Articles
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Dec 19 2022
Japan B2B Ecommerce Market — Insights & Analysis
We explore some of the major things taking place in the B2B sector today, including how many firms are significantly improving efficiency and productivity by implementing new online sourcing and transaction processes for parts and raw materials. Building a Japanese Ecommerce Strategy? Let Us Help! Overview of Japan’s B2B Ecommerce Market Japan has one of the largest and fastest-growing consumer ecommerce markets in the world (third after the US and China), but is also home to a massive B2B ecommerce industry that exceeds 370 trillion yen, with wholesale accounting for the largest share of the market at around 101 trillion Japanese yen. The nation also has a substantial transport manufacturing and electrical equipment manufacturing industry in the domestic B2B ecommerce market and is at the center of a large and evolving East Asian B2B ecommerce landscape, in which it is set to play an increasingly significant role.
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Dec 19 2022
The Japanese Ecommerce Market – Size, Growth and Opportunities
As well as being one of the largest and most developed economies in the world, Japan has the fourth largest ecommerce market globally, after only the US, China and Germany. Excellent logistics infrastructure, an affluent population and a strong demand for products and services of all kinds have been core to the nation’s huge and growing ecommerce sector. And as with Japan’s oldest (and wealthiest) demographic groups taking up online shopping more readily, the market is set to keep growing. Building a Japanese Ecommerce Strategy? Let Us Help! Forecasted Ecommerce Growth Year Revenue in million USD (US$) 2021 112,465 2022 120,292 2023 128,054 2024 135,666 2025 143,279 Source: Statista The maturity of the Japanese ecommerce market has been supported by high internet penetration rates, a desire for convenience and the fact that over 90% of the country’s population reside in u
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Sep 06 2022
4 Japanese App Design Localization Tips for Western Companies
Website and app design rely heavily on knowing (and meeting) the needs of a specific audience. And while many would associate Japanese design with simplicity or minimalism, when it come to UX, that's not always the case. While browsing the nation's top apps and websites, it’s obvious that several unique and intriguing design trends exist. All of which, Western companies building digital products for Japan should keep in mind. In this post, we explore our top 4 Japanese web and app design localization tips! Have Questions About How to Localize for Japan? Contact Us! Information Hierarchy In app design, it’s crucial that priority is given to certain information to guide users through their online journeys and give them what they’re looking for in a convenient and practical way. A simple way of viewing things is that, in Western cultures, audiences tend to prefer less clutter on-screen overall, with only the most key
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Sep 06 2022
5 Things that Make Amazon Japan’s Best Online Store for Foreign Brands
Amazon is our number one recommendation for prospective clients who ask us which platform they should sell on in Japan. Reasons include its lower barrier to entry for international sellers compared to platforms like Rakuten and Yahoo, as well as the fact that most businesses have already sold using Amazon in another market. Drawing from the on-the-ground experience of our Tokyo office helping Western brands enter the Japanese commerce market, we’ve outlined our top 5 things that make Amazon especially useful for foreign merchants. Building a Japanese Ecommerce Strategy? Let Us Help! 1. Extensive Market Reach Around 126M people live in Japan, which is about twice that of the UK and almost 60% more than Germany. And as most of the nation lives in highly urbanized areas like the Tokyo metropolitan area, online shopping has become the norm for many households (although there is still a strong love for shopping locally!).
