Major department stores in Japan launched their New Year¡¯s sales on Friday, offering varieties of ¡°lucky bag¡± product packages to stimulate buying interest despite tepid excitement from consumers amid inflation.
Sogo & Seibu¡¯s Sogo store in Yokohama prepared about 30,000 lucky bags, including ?2,026 packages containing jackets for men, as well as ?250,000 packages featuring the right to select three colors to light up the city¡¯s symbolic Yokohama Marine Tower.
¡°Consumers¡¯ money-saving attitudes persist amid inflation, but some unreservedly spend on products they want and new experiences,¡± said the Sogo store¡¯s manager, Takanobu Toyoda.
Before it opened at 9 a.m., customers formed a long line outside the store. At the front of the line was a customer who arrived at around 4:20 a.m.
¡°I plan to buy a lot today,¡± a woman in her 30s from Kawasaki said with a smile.
Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings also launched New Year¡¯s sales at its stores on Friday.
Meanwhile, Takashimaya, Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores and Tobu Department Store are scheduled to reopen on Saturday, as they opted to give their employees more time off.
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