arpels · Tokyobike · Prada · Boucheron · Petit Bateau · L'Occitane en Provence · Diptyque · Muji · Starbucks Reserve
Exclusive colour, limited edition or co-branded concept: these projects, carried out with our brands and their workshops, are the starting point of our consulting work. See the bespoke projects →
Tell us about your project
We reply within a week
A few lines are enough: who you are, what you make or sell, and what you are looking for between Japan and Europe.
日本語でのお問い合わせは、東京のロビンソンKKが対応いたします。
Or directly: hello@robinson.agency