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Aug 05 2022
5 Tips for Running X (Twitter) Ads in Japan
With over 67 million users in Japan, X (formally Twitter) is more popular than both Facebook and Instagram. And although it may not be the first platform you go to for your digital advertising needs, it can be a great tool for those who know how to use it well. If you’re considering launching your first X/Twitter Ads campaign for the Japanese market, or even your first Twitter campaign ever, we’ve outlined our top five tips that might help you integrate it into your marketing funnel. Looking to start PPC advertising in Japan? Let As Help! 1. Refine Your Tone for Promoted Tweets One of the best ways to get a high-quality score and lower your ad costs is by promoting content you already know works well for your brand. The tweets which gain the most exposure organically are likely to also perform the best when you promote them through paid ads. There is a tendency for some businesses to go more formal in tone when they
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Aug 05 2022
Top 5 LINE Advertising Tips for Japan
LINE is Japan’s top social networking site (SNS), but not that many foreign brands advertise on it! Why? One major reason is many see LINE as simply a messaging service like WhatsApp and are unaware of its various ad features available to brands and businesses. Another reason is brands just don’t know how to get the most from it or where it should fit into their marketing mix. If you’re intrigued about LINE’s potential, here are our top five tips for foreign brands considering using LINE for PPC advertising. Want to get Started Advertising on LINE in Japan? Let Us Help! 1. Understand LINE’s Function In Your Sales Funnel We find that LINE ads are best used for the top of the sales funnel (brand awareness) and the bottom (retention and encouraging loyalty). As the app is used primarily as a communication tool, users are further away from a mindset of buying than they are when searching on Google or even other SNS p
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Aug 05 2022
Starting A Business in Japan — A Guide for 2022
Expanding into the Japanese market is a dream for many brands. However, many are put off by the perceived difficulty of officially setting up a business here—especially those with limited experience of the nation's laws and regulations. In this post, we’ll outline how exactly to go about starting a business in Japan, including the kind of forms and applications you need to complete, as well as a brief look at what the landscape looks like for new businesses. Is Japan Open for Business in 2022? Japan prides itself on being welcoming to international companies and investors. Several government policies have been specifically designed over the years to attract foreign business and several administrative processes have been intentionally streamlined to make it easier for non-Japanese speakers. That said, this doesn't fully take into account the extent of the language barrier for Western brands, as well as the cultural and social differences that exist here. For instance, co
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Jul 01 2022
Search Engine Marketing in Japan — SEM Localization Tips for Foreign Brands
Localization is the process of adapting your content for a new market, language or culture. This can include copy, design, the layouts of your ads and even your brand. When done right, effective localization will recreate the emotional and persuasive impact of your content for new audiences. We explore our top localization tips for foreign brands engaged in search engine marketing (SEM) in Japan. Building a Japanese PPC Campaign? Let Us Help! Why Is Localization So Important to Japanese SEM? Localization is a crucial part of making sure your marketing works in Japan. From paid search campaigns on Google to SEO-focused blog content aimed at ranking for organic keywords, you won’t get the results you want here without a comprehensive localization strategy. Sometimes this only requires small changes and tweaks (e.g. a change of photo that features a local model instead of a Western one), while at other times it involves a
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Jul 01 2022
Logistics in Japan — 3 Need-to-Know Tips for Cross Border Ecommerce
Although cross border ecommerce is a profitable option for many sellers expanding their operations in Japan, warehousing, deliveries, and customer service are all areas you need to master too—if you want to find long-term success in the Japanese ecommerce market. Drawing from on-the-ground experience of our Tokyo office where we’ve helped dozens of US and European brands get started here, we’ve outlined what we think are three of the most important tips for organising your logistics in Japan. Building a Japanese Ecommerce Strategy? Let Us Help! 1. Go for Last-Mile Fulfilment While each step of the delivery journey from sender to customer is crucial, there’s no step more important than the last mile delivery stage, where goods are transported to customers. The goal of last mile delivery is to transport an item to its recipient in the quickest way possible. And we believe the best way to do this is to set up
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Jul 01 2022
SEO Marketing In Japan – 10 Mistakes to Avoid
Last Updated: March 29, 2024 Different countries have unique cultural, linguistic, and contextual factors that influence online search behaviour. Adapting your content to align with local search intent ensures relevance and resonates with users in specific geographic locations. However, many brands fail to localize their approach when entering the Japanese market—leading to weak SERP performance and ineffective keyword targeting strategies. Below is our list of top 10 mistakes to avoid when engaging in SEO marketing in Japan! Are You Looking to Build a Performance-based SEO Strategy but Unsure Where to Start? Schedule a Free SEO Consultation Key Facts Influencing Japanese SEO Out of approximately 125 million people, 93% of people are internet users 97.9% of the local population are ethnic Japanese – preferring to read and speak in the Japanese language, which is highly context-based and has three separate
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