Have you considered selling to Japanese consumers?
If this geographic market isn’t yet on your radar, we highly recommend adding it to your e-commerce expansion plans.
As the world’s fourth largest online market, Japan offers international brands and retailers an opportunity to reach a highly concentrated segment of digitally savvy shoppers—and not just because the country’s population is more than triple that of same-sized California. The nation’s e-commerce industry has more than doubled in size in the past decade, with digital spending on clothing, accessories, toys and hobby-related products alone reaching a combined $40 billion.
Of course, each instance of cross-border trade comes with its own set of unique challenges, and Japan is no different. There are language translations to handle, cultural sensibilities to factor in, tariffs and duties to calculate and more. Still, with a growing array of marketplace options to help ease these and other challenges, the profit potential is significant.
To get a better understanding of the Japanese e-commerce opportunity, let’s take a quick look at some market basics.
How can you sell internationally to Japan?
Currently, the best way to get started as an international seller in Japan is through key marketplaces. Nearly all online shoppers use Rakuten Ichiba, Amazon Japan and Yahoo Shopping, which together dominate the country’s e-commerce industry.
Better yet, each of these channels offers options to help simplify the many complexities of cross-border trade.
Rakuten Ichiba, for example, provides dedicated English-speaking consultants to help sellers customize branded storefronts, communicate with customers and create targeted advertising campaigns. The Rakuten Super Logistics (RSL) program is also available to sellers in need of a hassle-free option for fulfilling Rakuten Ichiba orders.
Similarly, Amazon Japan offers services to help simplify customs, track orders and handle tax calculations. You’ll also have access to the same digital marketing opportunities available on other Amazon marketplaces, such as Sponsored Products and Sponsored Display Advertising. And if you use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), you’ll have access to more than a dozen local warehouses.
The e-commerce specialists go over all of this and much more in the new eBook: Successful Market Entry to Japan. This highly detailed, free resource outlines everything you need to know to make an informed decision, including:
- The benefits of selling to Japanese consumers
- Detailed insights on each of Japan’s major e-commerce marketplaces
- Best practices for fulfilment, advertising and more
- Insider recommendations and checklists for getting started
If you’re thinking of getting started in Japan, we highly recommend giving it a read. Download your free copy here.
