Since its founding in 1999, istyle has held as its vision the creation of new "Consumer-centered" industries, and we have expanded our business around that concept. In a time when cosmetics manufacturers were still the main vector for disseminating information to consumers, we showed the industry how databases aggregating product reviews could be utilized to intuit new insights for product development and cosmetics stores, as well as opportunities for the deployment of e-commerce sites and interaction with cosmetics brands.
All of these initiatives were part of our goal of creating new "Consumer-centered" industries.
Going forward, we intend to expand our scope beyond cosmetics to beauty as a whole, and go from Japan into the rest of the world.
Creating new "Consumer-centered" industries requires tackling a range of complex social issues. One of our core values is a spirit of co-creation, in which we accept diversity and complexity and work together to achieve our vision for the future.
Achieving this vision requires the entire group to work as one team, boldly driving forward to do what we do best and create services loved by all. To that end, we have voluntarily made a declaration about our commitment to consumer-oriented management.
Click here for the details on activities(results achieved)
*Japanese only
Concrete initiatives
Improved corporate governance
Our community site, which is the crux of istyle's business portfolio, must be a destination which consumers (users) feel is a neutral and trustworthy entity. Gaining a positive reception from consumers hinges on improving credibility in this regard. To that end, improved corporate governance, which seeks to maintain the sound finances, maneuverability, transparency, and objectivity of the company, is something we actively pursue, as it is also a critical management vector in terms of adapting to externalities in the fast-moving world of the Internet.
Exchange of information with members
istyle conducts a range of surveys and events through which users can learn about our services more closely, and where we can exchange information with members.
In the online space, we conduct satisfaction surveys and actively employ feedback forms, through which we glean valuable insights used to improve our services and support.
- Service satisfaction surveys
- Feedback forms
We periodically hold offline meetings to exchange information directly with members.
- Workshop (held in Nagoya, Omiya, Fukuoka, Yokohama, Sapporo, and Osaka through October 2017)
- Events
We also actively obtain external feedbacks about @cosme and istyle's services through the use of social listening.
Operating a Quality and Sustainability department that works directly with internal departments and upper management
In 2017, we also shored up our organizational workflow, such as through the creation of a Quality and Sustainability department.
The valuable feedback we receive from users is built up in our in-house systems and carefully reviewed and shared among departments, then reported to the upper management with alacrity.
Managing a community that is fair and neutral
@cosme is a community site that is the result of the feedback and participation of many people interested in beauty.
In order to continue making @cosme you can feel at ease using, we, as operators of the site, are announcing the @cosme pledge.
The @cosme pledge is intended to broadly disseminate in clear detail our policies for the operation of a fair community revolving around reviews and product databases.
Provision of purchase opportunities based on user data
By fusing online and offline business and leveraging user data like @cosme rankings, we operate @cosme store (brick and mortar retail) and @cosme shopping (e-commerce site).
We provide new shopping experiences that break the mold and create opportunities for consumers and cosmetics manufacturers to encounter each other.