Leading Apparel Brands in Japan: Q1 2025 Insights

In the ever-evolving landscape of the apparel industry, understanding consumer engagement through digital platforms is crucial. Sensor Tower's comprehensive data provides a unique perspective on the performance of leading brands in Japan. This article delves into the trends from Q4 2024 to Q1 2025 for three major players: Nike, BUYMA (ENIGMO, Inc.), and SheIn Group Limited.

Nike

Nike continues to be a dominant force in the apparel category, leveraging both its website and app to engage users.

• Audience Trends: Nike's website, nike.com, observed a significant increase in visits, peaking in March 2025 with over 44M visits. The monthly true audience remained stable above 5.5M throughout the quarter, with a notable spike in January.

• App Engagement: The Nike: Shoes, Apparel, Stories app saw a decrease in monthly active users from over 1.4M in November 2024 to around 1.2M by March 2025, indicating a shift in user engagement.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Nike's monthly advertising expenditure was highest in November 2024 at over $1.1M, with significant impressions across Instagram and Facebook. A notable decline in spend was observed in March 2025, dropping below $500K.

BUYMA (ENIGMO, Inc.)

BUYMA's digital strategy shows robust engagement through both web and app platforms, with interesting seasonal variations.

• Audience Trends: The website, buyma.com, recorded a peak in January 2025 with visits reaching over 43M. Monthly true audience figures remained above 3.3M throughout Q1 2025, with a sharp increase in web-only visitors during December 2024.

• App Engagement: The BUYMA(バイマ)海外のブランド・ファッションの通販アプリ app maintained a stable monthly active user base, with active users fluctuating around 700K to 800K from October 2024 to March 2025.

• Ad Spend & Channels: BUYMA's monthly advertising spend remained relatively consistent, averaging below $10K. Instagram was the primary channel, delivering the majority of impressions.

SheIn Group Limited

SheIn demonstrates a strong presence in both app and web platforms, with a focus on app engagement.

• Audience Trends: The website, shein.com, saw a consistent number of visits, with March 2025 reaching over 31M. Monthly true audience figures hovered around 7M, with app-only visitors dominating the audience composition.

• App Engagement: The SHEIN app maintained a robust monthly active user base, with active users consistently above 5.5M throughout the period, highlighting its strong mobile market presence.

• Ad Spend & Channels: SheIn's monthly ad spend peaked in November 2024 at over $2.3M, with significant impressions across Instagram and Facebook. The brand's strategic focus on OTT channels contributed to its wide reach.

Conclusion

The Q1 2025 analysis underscores the dynamic digital strategies employed by leading apparel brands in Japan. Sensor Tower's unparalleled data capabilities, including Web Insights, Pathmatics, and App Performance Insights, provide critical insights into cross-platform user behavior. As these brands continue to evolve, understanding these trends will be essential for navigating the competitive landscape.

For more detailed insights, explore Sensor Tower's offerings to stay ahead in the digital marketplace.