❚ No Prep, No Demand
Are you prepared to welcome a street vendor who suddenly hands you a CD and demands payment? When someone ignores taxes and procedures to offer unnecessary goods, it’s natural to feel uneasy. From a business perspective, what happens if you start selling products with no demand and no preparation? You might get lucky and turn a profit, but more often you’ll be met with warning letters, injunctions, and invoices.
To proactively prevent these risks, validation is essential. To avoid unnecessary e‑commerce operating costs and sanctions from Japanese authorities, “Work smarter, not harder!”. Leverage the key questions Bottleship has compiled and find the potential Japanese consumers’ demand align with your product:
■ Check-list
① Assess Market Potential
▶ your product compatible with Japanese culture and norms?
▶ Are there competing products? How does your price and functionality compare
▶ Is there a ‘gap’ in the market that could generate latent demand?
▶ Have you reviewed major risks, such as regulatory changes or certification requirements?
② Investment Capacity
▶ Have you allocated the time and budget for procedures that can take 2–3 months?
▶ Do you have reserves to absorb potential losses or delayed revenue?
③ Operational Capability
▶ Do you have the team or partners to respond to rising demand?
④ Entry Plan
▶ Have you secured a logistics partner?
▶ Have you defined your target customer persona?
▶ Have you identified the main e‑commerce platforms?
▶ Have you formulated a shipping strategy?
For platforms and shipping strategy, please refer to the article below!
Delivery: Choosing the Right Strategy for Japan's E-commerce Market
Where You Sell Determines How Much You Sell
❚ A Partner You Can Actually Trust
If you’ve checked off all the above steps, you’re ready to confidently take on the Japanese market. However, you may still need to strengthen your operational capabilities. In that case, contact Bottleship—we’ll help you review your findings and build a tailored strategy and execution roadmap together.
