I want to receive support because I don’t have the confidence to operate a cross-border e-commerce business.”
I want to know about a company that manages cross-border e-commerce on my behalf.”
Do you have any of these problems? Cross-border EC operations tend to face more hurdles than domestic EC because foreign rules apply.
In addition, there are few successful cases that can be used as references, which will cause various difficulties in operating the system.
If you are not confident in your ability to manage cross-border EC, you have the option of hiring an agency. If you hire a professional company, you can receive a variety of assistance, including marketing to increase sales through cross-border EC, translation support for each country, and direct operational support.
Since it is possible to develop your own services in your spare time, receiving support for cross-border e-commerce operations is one way to do so.
In this issue, we will explain how to select an agency company to support your cross-border EC operations, as well as seven recommended agency companies. By reading to the end, you should be able to find an agency company that is suitable for your business model.
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How to choose an agency to support cross-border EC operations
There are several companies that support cross-border EC operations. Since you need to choose from several agents, many of you may be at a loss to choose the right company.
When choosing a firm to represent you, keep the following three points in mindBy focusing on each of these points, you will be able to find the right agency for your company.
- Understand the internal situation of the country you are entering
- Availability of long-term support system
- Total cost related to representation
The following is a one by one explanation of how to choose the right one.
How to choose 1. understanding the internal situation of the country you are entering
The first point to be aware of is to understand the internal circumstances of the country you are entering. As a matter of course, laws and rules differ depending on the country you are entering in the cross-border EC market.
If you operate cross-border EC without knowing the internal situation, you run the risk of getting into big trouble. In addition to inviting trouble, if you do not understand the needs of local customers, you will not be able to significantly increase sales.
Therefore, this internal situation is particularly important when operating cross-border EC. However, the level of understanding of the internal situation varies greatly from agency to agency.
Be sure to check the firm’s understanding of internal affairs, as hiring a firm that does not know the inner workings of the company could result in significant losses.
How to choose 2. availability of long-term support
When hiring an agency, check whether they have a long-term support system in place. Cross-border EC operations need to be ongoing, so it is important to have a long-term support system in place.
In cross-border EC operations, “launching the site” is particularly important, but ongoing operations, such as sales strategies and customer support, are also important after that.
In addition, cross-border e-commerce operations are very different from domestic e-commerce operations, and there will be many issues that need to be addressed during the course of operations. Since many companies struggle with these ongoing operations, the availability of a long-term support system is a key point when hiring an agency.
Check the support system of each agency in advance and find a company that can provide long-term support.
How to choose 3. total cost related to agency
When selecting an agency, the total cost of representation is also important. Different agencies offer different types of support, and the cost of representation varies.
For example, some companies offer extensive support for 100,000 yen per month, while others offer little support for tens of thousands of yen per month. It is important to check both the support and the total cost, and choose an agency company that fits your business model and objectives.
Also, be sure to consider the balance between support content and total cost, as higher cost does not necessarily mean better support.
List of recommended agents supporting cross-border EC operations (7 companies)
We introduce a total of seven agents for cross-border EC operations. Please check the characteristics of each company to find the best agency for your company.
1.S.A.I. Inc.
S.A.I. Inc. is an agency specializing in support related to logistics and inventory management. When supporting cross-border EC operations, we use a service called “Cross-border EC Intermediate System. This service is automatically linked with the system on the Japanese side, significantly reducing the operational burden of cross-border EC. In addition to reducing the operational burden, the service also provides inventory linkage, accounting linkage, and logistics support.
In addition, we also handle the following types of support
- Support by phone, email, etc.
- Support for software defects, etc.
- Data backup support
In addition, we support various cross-border e-commerce sites such as “Tmall Global” in China and “eBay” in the United States. Reference prices for support are as follows
- Initial installation cost: 600,000 yen and up
- Monthly fee: 100,000 yen and up
2. leap Corporation
Ltd. is an agency that specializes in supporting Shopify, which has one of the largest market shares in the world.
