Advantages, Preparation, and Precautions for Cross-border EC Sites (Own Sites)
I have developed a certain device for a new business,
Can you sell on an e-commerce platform for the U.S. or China? I think so.
Nice!
We intend to sell on Amazon first, but if we can also build our own cross-border e-commerce site! I would like to build my own cross-border e-commerce site.
I’ve looked at various platforms and cross-border e-commerce malls, such as Big Commerce and BASE, but this time I decided to use Shopify.
That’s called an e-commerce platform.
Shopify, I think it is a good choice.
I heard that small and medium-sized businesses around the world have launched their own e-commerce sites and that the cross-border e-commerce market is quite active, so I felt that I could not lose,
It’s not easy, though.
I guess it’s not easy after all.
Yes.
After opening a store in an e-commerce mall or creating your own cross-border e-commerce site, you may find that there are no visitors to your site.
Even when finally accessed, the cross-border e-commerce site may have disappointing content that makes it difficult for international customers to make a decision when it comes to the merits of importing and buying.
…
The cross-border e-commerce sites of popular small and medium-sized businesses must have
(1) Even international customers can be convinced that this product or service is the right one for them! Reasons to buy contents” that can convince foreign customers that this product or service is the right one for them.
(2) “Brand power” that makes you feel like you are the only one who knows about it, and makes you want to keep coming back.
(3) “Transmitting power” to be found among millions of websites
Although there are
To operate such a wonderful cross-border e-commerce site, there are some advance preparations and precautions to be taken.
There must be both advantages and disadvantages to launching a cross-border e-commerce site in the first place, but why don’t we list them together?
Yes, yes. I’m not sure I can do it~ (crying)
Advantages and disadvantages of cross-border EC sites
What are the advantages of establishing a cross-border EC site (your own site)?
- Advantage 1
All 220 countries* that have international transportation available will be our market! - Advantage 2
A product that would be buried in Japan may be transformed into a highly rated product overseas! - Advantage 3
The lack of a physical store allows for a low-risk challenge!
*FedEx, an international transportation company, serves 220 countries worldwide.
- Advantage 4
Directly deal with international customers and directly understand the market needs of each country overseas. - Advantage 5
No intermediaries, simplified distribution, and higher profit margins - Advantage 6
The company can freely create events, offline meetings, sales, and other events to expand and deepen communication with international customers at its own initiative.
That is correct!
So what are the disadvantages of establishing a cross-border EC site (your own site)?
- Disadvantage 1
Even if an investment equivalent to a physical store (tens of millions of yen) is unnecessary, the initial cost (millions or hundreds of thousands of yen) of building a cross-border e-commerce site or opening a store in a mall is necessary. - Disadvantage 2
Cross-border EC site management requires dedicated personnel with knowledge of trade practices, English communication skills, etc. - Disadvantage 3
Depending on the scale of the cross-border e-commerce site, subcontractors may be needed for packing and sorting, warehouse rental, and handling returns. - Disadvantage 4
Even if international transportation is possible, the actual sales potential may be limited to only a few countries, since there is no guarantee that the product can be imported or that there is a need for the product in those countries. - Disadvantage 5
Difficult to predict the level of claims and returns in advance due to different business practices and cultural backgrounds from the Japanese - Disadvantage 6
Depending on the country and means of transport, goods may not arrive, and even if they do, there is a risk of loss, omission, or damage. - Disadvantage 7
…
Whoa, one moment,
Disadvantages, are there many?
- Disadvantage 7
When a problem occurs with an international customer, it is very difficult to negotiate and solve the problem logically in English. - Disadvantage 8
Although profit margins have increased, outsourcing costs to set up an export system are also quite expensive. - Disadvantage 9
One reshipment or return service due to an arrangement error can easily result in a loss. - Disadvantage 10
Some e-commerce platforms may suddenly notify you to stop listing your items.
(I see…)
Preparing to start a cross-border e-commerce site
So, in order to start a cross-border e-commerce site, you need to be well prepared.
I would love to hear about it!
It is a prerequisite that the product is not difficult to export in the first place.
Good to know before International expansion! Summary of 8 categories of items that are difficult to export (commercialize)
Heavy or large items, too expensive to transport, are a no-no to begin with.
When you put it that way, yes, it is true…
Second, even cross-border EC is still a form of international expansion.
