[Seminar Report] Senden Kaigi Summit 2024 Summer (Tokyo) ~3 Years of Challenge and Growth: Paul & Joe's Journey with Shopify Toward Deeper Connections with Customers~

Senden Kaigi Summit 2024 Summer (Tokyo)

This was a real-world event organized by Senden Kaigi Co., Ltd. on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, bringing together marketing professionals to discuss how marketing can contribute to business growth.

At the Senden Kaigi Summit 2024 Summer (Tokyo) — an event designed for marketing managers, CMOs, and other marketing and communications executives to share the latest practical knowledge on management, marketing, and the relationship between companies and their customers, and to draw out hints for future strategy — Mr. Sakakibara from our partner company Albion Co., Ltd. and our CEO Kurose took the stage as seminar speakers.

In this article, we present highlights from that session in report form.

Speakers

Mr. Takayuki Sakakibara, Group Manager, Domestic Sales Promotion Group, International Brand Sales Division, Albion Co., Ltd.

[Biography]
Joined Albion Co., Ltd. in 1990. After 20 years of wholesale sales to leading cosmetics retailers and department stores nationwide, he moved to the International Business Division, which oversees domestic and international marketing and sales for licensed brands. He currently manages domestic operations for ANNA SUI and PAUL & JOE. Since 2019, he has also been responsible for launching and operating the company's own online stores, having established four brand online store sites.

Mr. Junichi Kurose, Representative Director & CEO, StoreHero Co., Ltd.

[Biography]
After graduating from the University of Tsukuba and completing his master's degree at Kobe University Graduate School, he joined Axys Inc., where he served as a director involved in SaaS development and sales before the company was acquired. He subsequently joined Internet Infinity Inc. and TeamSpirit Inc., taking charge of business development and sales/marketing, both of which later went public. After serving as Country Manager at Ginzamarkets Inc., he founded StoreHero Co., Ltd. in 2019.

Shopify & Deeper Connections with Customers

As Google Chrome moves toward deprecating third-party cookies in 2025, the importance of businesses collecting their own customer data is growing more critical than ever for those selling products online.

The reason we chose to have Albion present on the theme of customer connections is that building deep relationships with customers and maintaining high-quality customer data is becoming increasingly essential.

Paul & Joe's Use of Shopify Plus

A walkthrough of three years of efforts — from store launch to enriching CRM and customer service features, to building loyal customers.

Step 1: Building the Shopify Plus Store

Aware that some customers were interested in the brand but had no physical store nearby and could not encounter the brand in person, the team concluded that having their own e-commerce store was necessary and began exploring options. Through conversations with various store-building and support companies, they discovered StoreHero and Shopify in 2020 and were captivated by its appeal. In 2021, they launched the official PAUL & JOE online store — a site where customers could enjoy not just cosmetics but all of the brand's items.

Reasons for Adopting Shopify Plus

Early Operational Challenges and Solutions

How Know-How Was Shared Internally

Initially, StoreHero provided in-depth one-on-one coaching sessions to Mr. Sakakibara, helping him become well-versed in Shopify operations. He then spread that knowledge internally through study sessions and regular meetings, where it gradually took root across the organization.

Streamlining Fulfillment and Operations

The integration between Shopify and the warehouse, as well as order cancellation operations, were initially handled manually on purpose. Because they wanted to understand the underlying mechanics and workflows, they deliberately held off on automation at first, intentionally retaining manual processes.

Step 2: Enriching CRM and Customer Service Features

The team wanted to create an online space where — just as in physical stores — value beyond price was delivered and brand fans gathered. StoreHero's core approach, "rather than simply driving traffic, let's deepen our understanding of customers who truly love the brand — loyal customers — to grow our customer base," became the guiding strategy.

Digitalizing the In-Store Experience and Improving Customer Experience

Through running the EC operation, Mr. Sakakibara realized that "customers visiting the brand's online store are also seeking 'personalized service' online."
In the process of interviewing more than 100 candidates for the EC team lead role, he recognized that what was truly needed was not just smooth operations by someone proficient in systems and e-commerce, but team members with a deep love for the brand and genuine hospitality toward customers. He chose the path of nurturing existing employees into e-commerce talent.

Replicating the In-Store Consultation Experience Online

Since they deal in cosmetics, customers often struggle to know which products are right for them. To replicate the in-store consultation experience online, they introduced a system that uses a camera to scan the customer's face and suggest products that match their skin tone.

Real-Time Communication

Loyal customers enjoy chatting with store staff in physical locations. To provide a similar experience online, they introduced Channel Talk for online customer service.

Monitoring Loyal Customer Insights and Behavior

Customers were segmented by purchase amount-based tiers and engagement levels. Using that data, the team identified what types of customers were most likely to become loyal customers, and leveraged those insights to refine advertising angles, email newsletter strategies, and online customer service approaches.

Continuous Improvement of CRM and Online Customer Service

While monitoring loyal customer behavior, the team continuously refined their email and chat scenarios to cultivate more loyal customers.

By conducting data analysis focused on customer connections, new ideas naturally emerged — ways to delight customers who love the brand even more, and to keep them loyal for the long term.

As a result of these efforts, the number of repeat purchasers has grown year over year, and the proportion of repeat buyers continues to rise across nearly all customer tiers.

Step 3: Building Loyal Customers

For the first time in three years, the online store was redesigned. By enabling product and content recommendations based on customer insight data, the store evolved into a space that is even easier for loyal customers to shop in.

Leveraging Loyal Customer Data in Advertising

In collaboration with advertising agencies, the team plans to integrate loyal customer data with Google and Meta Ads audience data, and to prioritize delivery of products popular among loyal customers. This will enable them to cultivate a store that attracts fans right from the acquisition stage.

Current Assessment of Physical Stores vs. Online

While the online experience still falls short of physical stores in some ways, the goal is to eventually create an online experience that rivals and surpasses them. The team will continue to strengthen customer loyalty and deepen connections with customers around the world who love the brand.

Lessons Learned and Advice from the Operator's Perspective

• Sell your own products through your "own" channels
• In-store logic does not translate directly to online
• Keep evolving, always
• A partner who "runs alongside" you — rather than just handling things for you — is crucial

Summary

Together with Mr. Sakakibara of Albion Co., Ltd., we introduced the journey and tips from launching their Shopify online store through to getting it on track. This session was packed with valuable insights applicable even to companies that have never operated an EC store before — we hope it serves as a helpful reference.