Since we have been in partnership with “Shopify” since the early stages of our entry into the Japanese market, we are able to leverage our extensive know-how to ensure smooth EC development. Our main support services are as follows
- Outsourcing of almost all cross-border EC operations
- Creating a lead line from cart placement to purchase in an e-commerce site
- Use of an inventory integration app to link Shopify and SmarCashier.
If you are considering entering the “Shopify” market, please consider requesting Leap Corporation to act on your behalf.
3. f-cafe Co.
F-Cafe Inc. is a company that focuses on supporting cross-border EC operations for China. With more than 12 years of experience in cross-border EC operations and more than 70 companies in operation, we have a wealth of expertise in cross-border EC operations.
The main services we provide are operational support for Tmall Global and Tmall. We have been providing services since before the Chinese cross-border EC market took off, and have a wealth of experience and skills.
Since China’s market size is the most thriving in the world, if you can successfully enter the above two cross-border EC markets, you will be able to greatly increase your sales. If you are considering cross-border EC operations for China, please consider F-Cafe Co.
F-Cafe Corporation｜EC One-Stop Service for China
4. EC Consulting Company, Inc.
EC Consulting Company Inc. provides a wide range of support services for cross-border EC operations, including product sales, shipping, and translation.
In addition, the main support services we offer are as follows
- Overseas market research
- Native-ready translation
- Marketing through listings and SNS
- Creating pages that match the trends in the target countries
- Responding to inquiries from prospective buyers and post-purchase
We offer a full range of support content with a focus on English-speaking countries. A free consultation service is available, so if you are thinking about entering the cross-border EC market but have concerns, please contact us for a consultation.
5. True Consulting, Inc.
True Consulting K.K. is a consulting company focused on Amazon, Rakuten, Yahoo! Shopping, etc. They provide full support for improving the performance of e-commerce and mail-order businesses.
In addition to support related to cross-border EC, we also provide the following support services
- Support for business feasibility assessments in unclear areas
- Marketing support to scale up the e-commerce site
English and Chinese are the main languages supported for cross-border EC, but we also support a wide range of other languages such as Thai and Vietnamese.
Therefore, we recommend this agency for those who want to start cross-border EC for countries other than the U.S. and China.
6. always Co.
Always Inc.” is an agency with numerous experience in EC site management. They fully support cross-border EC operations by taking advantage of their extensive know-how.
Specifically, this includes launching e-commerce sites, site management, and marketing. In addition, the company offers the following agency services
- Create/update/register product pages
- Advertising Banner Creation
- Top page updated
- Landing page creation/update
- Creation of special pages for event support
Because of the large amount of support available for e-commerce site management, this service is suitable for those who want support from the launch of an e-commerce site through to its long-term operation.
The countries supported include China, the U.S., Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and several others.
7. NHN SAVAWAY Corporation
NHN SAVAWAY Co., Ltd. places emphasis on cross-border EC operation support for China and Korea. We support many online malls such as “SHISEGSE MALL”, the largest Shinsegae department store in Korea, “11th Avenue”, “Qoo10”, etc.
In addition to that, we can also enter other world-famous e-commerce sites such as Amazon, Rakuten, Shopify, and others. In addition, you can receive support from various e-commerce site operations, order management, inventory management, and more.
In particular, those who are thinking of entering the cross-border EC market for China and Korea should consider this service.
NHN SAVAWAY Corporation｜TEMPOSTAR
summary
This article explains how to select an agency that supports cross-border EC operations and seven recommended agency companies.
- S.A.I. Corporation
- Leap Forward Co.
- F-Cafe Corporation
- EC Consulting Company, Inc.
- True Consulting, Inc.
- Always Co.
- NHN SAVAWAY Corporation
There are multiple agency companies that support cross-border EC operations. In order to find a suitable agency company for your company, you need to clarify the purpose of your entry and be aware of the three important points explained in this article.
Also, understand the characteristics of each agency company and compare their support services and total costs. Some agencies offer free consultations, so if you are not sure, please consult with them.
