[Event Report] 9/4 Growth Meetup: "The Road to ¥100M in Annual Cross-Border E-Commerce Revenue" by Tokuda of Sekai e Bokan

Growth Meetup Held on September 4th

Growth Meetup is held almost every Wednesday with the goal of helping guests and participants learn together about the know-how needed to continuously grow a business using Shopify.

On September 4th, we welcomed Mr. Tokuda, representative of Sekai e Bokan, who delivered a presentation on the theme "The Road to ¥100M in Annual Cross-Border E-Commerce Revenue."

Summary

Mr. Tokuda has over 17 years of experience in cross-border e-commerce and overseas marketing targeting English-speaking markets. Drawing on real client case studies, he shared invaluable know-how for expanding sales.

He covered the following key points for succeeding in cross-border e-commerce:

Market Research and Strategy Planning

To succeed in cross-border e-commerce, it is essential to thoroughly research the needs of the target countries and markets. Mr. Tokuda provided concrete explanations of market selection methods based on individual countries and product categories, giving participants a deep understanding of how to choose target markets.

Two Patterns of Successful Companies
We learned that companies succeeding in cross-border e-commerce generally fall into two patterns: ① companies whose products naturally align with market needs, and ② companies that flexibly adapt and improve their products in response to market needs. Particularly memorable was the example of Japanese used cars enjoying high demand in African markets, illustrated with real-world cases.

Understanding and Engaging Customers
Mr. Tokuda pointed out that having a large Instagram following does not necessarily translate into sales, and touched on the importance of analyzing follower behavior and conducting direct interviews. We learned that listening to actual customer feedback and applying it to product improvements and marketing strategies is crucial.

Shipping and Customer Satisfaction
In cross-border e-commerce, long shipping times can negatively impact customers' willingness to buy. Concrete measures were proposed for improving customer satisfaction by offering multiple shipping options and presenting faster delivery methods.

Returns Handling
Managing returns is another major challenge in cross-border e-commerce. Mr. Tokuda explained practical approaches that actually work, including accepting returns, utilizing local warehouses, and having customers dispose of items rather than ship them back. He also shared the practical insight that for low-priced items, a no-returns policy can be effective.

Criteria for Selecting Target Markets
From the perspective of population and disposable income, markets such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Singapore show strong potential. We also learned that selection methods based on product category and keywords can be effective depending on the circumstances.

Participant Takeaways

Participants shared that they gained many practical insights into tackling the challenges of succeeding in cross-border e-commerce. In particular, the feedback highlighted that Mr. Tokuda's talks, grounded in real-world experience and concrete examples, contained content useful not only in theory but also for hands-on practice.

Conclusion

At this event, a wealth of strategies and practical know-how essential for success in cross-border e-commerce were shared. Market research, customer understanding, creative approaches to shipping and returns, and a long-term operational perspective were all emphasized as key factors for growing sales. Participants expressed that through specific problem-solving approaches and success stories in cross-border e-commerce, they gained valuable insights applicable to their own businesses.

Growth Meetup is held almost every Wednesday for those interested in Shopify and business growth. We look forward to providing even deeper learning and practical knowledge at the next Growth Meetup.
If you're interested, we'd love to have you join us. We hope to see you there!