MARKET RESEARCH

BPI provides industry and product specific market intelligence including market size, a review of key competitors and potential partners and details of product characteristics and requirements. BPI is helping our clients evaluate the overall opportunity, estimate costs and devise the best business strategy.

PRODUCT IMPORT PROCESSING

Many products require a clean bill of health to enter Japan and importing often requires screening, testing and special import permits. BPI navigates these often complex import procedures on behalf of our clients in a wide variety of product categories including consumer electronics, foods, kitchenware, children’s toys and nutritional supplements. BPI leverages its knowledge of these procedures along with its excellent relations with Japan Customs and relevant government agencies to help minimize timelines and costs. 

Importer of Record and Customs Clearance

For products that require special import procedures or in cases where it serves the needs of our clients, BPI acts as the importer of record. BPI can also provide customs clearance or facilitate clearance when required.

MERCHANT ACCOUNT ESTABLISHMENT

BPI has years of experience working with Japan’s three Major Ecommerce Platforms: Amazon, Rakuten Ichiba and Yahoo Shopping. Once a decision to begin selling has been made, BPI registers and open accounts on Rakuten and Yahoo (and Amazon if required) on behalf of our clients and in their names. This enables them to transact in Japan by maintaining local inventory, thus improving sales and minimizing delivery time and costs for their Japanese customers.

storefront development and PRODUCT LISTING localization

Rakuten Ichiba and Yahoo Shopping are ecommerce shopping malls which feature their merchants’ unique storefronts, while Amazon is a “product-centric” platform. BPI’s in-house design team works with our established design partners to build the most cost-effective and compelling storefronts on behalf of our clients, and ensures that all of the product listings and consumer-facing information is fully and properly localized in Japanese on all three platforms.

BPI also provides these services to clients that choose to maintain inventory and fulfill orders outside of Japan.

COMPLETE ECOMMERCE BUSINESS OPERATIONS

BPI manages all aspects of our clients’ ecommerce businesses including order processing, inventory management and customer service as well as marketing and promotions. Our in-house team of Japanese designers, translators and operations and marketing professionals act on behalf of our clients to manage their businesses as if they are our own. Regular and ongoing written and verbal communications with our clients enable BPI to quickly adjust to market forces and maximize the business opportunity for our clients. 

BPI also provides these services to clients that choose to maintain inventory and fulfill orders outside of Japan.

Local Warehousing and Order Fulfillment

BPI works with our established logistics partners to provide seamless order fulfillment for our clients’ Japanese customers. BPI’s warehouse partner is state-of-the-art and offers low-cost / high-quality inventory management and delivery services. Our technology partner enables a real-time connection between our warehouse and Rakuten’s RMS and Yahoo’s StorePro order processing systems. BPI also manages FBA’s Multi-client fulfillment service when FBA is being used to fulfill orders outside of Amazon.

Financial Management

BPI sets up on behalf of our clients a specific local bank account and manages all transactions including receiving inbound sales revenues from the ecommerce platforms, payments to all Japan-based vendors, repatriation of funds to our clients’ designated bank accounts along with basic accounting and reconciliation.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND EXTERNAL Marketing

BPI augments our clients’ ecommerce businesses by enabling them to establish their own localized website and sell directly to Japanese consumers in addition to merchant trading on the major platforms. We manage our clients’ external marketing activities aimed at driving awareness, traffic and sales via social media, advertising, affiliate networks and PR.

RETAIL & WHOLESALE expansion

Japan is as huge and dynamic market where unique foreign goods can enjoy tremendous success. Yet many would-be local wholesalers or licensing agents often expect to see some investment in Japan on the part of foreign companies and track-record of success prior to engagement. By directly initiating and building an ecommerce business in Japan, BPI’s clients often have an advantage when expanding their business in Japan by approaching local potential partners. BPI identifies and vets these potential business partners, assists our clients in the negotiation and contracting process, and can oversee or even manage the local operation in Japan.