A Study of Distiribution Strategy of Toiletry Goods Manufacturers in Prewar to Postwar Japan from Business Historical Perspective

本研究通过分析交易制度和交易关系的变化，回顾了二战前后化妆品制造商的分销策略。本研究的主要结果如下：第一，作为全国狮子机构联合会执行成员的当地批发商有比城市批发商更长期的交易关系的趋势。这些当地批发商与狮子油公司和Kao公司都有类似的关系。这是因为从1910年代到1920年代上半叶，许多有影响力的新批发商出现在城市地区，几乎都是经营化妆品和洗漱用品的专卖店，包括牙粉和牙刷。其次，随着1942年中央肥皂配给公司的成立，狮子皂经销公司于1946年更名为狮子贸易公司，失去了作为狮子油公司独家经销公司的地位和功能。1942年《肥皂配给条例》实施后，狮子贸易公司作为帝王批发商之一，努力向零售商收取预留优惠券，并作为狮子油公司的助手，热切地从其他批发商那里获得预留优惠券。1950年《肥皂配给条例》废除后，狮子贸易公司明确了自己作为狮子油直属销售公司的地位。再次，在20世纪50年代，高不断地努力缩短付款期限，理顺分销渠道。包括这些努力，引入了固定日期订单和发货制度，并将其改为可以随时订购货物的订单和发货制度，这是引入转售价格维持制度和Kao Sales Company制度的基础。

This research reviews the distribution strategy of toiletry goods manufacturers before and after W W II by analyzing the change of both transaction system and transaction relationship. Main results from this investigationare as follows :Firstly, there was a tendency for local area wholesalers which were executive members of the National Federation of Lion Agencies to have longer term transaction relationship than wholesalers in urban areas. These local wholesalers had similar relationship with both Lion Fat & Oil Co.and Kao. This came about because many powerful new wholesalers arose in urban areas from the 1910s to the first half of the 1920s and almost all were special stores that dealt with cosmetics and toiletries, including tooth powder and toothbrushes. Secondly, Lion Soap Distribution Company which was renamed to Lion Trading Co.in 1946 lost its role and function as exclusive distribution company of Lion Fat & Oil Co.when the central soap rationing company was found in 1942. After enforcement of 'Regulation on Soap Rationing Act' in 1942, Lion Trading Co., as one of the regal wholesalers, made efforts to collect reserved coupons from retailers, and as an assistant to Lion Fat & Oil Co., eagerly got reserved coupons from other wholesalers. After abolition of the 'Regulation on Soap Rationing Act' in 1950, Lion Trading Co.made its position clear as a directly controlled sales company under Lion Fat & Oil Co..Thirdly, Kao made continuous efforts to shorten the term of payment and to rationalize the distribution channel in 1950s. Including these efforts, the introduction of a fixed date order and shipment system and its change to an order and shipment system in which goods could be ordered at any time were the foundations to introduce both the resale price maintenance system and the Kao Sales Company system.