The industry with large sales in Japan is characteristic and trend

Subscription services (hereafter "subscrips") that allow users to receive services by paying a fixed fee continuously are now being offered across a wide range of fields. The most common examples that come to mind are digital content like music, video, and games.

However, there are other industries that are also increasing their sales through subscription services.

In this article, we will introduce the industries and products in Japan where subscription sales are particularly strong, focusing especially on cosmetics, beauty, and protein.

According to the "Survey on the Subscription Service Market (2023)" released by Yano Research Institute in December 2023, the domestic subscription market for consumers (covering seven main segments) is projected to reach approximately 943 billion yen in 2023, a 5.2% increase over the previous year.

While the overall subscription market is expected to continue growing, let's take a closer look at the industries with particularly high sales.

Reference: Survey on the Subscription Service Market (2023) | News & Topics | Market Research and Marketing by Yano Research Institute

According to a survey conducted in September 2023 by Net Protections, Inc., which targeted 6 million members, among the three main genres of so-called digital content—"music," "video," and "manga"—the largest number of subscription users were for "video," followed by "music," and then "manga" (Net Protections survey).

Furthermore, as noted in the press release from the aforementioned Yano Research Institute, the digital content industry has been expanding since the mid-2010s, and many people now associate "subscriptions" directly with "digital content."

Reference: Survey on the Actual Usage of Subscription Services for Major Digital Content Genres: "Music," "Video," and "Manga" | Net Protections, Inc. Press Release

According to "FiNE," a web media operated by Findstar Group Inc., the market for fashion-related subscription services was estimated at 298 billion yen as of fiscal year 2021.

In addition, the beauty-related subscription market spans a wide range of areas such as cosmetics, skincare, nails, and self-care, and is considered an industry with strong potential for further growth in the future.

In the lifestyle sector, subscription services for home appliances in particular have shown rapid growth.

This trend appears to be influenced by the pandemic, which led to consumers going out less and, as a result, more people wanting to "see products in person at physical stores before buying" or having "less trust in e-commerce." For these consumers, subscription services that allow them to "try products for a certain period before deciding whether to continue using them" have played a significant role and expanded as a result.

Even as of 2024, when the coronavirus pandemic has somewhat subsided, purchasing from home appliance subscription services still retains a certain level of popularity. As a result, subscription sales in the lifestyle industry continue to be on the rise.

From here, let's take a closer look at cosmetics and beauty, which is one of the fields with high subscription sales in Japan.

Products like high-end basic cosmetics, cushion foundation, Depaco, Korean cosmetics, and other makeup items are actually highly compatible with subscription services and are contributing to the expansion of the market.

As a premise, basic cosmetics needed for face washing and skincare are consumables, which means there is a need to purchase them regularly.

From the consumer's perspective, there are likely many people who find it troublesome to have to go out and buy items like milky lotions or toners every time they start to run low.

Given this background, skincare products are highly compatible with subscription services.

When it comes to the unique appeal of purchasing makeup products, it can vary depending on the item's characteristics. For example, the excitement of discovering the perfect shade for yourself, the thrill of not knowing what you'll get in a Christmas coffret, the fun of buying large quantities of pouch-sized items, or the special feeling of owning a luxury department store exclusive.

A distinctive feature of makeup product subscriptions is that they are offered according to these specific characteristics.

Next, let’s look at some examples of business owners in the cosmetics and beauty fields who have adopted Shopify, a leading e-commerce platform, for their subscription services.

“Proposals for a lifestyle that coexists with bacteria” is the vision presented by KINS.

Based on "Bacteria Care: A lifestyle that coexists with bacteria for maintaining health and beauty," our aim is to appropriately maintain the state of bacteria and take a fundamental approach.

You can view a list of products from the "PRODUCTS" section on the official website.

If you click on a product that has a "Subscription" or "Single item" label under the product image, you will be taken to the product details page, where you can find more information about subscription purchases.

john masters organics was born in 1994 in a New York Soho salon as the world's first clean air salon that uses absolutely no chemicals.

Contributing to the future of people and the planet through organic recommendations.

“That’s our mission.” This is posted on the top page of the official website, where you’ll find the keyword “#regular delivery.” By clicking on it, you can see the details. For applicable products, there is also a note under the product image stating “eligible for regular delivery,” making it easy for those interested in using the subscription service to find what they need.

COSS, which shares the concept of “When your skin changes, you change. Skincare that resonates,” sells skincare products that utilize naturally derived gels (serums) and more.

By navigating to the detailed page for each product, you can check both regular subscription and one-time purchase options.

Additionally, from the “Introduction to Regular Purchase Service” section at the bottom of the site, you can learn more about COSS’s subscription service.

PROHERB, whose concept is "cosmetics gentle on the skin, made with the natural blessings born from honeybees and natural herbs," has been in business for over 25 years since its launch and is used by many people, including those with sensitive skin.

If you select the "Regular Purchase" option from the menu, a page listing only products available for regular purchase will be displayed.

Additionally, if you select regular purchase on the product detail page, you can choose from delivery intervals of 1, 2, or 3 months.

BULLDOG is a brand that offers skincare products tailored to various skin types, including normal, oily, and sensitive skin.

Our aim is to "support men as a skincare partner so they can feel confident in their own skin."

The appeal of our product lineup lies in the optimal balance of natural ingredients and carefully selected synthetic components.

