Toyota Opens Shopping Mall to Boost Japan Sales

The new sprawling Japanese shopping mall has the usual restaurants and stores, even a fitness gym. But it's the shiny Camry and other Toyota models that take center stage — not only at the dealers but on display in the walkways.

The indoor shopping mall, with 220 stores and restaurants, opening to the public this week, is being developed, built and operated by a relative newcomer to the business — Toyota Motor Corp.

It's the latest attempt by the Japanese automaker to tackle a serious problem in its home Japan market: Young people are rapidly losing interest in cars. Overseas, however, Toyota is doing so well that it has nearly overtaken General Motors Corp. in global vehicle sales.

Sales of new autos in Japan for the fiscal year starting next month are forecast to drop to a 27-year-low of 5.3 million vehicles, down 0.6 percent from the previous year, as demand gets battered by soaring gas prices and sluggish wage growth, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association.

Read Article

Agent009 - 3/25/2008 10:29:51 AM

+4 Boost

Are they off base on this one? read the quote below and see:

Mieko Yabe, shopping for clothes with her baby at Tressa, said the mall is convenient because she lives in the neighborhood, but expressed little interest in owning a Toyota car.

"We have absolutely no interest in Japanese cars. My husband drives a BMW," the 35-year-old housewife said.

w209w114 - 3/25/2008 11:51:41 AM

0 Boost

The Japanese are very smart indeed! Smart enough to stay away from what they themselves have created. Great is not always the best.

"We have absolutely no interest in Japanese cars. My husband drives a BMW," the 35-year-old housewife said"

Agent009 - 3/25/2008 11:45:22 AM

0 Boost

If it works they are geniuses, if not it will still make money but maybe not sell cars.

silver1 - 3/25/2008 12:11:55 PM

0 Boost

I agree... Toyota/Lexus have what you call
"The Dream Team" best marketing strategy ever.

EL34 - 3/25/2008 12:14:42 PM

+3 Boost

Toyota should have built the mall in the USA because this is where all the Toyota geeks live.

silver1 - 3/25/2008 12:20:45 PM

+1 Boost

LOL! Your right! Couldn't agree with you more!

Agent009 - 3/25/2008 12:47:51 PM

+4 Boost

I thought they lived only at Gamestop?

Htay7500 - 3/25/2008 5:38:39 PM

+1 Boost

Im not sure if this is true but in Japan, every 2 yrs after a car purchase, a salesman comes to the consumers house (by law?) and sells them a new car as the comfort of their own home. odd.

ChicaneShooter - 3/26/2008 7:57:14 AM

+1 Boost

it's not a law. the salesmen do that HOPING TO SELL MORE new cars. they also do office visits. and deliver new cars too!

no1listensanyway - 3/25/2008 7:06:18 PM

+3 Boost

Hmm... The Japnese economy is going to crumble if they dont start to purchase things..

Htay7500 - 3/25/2008 7:59:43 PM

+2 Boost

apparently, they aren't a 1st world economy anymore because their economy has fallen for the past 6 yrs despite the fact the yen is stronger than the USD.

ChicaneShooter - 3/26/2008 8:07:12 AM

+1 Boost

the japanese economy may not be growing like it did in the boom years. but it is still AFLOAT.

who can say if the same will hold true for the U.S. economy in the near future???

JUGNU - 3/26/2008 7:01:05 AM

+1 Boost

here in middle East there are many malls with small toyota/lexus or nissan/infiniti showrooms inside. and now it's become a trend. All new malls have place for a showroom as well. Recentley opened a new mall has BMW/Mini showroom.

JUGNU

ChicaneShooter - 3/26/2008 8:02:56 AM

+1 Boost

a few years ago, i was in Dimond Mall in Anchorage, Alaska and there were what SEEMED like permanent displays of a few car brands. there were salesmen ready to write up orders too.

i also had a friend who once bought a car ON HIS CREDIT CARD! (it was a cheap chevy)

when you get down to it, cars are just another consumer commodity. makes sense to display them where people are actually shopping and spending money.

ChicaneShooter - 3/26/2008 8:13:04 AM

+1 Boost

"Japan has excellent public transportation, including trains and subways, and so many feel they don't need a car.

"Also, parking is often expensive, with many apartment buildings charging about $100 per month. And traffic can be congested."

a case where public transportation has become TOO GOOD.
and population density TOO HIGH to enjoy cars as in places with more wide open spaces.

Htay7500 - 3/26/2008 10:28:15 AM

+1 Boost

so in that case, they should all be confined in their cars and get stuck in the middle of traffic?

ChicaneShooter - 3/28/2008 6:50:00 AM

+1 Boost

no fool. that is the reason WHY there is little incentive to buy cars lately.