Big Boom in Japan

Some time ago I introduced here the magic gum that makes you smell like rose. Well, it’s disappearing from the storefronts as fast as it can. I mean, it’s disappearing in a positive sense. It’s way too popular. So popular that the supply can’t catch up with the demand.
Impressive... or surprising, isn’t it? I’ve never heard of anything that’s being discontinued because it’s selling off too well. The selling company Kanebo Foods commented about the discontinuance, “It has become so much more popular than we have expected and we have to stop producing it once and make a new start on this.”

Does this mean that there are that many men who are worried about their body odor? Then why don’t they just dash to the local drug stores and get something more medical that have more certain effects?

Another boom we have nowadays is mango. Anything that has a name that starts with or includes the word “mango” sells off really well. It’s not because those food make you smell mango fruity, but is because it’s something seasonal. The most popular desserts at restaurants are mango sweets, and the same thing can be said for supermarket shelves. But, we don’t see real mango that much, and I don’t hear about people swarming to the fruits section in the supermarket for mango fruit.

I see some common points in these two stories. Do you?
What sells well in Japan have added values, like high-tech accessory functions and/or things that make you feel like you’re saving money or get more advantages.
I know I shouldn’t be saying anything based on observations on only two phenomena but anyway, chewing gum. Assuming that the base function of chewing gum is to give some kind of taste for your tongue, the added value would be the function of making you smell good. This tiny added value raises remarkably the consumer’s appetite and the price isn’t different from the others. If you wanted something from the drug store to change your body odor from inside your body, it would cost you about 1000-1500 yen/week on average. Here, there is another added value of saving money.

Same for mango. Mangos... they are super duper expensive here. If you want a decent one it would cost you about 2000 yen. No matter how delicious it may be, normal people can’t afford that much money few times a month for fruit. Then what? People go reach for processed mango goods. Mango pudding, dried mango, desserts with small chunks of mango fruit etc. etc.. They’re like 500 yen each.

And never to forget diet products. It’s not like a particular one flies off the shelves, but there are tons of kinds. This too, like the rose chewing gum, has added value of this time “losing whatever-you-don’t want”. These food are handy when the problem’s not as serious as going to the hospital or drug store for medical care but you don’t want to leave them that way. Human psychology. Interesting.

If you ever want to sell something in Japan, set the price rather low and add just a hint of “(free) values” to it. “Wanna be/do this/that without hard work”...another indicator to measure Japanese character. I’ve gotta do more research on this.