T-Point Japan and Yahoo! JAPAN launch first local revitalization initiative using "T-Points" in shopping districts

2014.05.15 Press Releases
T-Point Japan Co., Ltd. / Yahoo Japan Corporation

- As part of the revitalization of three shopping districts around Soshigaya, "T Points" will be introduced simultaneously, and a new business model for "T Points" will be examined.

Starting Sunday, May 18th, T Point Japan Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "T Point Japan") and Yahoo! Japan Corporation (hereinafter referred to as "Yahoo! JAPAN") will begin a local revitalization initiative using "T Points," Japan's largest shared points service, in three shopping districts in Soshigaya, Setagaya Ward, Tokyo.

This initiative aims to introduce "T Points" to the so-called "Ultraman Shopping District," which consists of three shopping districts (Soshigaya Minami Shopping District, Soshigaya Shopping District, and Soshigaya Shoushinkai Shopping District) around Soshigaya-Okura Station on the Odakyu Line, in order to revitalize the district, which has struggled to attract customers. At the same time, this will be the first time that T Point Japan and Yahoo! JAPAN have collaborated with local shopping districts to build a business model for revitalizing the local area using "T Points," using three shopping districts around Soshigaya as model cases. The initial number of partner stores will be 41, with plans to gradually expand.

Specifically, the system will install a dedicated T-Point terminal, the T-UNIT3 (*1), in each store that has agreed to introduce T-Points, and provide a system in which customers of the shopping district can earn and use T-Points when they shop by presenting their T-Card, as well as receive various benefits. The reason for collaborating with Soshigaya Shopping Street is that there are more T-Card holders living in the area compared to other regions (*2), and we determined that this would be the ideal place to test a regional revitalization model using T-Points.

In addition, to further enhance this initiative, Yahoo! JAPAN has developed a new smartphone app for shopping districts called "Y!Toku from Yahoo! JAPAN (tentative name)," which is scheduled to be launched on Tuesday, July 1st. By installing this app, customers of the shopping arcade can earn "stamps" that can be used to enter a "lottery" or receive a gift every time they accumulate "T Points."Once installed, the app does not need to be launched each time to obtain lottery tickets or stamps; when users make a purchase by presenting their T-Card, the rewards are automatically reflected in the app.

Based on customer visits and visit history, stores will be able to send out event information, coupons, and sales information through the app, allowing them to attract customers efficiently without missing the timing. T-Point Japan, Yahoo! JAPAN, and the three shopping districts around Soshigaya hope that these measures will increase the mobility of customers using the shopping districts.
Furthermore, going forward, the company is considering sales promotion measures that apply BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), an extension of the Bluetooth short-range wireless communication technology, as a means of further enhancing customers' shopping experiences, and also plans to conduct experiments to commercialize the technology.

T Point Japan and Yahoo! JAPAN will verify the effectiveness of attracting customers and consider expanding the same business model to areas other than the three shopping districts around Soshigaya.

To commemorate the launch of this initiative, we will be holding a triple T Point campaign at all partner stores from Sunday, May 18th to Sunday, June 15th. Additionally, on Sunday, June 1st, we will be holding an event where we will be distributing "T Cards" and coupon flyers that can be used in the shopping district.

<Participating store formats>
■ Beauty and Barber: 7 stores ■ Health and Insurance: 3 stores ■ Restaurants: 4 stores
■Clothing and cleaning: 6 stores ■Food, tea and sweets: 6 stores ■Real estate: 3 stores
■ Books and stationery: 4 stores ■ Fresh flowers: 3 stores ■ Other: 5 stores
Total of 41 stores *As of May 18, 2014

This is the collective name for the shopping district that was established in April 2005 through the cooperation of three shopping districts surrounding Soshigaya-Okura Station on the Odakyu Line in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo: the Soshigaya Minami Shopping District Promotion Association (south side, left of the station ticket gate), the Soshigaya Shopping District Promotion Association (north side, right of the station ticket gate), and the Soshigaya Shoshinkai Shopping District Promotion Association (further down Soshigaya Shopping District). The name comes from the fact that the headquarters of Tsuburaya Productions, the creators of Ultraman, was located nearby. There are Ultraman characters in various places in the shopping district, and seasonal events are held where Ultra heroes make an appearance.

*1 A dedicated T-Point terminal that comes with a dedicated card reader and tablet device. You can easily introduce the T Point service by simply inserting the earphone jack-type card reader into your tablet device.
*2 The national average for T-membership is 38%. The ratio of T members among local residents in the Soshigaya area is approximately 70%, making it the ideal testing area.

T Point Japan and Yahoo! JAPAN will continue to not only increase the value of T Points, Japan's largest shared points service, but also leverage the corporate power and strengths of T Point Japan and Yahoo! JAPAN to promote various initiatives, including regional revitalization, and work hard to solve social issues.

Materials related to this matter
T-Point Japan and Yahoo! JAPAN launch first local revitalization initiative using "T-Points" in shopping districts

Inquiries regarding this matter
T Point Japan Co., Ltd.
Public Relations Officer TEL: 03-6800-4464