09.28.12
• JAPAN: Sumitomo Corp. plans to launch luxury cosmetics shops where customers can peruse products on their own—a move away from the sales staffer-customer relationship in department stores. According to a report in The Nikkei, the first location will be in Lazona Kawasaki Plaza. The store is expected to carry high-end cosmetics typically sold at department stores, including Clinique and Estée Lauder, as well as brands from domestic firms Shiseido Co. and Pola Orbis Holdings Inc.