As with new businesses, management decision-making is required, including careful international business planning, mall operation policies, understanding of market size, selection of shipping and payment methods, and assignment of dedicated cross-border e-commerce business personnel.
Often overlooked are local regulations.
When international customers purchasing from cross-border e-commerce sites are not companies but consumers, they are almost always unfamiliar with laws and regulations, which can lead to situations such as finding out for the first time that a product cannot be imported into a country when clearing import customs there.
Since the purchaser has paid in advance by credit card, etc., it is assumed that the purchaser will not understand that he/she cannot import the product and will file a claim with the seller (you).
I don’t know what to do.
There is no obligation for the exporter (you) to check all the laws and regulations of the importing country to ensure that there are no restrictions or barriers to importation.
The legal regulations on the side of the importing country must be known by the buyer who lives in the importing country.
that’s right – that’s right
However, it is not true that consumers who enjoy shopping on e-commerce sites are always familiar with the laws and regulations of their own countries when importing,
That’s terrible…
…….right
We will carefully compile a list of possible problems, how to deal with them, and frequently asked questions in advance,
It will be important to provide information on the cross-border e-commerce site at just the right time to give foreign customers advance warning of potential problems they may encounter.
For example, in this case,
Please check your country’s rules and regulations before you press the “Buy” button.
and one might include it on one page of the purchase process, etc.
If you tell them in advance, it is an explanation, but if you tell them after a problem arises, it becomes an excuse.
Little things can prevent problems, but to do so, it is a good idea to exercise the purchasing process and test transports.
For some products, I may need expert explanatory support to ensure proper preparation.
If you are operating an e-commerce site domestically, the time and effort involved cannot be underestimated; it is quite a burden if you are entering the e-commerce market for the first time for an international market.
(Yes…)
Yes, that’s right.
Now that we have talked about the prerequisites for cross-border e-commerce site operation and how to prepare for policy formulation, we would like to explain the content and contents from here.
Secrets to a successful cross-border e-commerce site
１ Attractiveness is everything for the international market.
The other day,
“Be sure to visit the websites of many other international companies.”
I told you, how much have you seen?
I’ve seen it all.
Here’s a quick look at the “53 examples of international expansion using Shopify for food, apparel, and sports ! 2021 Summary“.
Thank you very much.
(Oh no, the one I fell asleep on.)
Of course I saw them.
I thought all the sites were great!
Which of the following were of particular interest to you?
Let’s see.
…
Hm-hmm.
Sorry!
All of them, really,
It is different from the e-commerce sites of Japanese companies that I know,
Which part? It’s not so much that it looks different, but rather, it looks different from the outside,
Yes, it is!
The sites that are selling are,
It’s all about the charm.”
with a deep understanding of the
Thoughtful, well-selected photos and videos are thrown in!
The company is doing so.
Therefore, we boldly invest our resources in photos and videos to outperform our competitors in terms of total image.
The highly sensitive photos and beauty of the book have the momentum to make you read more and more of the pages that follow.
We have no intention of making effective use of existing photos in the company.
Yes, that’s right.
If it is for an international market, the quality must be equal to or better than that of an international company, after all.
If people are disappointed with the top page, they will not read the rest of the site!
（I thought I could just use what I had. I guess I’ll have to reshoot the pictures…)
２ Is there an international customer empathy (story) there?
As I recall, you mentioned that it is a new device, do you have any secrets about its development?
Yes, there is.
We had been developing this product for some time, but due to Corona, we decided to bring it to market ahead of schedule, and finally completed it after working overtime even on a no-overtime day.
Although it is moderately priced, it is a high-specification product that other companies cannot follow, and in that respect, it is a one-of-a-kind product!
Is there a ‘sympathy story’ there?
sym-pathy?
The sites that are selling are,
“The Empathy Story.”
The story that the buyer and the creator can share the same feelings, so that the target visitor feels that this product or service was made for him or her.
Yes, there is.
I see..,
For example, how about this.
Originally, we had been studying this product within our company, thinking that it would be very convenient if we had something like this, and we had been working on the prototype for a long time separately from our main business,
I recently learned that one of my business partners had the same problem, and when I told him I had a prototype, he said he would like to try it,
However, we found various parts that could not be used as is, and mass production was more difficult than expected, and we had several setbacks, including in terms of cost.
