Recently, Alibaba International Digital Business Group announced that the cross-border e-commerce platform "TAO" will be launched in Japan, aiming to provide Japanese consumers with a more convenient and rich shopping experience.
TAO's UI design style is deeply tailored to the usage preferences of Japanese consumers, with a unique "exploration" function that can recommend products to users based on scenarios and themes. Simultaneously supporting multiple payment methods such as credit card, PayPay, and convenience store payments, it can meet the payment needs of different users.
In terms of products, TAO has over 3 million diverse products, covering multiple categories such as clothing accessories, interior furniture, and home storage. In the future, it will further expand the number and variety of products to meet the shopping needs of more consumers.
To enhance the user experience, TAO not only provides free shipping for first-time orders, but also allows users to continue enjoying free shipping services when the total purchase amount exceeds 3500 yen (approximately RMB 163).
In addition, TAO has a 40 day no reason return period and a professional Japanese customer service team, hoping to provide users with comprehensive after-sales support.
The launch of TAO in the Japanese market marks another important layout of Alibaba International Digital Business Group in the field of cross-border e-commerce.
2、 Analysis of Japan's Cross border E-commerce Market
1. Competitive situation
With the expansion of Chinese cross-border e-commerce platforms such as SHEIN, Temu, and AliExpress into the Japanese market, Chinese cross-border e-commerce platforms have become strong competitors to Japanese domestic e-commerce due to their cost-effectiveness.
Data shows that in January of this year, Temu's user base in Japan exceeded 15 million, reaching 52% of the average user base of Japan's three major e-commerce platform giants in just six months.
From consumer reviews and feedback, it appears that users are more focused on Temu's delivery services rather than price factors.
Compared to its main competitors Amazon and SHEIN, Temu has abandoned the traditional basic shipping method and set a free shipping standard for orders over 1400 yen, while ensuring free returns within 90 days.
In August of this year, Temu launched a semi custodial model on its Japanese website, utilizing the advantage of local shipping to further improve logistics efficiency, reduce logistics costs, and enhance user experience.
From Temu's development trajectory, logistics and distribution are key factors for TAO to win the favor of Japanese consumers.
2. Development space
Japan is the most developed retail country in the world. As of 2021. The B2C e-commerce market in Japan has reached a scale of 20.7 trillion yen, with an average consumption amount of 141.7 US dollars per online transaction, ranking first in the world.
The Japanese e-commerce market is like a gold mine waiting to be tapped.
The diversification of consumer demand in Japan: Japanese consumers have a strong demand for imported goods such as fashion, home furnishings, and electronic products, especially for unique or high-quality products that are difficult to obtain domestically.
Consumers are accustomed to online shopping: The new generation of young Japanese people are more accustomed to online shopping and have a strong interest in foreign brands. At the same time, the rise of cross-border e-commerce platforms has made it more convenient for them to access overseas goods.
Platform policy support: Japanese platforms such as Amazon and Lotte provide policy support for cross-border sellers, such as simplifying the entry process and providing logistics assistance. In addition, the entry of emerging platforms such as Temu has opened up new market opportunities for sellers.
• Logistics efficiency improvement: Cross border logistics companies such as FedEx and DHL have accelerated their service expansion in the Japanese market, as well as the rise of overseas warehouses and semi custodial models in recent years, greatly improving the timeliness of cross-border logistics and optimizing the cross-border shopping experience for Japanese consumers.
Government policy support: In recent years, the Japanese government has promoted cross-border trade and free trade agreements, further reducing import tariffs, encouraging global consumption, and further driving the growth of online sales.
It can be seen that there is still room for development in the Japanese cross-border e-commerce market. The market competition is becoming increasingly fierce, and for cross-border sellers, product selection strategies and logistics solutions targeting Japanese consumers have become key.