Shopify Announces March 2026 Sales Trends

Shopify Japan, Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Country Manager: Michio Baba), the Japanese subsidiary of global commerce leader Shopify, announced the March 2026 sales trends based on sales data from Shopify merchants in Japan. This data compares sales in March 2026 with the previous month and analyzes the impact of the new life season and cherry blossom season on consumer behavior.

March in Japan is a time when preparations for new life, such as starting school, employment, and transfers, become fully underway, while at the same time, interest in seasonal events like cherry blossom viewing rises. Against this backdrop, sales growth was observed in March, primarily in apparel, home-related goods, and leisure/outdoor categories.

These results suggest that March consumer behavior simultaneously reflects practical demand for new life preparations and consumption to enjoy seasonal events. Furthermore, it became clear that the impact of these seasonal factors on domestic consumption trends is evident across a wide range of product categories.

Expansion of Demand for Apparel and Daily Necessities for New Life With the arrival of the new life season, a significant increase in demand was observed, especially in the apparel category. * Activewear: Up to +480% month-on-month * Outerwear: Up to +293% month-on-month

Related categories, including accessories, also showed steady performance, confirming the spread of demand for everyday apparel for new life. These movements indicate not only practical items for adapting to a new living environment but also a broadening of consumption behavior to refine daily style.

Increased Demand for Outdoor Activities and Social Interaction due to Cherry Blossom Season With the arrival of the cherry blossom season, demand in related categories significantly increased, driven by more outdoor activities and opportunities for social interaction. * Party Supplies: Up to +446% month-on-month * Cycling: +122% month-on-month * Boating Related: +131% month-on-month * Sports Drinks: +198% month-on-month

In particular, the growth in party supplies and leisure-related products, along with increased demand for sports drinks, is thought to be due to the increased activity in cherry blossom viewing and outdoor events, as well as the rise in temperature. These trends suggest that spring seasonal events are boosting consumption involving social interaction and activities.

Increased Demand Related to Preparing and Organizing Living Environments With the start of new life, demand also increased in categories related to preparing and organizing living environments. * Measuring Tools: +446% month-on-month * Building Materials: +318% month-on-month

These increases are believed to reflect the preparation for adapting to a new living environment and a heightened need to review living spaces. During the new life season, consumption prioritizing practicality continues to be robust.

Expansion of Demand for Portable Electronics and Lifestyle Tech With increased opportunities for going out and outdoor activities, demand for portable electronic devices and related accessories also expanded. * Speakers: +218% month-on-month * Power Accessories: +206% month-on-month

This growth suggests a rise in convenience needs for outdoor scenes such as cherry blossom viewing and leisure, as well as the establishment of demand for portable devices in daily life. It indicates a spread of lifestyle-oriented consumption that combines functionality and portability.

Regarding This Data, Michio Baba, Country Manager of Shopify Japan, States: "From the sales data of our merchants, it can be seen that spring in Japan is a time for consumers to prepare their lives for new beginnings, while also increasing their interest in the unique enjoyments of the season. With the start of new life, demand for daily necessities and for organizing living environments rises, while demand for products supporting seasonal events like cherry blossom viewing and social interaction also grows. This spread of consumer behavior, which values both practicality and seasonality, can be said to represent changes in Japanese consumers' values and lifestyles."

About Shopify Shopify (Shopify) provides top-class commerce platforms and essential commerce services worldwide. From entrepreneurs to small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations, it enables retailers of all sizes to launch, market, scale, and manage their commerce on a single platform. It is deployed in over 175 countries worldwide, and with its mission "Better Commerce for Everyone," its platform and services, designed with speed, reliability, and security in mind, realize highly satisfying shopping experiences that are close to customers worldwide, whether online, in physical stores, or in a hybrid of both. In Japan, many brands such as DAISO, Seikatsu no Ki, Allbirds, KANADEMONO, and PAUL & JOE utilize our services.

For details, please visit: https://www.shopify.com/jp

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