But I kept thinking that it would be useful to have it, and that no one else was making it, and I wondered if there really was something I could do about it,
My business partner also told me that I could try it once, even if it cost a certain price,
Although the price is a bit steep, we are finally ready to sell it as a finished product.
If we can manage to lower the price in the future, I believe it will be easier for people to use the product, and I encourage those who are in need to try it.
Nice!
It would be even better if we could create and successfully structure content that conveys reality, such as interactions with business partners.
・How will the product make the customer’s life easier?
・I don’t know why it wasn’t there before.
・What kind of future awaits us?
Try to tap into the sympathy points.
(The secret story behind the no-overtime day is another story…)
３ Cross-border EC is both part and parcel of international business.
As a continuation of what you just said about ‘empathy’, the sites that are selling well are,
Cross-border e-commerce is part and parcel of our international business.”
And I understand,
The company’s own e-commerce site,
Linked to sales, physical stores, social networking sites, corporate websites, purchase buttons on other sites, etc., or alternatives as well.
It is ready to be made.
Huh?
Please elaborate.
It is also to create a cross-border e-commerce site,
And to conduct international sales activities,
It is also to develop international stores,
It is also a good way to communicate by sending out information on international social networking sites,
Because I want to sell.”
That is true, though,
Times have changed, and now the balance of power is completely customer-driven.
Therefore, a company that cannot carefully work with customers on the process of empathy, interest, interest, and purchase,
Companies that continue to prioritize the efficiency of their own existing businesses and short-term profits over the concerns and inconveniences (pain points) of their customers, are
They are gradually not being selected.
(Pain point…)
Ah, but,
I think there are very few Japanese companies that sell their products and do not offer warranties, maintenance, or follow-up services.
Even before selling, it is fundamental to go to the customer’s site and listen to the customer’s needs in order to solve the problem,
I believe that many companies are customer first,
We are also proud to be “Made In Japan”!
Indeed.
So how does your company know when a customer has a new concern that is associated with the product they bought?
Or when we have a new problem, I know your sales person always tells us to contact you for any kind of help,
Before I emailed or called, I searched first and found a competitor’s owned media that covered the solution,
If you can quickly solve the problem by reading some of the blogs on that site,
Which company is the customer,
A company that takes great care in working with you through the process of purchasing.
Would you rate it as “yes”?
(It’s…,)
(But!)
Our sales team has a trusting relationship with our customers on a regular basis,
I believe that competing websites only take information and then they will get the same consultation from us. I guess a phone call is better than a search, after all, it’s not like we have an itch to scratch…,
Come on, I get a call from overseas, can you handle it?
Yeah, that’s…, (No, No, No ==)
…
After “The Process to Purchase,
The same is true for “during use or when you stop using the product after purchase.
To be chosen by customers,
Seed sowing,
Watering,
Fertilizing,
We must continue to hold on to the
It is difficult to be chosen by customers.
It will not be selected now! Rather than,
It’s like when you realize you’re not on the shortlist, you realize …
(English support, corporate blog support, in-house e-commerce…how hard can it be?)
What is the international expansion of the company’s e-commerce?
It is not a mere “expansion of the sales page for the international market,
That is what I mean.
Yes!
Sales are,
Before/after purchase, in use/discontinued use,
While “enhancing customer convenience,
Brand Value Enhancement
Solving Customer Issues.”
It is something that finally comes along when you can combine the two,
In an age when the question is being asked, “What are the companies that are able to do this?
We understand that EC is part and parcel of our business.
EC is also in the real world, but not “also” in the real world,
The image is that there is a real contact point “in” EC.
We want our customers to have no inconvenience whether they choose EC or real life,
We are assembling a business.
How do you assemble such a business?
It sounds like a lot of work for which I have no previous experience,
We are not changing what we have been doing,
I guess it’s an image to be extended,
It’s more like visualization,
It’s more like making it reproducible,
I would say that we are getting more deeply involved with our customers,
We ourselves continue to evolve, I guess,
Yes!
That is correct.
I see!
Yes, that’s right.
Then, I guess, there is no way not to do it,
This could be an ‘opportunity’.
