After mastering the art of selling no-frills glasses to deflation-wary Japanese shoppers, the country¡¯s largest eyewear-maker is learning the finer points of the upsell.
A limited run of premium-priced ?90,000 ($555) designer spectacles by Jins that sold out earlier this year showed that consumers are finally ready to pay more ¡ª?even for everyday items ¡ª?as inflation creeps back into the economy.
Jins?rose to prominence 25 years ago with its bargain-basement ?4,990 eyeglasses, becoming a household name for cheap chic as falling or stagnant prices took hold. Now, the Tokyo-based lens-maker is positioning itself to take advantage of the shift toward greater pricing power by opening up stores in ritzy venues such as a new flagship location in central Ginza ¡ª a break from its dowdier shops in train stations and shopping malls ¡ª and by offering a broader price range.
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