Creating a fun environment
for buyers and sellers
Yuka Hirose
E-commerce Team, Digital Communications Department
Joined in 2005
Text and Edit / Yukiko Shinmura
Photo / Sho Ueda
Simply being happy when I make a sale
I'm happy when customers buy something from us. But the world of fashion has many ups and downs. I've always wondered why, but even if I couldn't answer that question, I still kept moving forward little by little in the realm of helping customers over the past fifteen years.
I love fashion. And I thought my work style would continue forever, but everything changed when COVID-19 hit. My store closed and I joined the customer support team. As I listened to feedback from customers, I saw the potential of going digital and started getting new ideas. I wasn't super tech savvy, but I got more interested in doing sales from a new angle, which led me to joining the E-commerce team in the Digital Communications Department.
Turning my closeness to customers into a strength
The team I'm on in the Digital Communications Department helps with sales promotions, social media, and content creation for the online store. Similar to marketing, we communicate with the Product Department as we monitor the sales trends, extract data, and put together the promotion schedule at the middle of the fiscal year. Then comes planning and photoshoots. After we post and stream, we look at the numbers.
There are waves when certain products buzz, which is actually pretty similar to instore trends. My experience with customers and what I learned working instore applies quite a bit, like knowing what's popular when and what product combinations will have an impact. I'm dedicated to putting together content that can be used to make everyday looks and I feel like these efforts connect directly with customers’ actual movements.
The power of going digital
I became interested in how going digital could improve our work efficiency when helping customers. I one way or another felt like some of the in-store tasks could be systemized. After all, it's a fact that when store staff aren't stressed, they can better serve customers.
I spent the first year learning from tech savvy people on my team, the second getting grounded, and my challenge for this third year is learning how to apply what I've learned. In time, I want to become someone who can bridge and incorporate analog and digital components skillfully. I would love to create an environment where both those selling and those buying can simply enjoy fashion.
Yuka Hirose
E-commerce Team, Digital Communications Department
Joined in 2005
After working as a store staff member, she joined the Digital Communications Department. Having spent time in customer support, she leads now the online store in the E-commerce Team. She is involved in linking systems with business, sales strategies, and putting together plans for brand appeal. Hirose also helps create content that includes photography, from product pages to landing pages.