If that’s the case…
(What are we talking about anymore, since seeding and watering…,
(The president, somehow, has a big smile on his face…)
４ International sales depend on how you grow your cross-border e-commerce site (annual blogging plan is a must)
Um, now that you mention it,
Thanks, I’m starting to think that a corporate blog is a must,
Is my understanding correct?
Yes!
As you say, a corporate blog is an effective way to attract traffic to your site.
The company’s international e-commerce site is,
・Corporate Website
・Brand Site
It is not unusual for an e-commerce site to have 100 or so blog posts, and there are even some “resourceful sites” that have 400 or 500 posts.
But there is no such thing as just any content.
For example, what about technical advantages or case studies?
“If it helps solve the customer’s problem”, OK.
I thought,
In terms of the development story I mentioned earlier,
・a product that has never existed before in the world.
・No other company can replicate this technology.
・so much data and evidence.
・Cost-cutting with superior functionality.
How about developing articles around such topics as
…
If that is the case, it may be difficult to achieve results.
(Bussing…) (I thought it looked good.)
I’d be tempted to tell them from our own company’s perspective, like that.
I’m tempted to write that, I just can’t help it…
You know what?
It just means that the solution to the customer’s problem has to be the starting point and the landing point.
Starting point and landing..,
Yes.
For example,
・a product that has never existed before in the world.
・No other company can replicate this technology.
・ so much data and evidence.
・Cost-cutting with superior functionality.
These are things that, when you get right down to it, are either irrelevant to the customer or insufficient even if they are relevant.
・If you can solve a customer’s problem with your technology or evidence, communicate it in concrete terms.
・If the reason why the product is unique has to do with the fact that it has not solved the customer’s problem in the past, explain it.
・However, without concrete before-and-after comparisons, it is impossible to make proposals within the company as to whether or not the new introduction will lead to total cost reductions in the production line.
Such as,
If you construct your article based on these considerations, it is more likely to be read to the end, and you will feel refreshed after reading it.
It makes me think, “This company is great, I’ll check them out in the future.
(…)
Looks like we need a blogging year plan,
Nice,
The draft of the article would also need to be looked at directly by the president,
It sounds like we should proceed as a team until we get things back on track.
By all means, please do so.
As with content assembly from search terms, a sense of unity in the content sent out is necessary when utilizing social networking sites.
On the other hand, we intend to modify the blog plan accordingly, and if you can identify an article with a high access rate, please try to dig deeper into that.
It will be easier to continue if the team accumulates expertise in content marketing and social network marketing.
We’ll start with one article submission!
(I had to run out of material on my own, so I guess we’ll have to divide it up amongst the team…)
(Yay! )
５ Even this? The hospitality of (international) companies
This time, after looking at various e-commerce sites of international companies, I thought,
Of course, there are also pages that say, “You spent a lot of money on this,
It’s more like a little fun page or a helpful gimmick,
Here and there, there are innovations to keep you from getting bored,
I felt it was more comprehensive than the e-commerce sites of Japanese companies.
(English notwithstanding…,)
I found myself going around the site, often satisfied that I was getting more information than I initially wanted to know.
(Not that I actually bought it, but…
International payment, international shipping, customs duties, delivery time, package size, weight, refund return policy, warranty period, environmental friendliness, and international certification,
How is this possible? I was able to find everything I thought I could find through a magnifying glass search or FAQ.
Crunching along, and really international? This is borderless! It was!
I wonder if a site that visitors can browse comfortably without being bothered is one where the creator has anticipated and removed the “pain points”. And…,
Great, pain point, you learned it!
That’s right.
In the end, people are driven by their emotions, so the best thing is to be able to read the book in a “pleasant” mode without stress.
If you want to gather the same information,
If you are looking for a new business partner,
It’s more than I expected! I was thrilled, happy, joyful, suppr~ised, and finally found it! I finally found it!
It is a step ahead of many other sites in the same industry.
That’s how much thought and consideration went into the creation of the site, with the customer in mind.
How much thought is put into how the site is created with the international customer in mind?
So you go back to that.
Yes!
（That’s what you mean?) (Then I can follow you…)
While you’re at it, get your international clientele in place,
When you can come and go freely,
I’m glad I made it~!
How convenient and helpful~!
We will make it into a tool that will make people feel that they are in the right place at the right time!
Yes, I will try.
(Is this the end of the ledger? Hooray!)
