executive impact

Don Quijote rides high on rule-breaking reputation

13 Comments
By Sam Nussey

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13 Comments
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This article heaps a lot of praise on Donki, but misses it's two most important merits:

It's cheap, and it's 24-hours.They out-Walmarted Walmart's own brand in Japan.

Sometimes, it's 11 PM and you need a screwdriver or laundry detergent or toilet paper or make-up, and you don't want to pay convenience store prices for them. You can talk all you want a bunch of fluff about making the stores "fun" experiences, but nobody over 19 who isn't a recent immigrant goes to Donki for fun. Yet any time I go to my local Donki, I see people of all ages there doing shopping that they appear to need to do.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Amazing, in an article about how Donki is doing well and is starting to rival some of the other big retailers, that oldie but goodie comment,

Don Quijote has tweaked its strategy in Singapore, where shoppers are unburdened by a deflationary mindset.

Why does every article always have to talk about Japan's deflationary mindset. People are not waiting for prices to drop, they are waiting for salaries to go up. And they are forced to buy at Donki, because it offers as cheap as possible.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

@katsu78 - I thought they were all 24hr stores, but I found out recently very few actually are. Local one closes at 2am and reopens at 7am. Most seem to close at either 2 or 3am. Not that it matters though... They're still good hours.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

I think Donki is a great store and has many bargain items. However, every time I go into a Donki store I pray there is not an earthquake.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Interesting how they let store managers customize the store to meet the local market. I always enjoy going there, you really never know what you will find and they often have random assortments of foreign products, the Mega Don Quixotes which I've been to near me are also great, having a full supermarket at competitive prices and good selection. I've been to a Platinum one and didn't find it much more different from a normal store, maybe it had more high-end products but most of the stores have a section dedicated to luxury goods so I didn't find it any more upscale at all.

The store designs are kind of chaotic but that's also part of the adventure, just wandering around and trying to find what you're looking for and maybe finding some new things, but it's better than your typical discount store which resembles more like a warehouse with random products stacked in the middle of the aisles. I'm glad that they're doing well though, I have noticed that they've been expanding like crazy in the past few years, even Ikebukuro got another one near the north entrance of the station even though there's another (huge) one just down the street, and one on the other side of the station!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

"oversized bags of potato chips"

I once made the mistake of buying one of those. Ate the whole bag within 30 minutes, lol

"However, every time I go into a Donki store I pray there is not an earthquake."

Why, because of those ridiculously narrow aisles? I bet that's it!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Possibly the biggest beneficiary of the popularization of Halloween in Japan. Them and Disneyland.

We go and I buy stuff, mainly food items. A lot of toys and gadgets they sell are pretty trashy. The radio controlled cars last a couple of weeks if you're lucky. Selling cheap food is good, but throwaway tat that is soon bound for the trashcan should not be celebrated.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Don Quijote - everything you don't really need under one roof  :)

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I go for the cheap Kit-Kats and the trashy customers.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I think this quote is very telling:

"Our biggest rival is not Amazon or Aeon, but customers' losing interest"

If clients lose interest in you, it really doesn't matter WHERE they go, all that matters for a business is that you've lost the sale.

I actually enjoy the randomness and the utter insanity of shopping at Donki, the low prices are always a welcome.. "bonus" as well.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

It should be "Don Don Don ..Donki"

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I'd hate to be in a Donki if a fire broke out.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

DisillusionedAug. 20  02:15 pm JST I think Donki is a great store and has many bargain items. However, every time I go into a Donki store I pray there is not an earthquake.

I have a similar feeling but it's the thought of a fire that scares me whenever I'm in a Donki!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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