To purchase products, instead of buying directly from the official website, you will be redirected from the product details page to the product page on Amazon to complete your purchase.

In this case, by using Amazon's "Subscribe & Save" service, you can not only take advantage of subscription benefits but also receive a discount, making it a great deal.

Next, let's take a look at the protein products within subscription services that are showing strong sales trends.

While many people may associate protein with muscle gain, it is also an essential nutrient for women's health and beauty.

Of course, protein is often consumed with the goal of building muscle, but sometimes people choose specific types of protein for other purposes, such as improving skin and hair, dieting, or enhancing digestive health.

If your goal is muscle building, animal-based proteins like whey protein are recommended, while for beauty-related goals, plant-based proteins like soy protein are a good choice. When selecting a protein supplement, it’s important to consider whether it matches your intended purpose and whether you can finish it before the expiration date.

Protein isn’t just available in drink form—there are also protein bars that you can eat.

One of the appealing points is that you can easily consume them like a snack or candy.

On the other hand, compared to drink-type proteins, some bars may contain higher amounts of fat and carbohydrates, so it’s important to pay attention to what you choose.

Now, let's take a look at some business owners who use protein subscriptions × Shopify.

We have also built stores for Fitness Shop and Gold Gym, which we will introduce here.

We also offer a subscription app for Shopify that we developed in-house.【GoSub】has also been implemented!

Fitness Shop is an online shop that sells training machines, exercise goods, DVDs, books, and more. They also sell a variety of protein products. For those using regular delivery, there are systems in place such as “change order cycle,” “change product/flavor,” “skip/pause anytime,” and “cancel anytime,” so you can use the service with peace of mind.

Additionally, while using the regular delivery service, you can always get 10% OFF, even on products that are not usually discounted, making it a great deal.

Please be sure to check out our articles about our case studies!

Click here for the Fitness Shop case study

Gold Gym, with locations throughout Japan, offers not only training gear and accessories, and apparel products, but also sells supplements including protein.

Depending on the product, the product details page may include a subscription purchase option, allowing you to choose the frequency, such as once a month or once every two months.

This also comes with a 10% OFF special offer.

Be sure to check out case studies of stores we've built here as well!
See the case study for Gold Gym here.

[Read the interview about implementing GoSub here]

Interview with THINK Fitness: About their Shopify site and the subscription app Go Sub

At My Fit, which provides "healthcare tailored to each individual" and "personalized protein," we offer subscription protein delivery services customized for each customer.

By answering about 20 questions on the official website, a personalized recipe is created, and a subscription service delivers protein products based on that recipe on a regular basis.

anoma offers "high-quality protein with a plant-based focus and meticulous attention to quality."

There are two types of subscription plans: the "Shin Otoku na Sustenaburu Otodoke" plan, which delivers two bags at a time, and the "Shin Otoku ni Otodoke-bin" plan, which delivers one bag at a time. You can choose the one that best fits your needs.

We previously published an article introducing companies that offer protein subscriptions!
If you’re interested, be sure to check it out.
[Click here for the article on selling protein by subscription]
The protein market is rapidly growing in size: 5 examples of Shopify × subscription (recurring purchase) × protein cases

So far, we’ve focused on subscriptions for cosmetics, beauty, and protein, and introduced the characteristics and trends of each industry and business.

Here, we’ll explain the common points shared by businesses with large subscription sales.

Large businesses with high sales are increasing the number of regular subscription users by using one or more of the following methods.

・The first-step model encourages customers to sign up for a subscription course after their initial purchase. This is done through initial discounts, displaying prices that are more attractive than regular purchases, explaining the benefits of subscriptions, and including testimonials to highlight the advantages of subscribing, all with the goal of increasing the number of subscribers.

・The second-step model lowers the barrier for the initial purchase, and then follows up with consumers via LINE, direct messages, etc., to encourage them to sign up for a subscription. Many e-commerce companies are said to use this approach.

If a subscription contract is canceled, it will be marked in red in the dashboard. Therefore, reducing the number of cancellations is key to maintaining and increasing sales.

If you want to reduce the number of cancellations, it’s important to make proactive efforts to maintain and improve customer satisfaction, such as offering “ongoing special points” and “thank you messages for continuing your subscription contract.”

Additionally, it’s effective to set up features on the cancellation page for users considering unsubscribing, such as “benefits for continuing your subscription” or a “field to enter your reason for cancellation.”

Be careful, as making the cancellation process unclear can actually strengthen a customer’s intention to cancel.

If you want to effectively launch subscriptions on Shopify, we recommend “Go Sub,” a Shopify subscription app.

You can get started with a starter plan for 0 yen per month (a 2% sales commission applies), and you can also take advantage of support and counseling from GO RIDE, so even business owners who are new to subscriptions can use it with confidence.

We post case studies of GoSub implementations at our company.

Be sure to check them out too!

[Click here for GoSub implementation case study articles]

[Go Sub] Introducing Catmania

While this is a subscription service that is expected to see significant growth in digital content, the industries and content introduced in this article—such as cosmetics, beauty, and protein—also have good compatibility with subscriptions.

Therefore, the market size is likely to continue expanding going forward.

If you are a business owner selling products like these and are considering entering the subscription market, we recommend Go Sub.

Please feel free to contact us anytime.

[About GoSub]

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