The modern samurai's weapon of choice? Social media. Their preferred method of suicide? Sudoku.
Japan's e-commerce market might seem as mysterious as their love for square watermelons (we're not hating, just debating), but cracking the code isn't impossible. You’ll need to think "outside the box", and have more than just a flashy website with Japanese translations. What you'll need is to understand the unique tastes and preferences of Japan's digital consumers.
Lucky for you, we've put together this magnificent blog post with some unique strategies (complete with usual interjections and pathetic attempts at humor). Here are some ways your e-commerce business connect with Japan's digital shoppers... faster than you can say "arigatougozaimasu" with a strangled foreign accent!
Cash Me Outside
"I won't be home at the time of delivery. Please find the money under an exact copy (in miniature) of the products I ordered, which I will leave in a miniature basket outside of my door. Thank you and have a good day."
Japan boasts a smartphone ownership rate of around 79%, but don’t be fooled -- cash is still king (or, uh, emperor).
As of 2023, only about 39.3% of transactions were cashless. Japan loves cash the way grandmas love reminding you that "back in their day, fruit was affordable.” In other words: deeply, irrationally, and with no sign of stopping. How about QR code payments? They made up a measly 2.6% of cashless transactions. Poor little bastards...
Credit cards made up about 30.4% of cashless payments.
So if cash still so important, how do you ensure Japanese customers are able to pay for products from your store? The answer is: COD (not the fish, or the hit FPS videogame franchise that's been declining in quality over the years.)
Cash on Delivery (COD) isn’t just a quirky option in Japan’s e-commerce scene; it’s a widely-used, highly popular payment method across nearly every major marketplace and online store. Despite the prevalence of smartphones and advanced payment tech, A LOT of Japanese consumers still want the option to pay in cash when their package arrives.
For any business hoping to break into the Japanese e-commerce world, offering COD is essential --it’s an expected option for countless Japanese shoppers.
The Seasonal Sensation
What do you see in the petals? If your answer is anything other than "seasonal marketing", you need to WAKE UP AND SMELL THE F$&%ING FLOWERS.
In Japan, seasons aren't just something to complain about every time your knees start to hurt when it rains; they're marketing goldmines. From cherry blossom-flavored everything in spring to winter illumination events, Japanese consumers go crazy for limited-edition, seasonal products and experiences. If you're not theming your digital marketing campaigns around the seasons, you're basically leaving yen on the table. Pro tip: Leaving yen on the table is a "tip" and "tipping" is bad form in Japan. Don't do it!
But hold onto your kimono, because seasonal marketing is more complex than a 5-step skincare routine (and only slightly less "fantabulous"). Each season brings its own set of traditions, flavors, and consumer behaviors that savvy marketers need to navigate. Spring is all about cherry blossoms, summer screams refreshment, autumn whispers maple leaves, and winter sparkles with illuminations.
In Japan, limited-time seasonal offerings aren't just a marketing tactic; they're a cultural phenomenon. The concept of "shun" (旬) - the idea that everything has its proper time and season - is deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. (You might have also heard that murder is actually really frowned upon in Japan. It goes against the traditional concept of 生きる, which means to live).
All this is to say: Japanese consumers expect and eagerly anticipate seasonal products. It's a natural cycle of demand that smart marketers can tap into.
Line is Love, Line is Life
It might seem obvious but it needs to be said: regardless of what platform you're using, make sure your marketing strategy is "dummy thicc".
Have you tried LINE? If your mind immediately went to cocaine, we're sorry to disappoint you (but feel free to invite us to your next party). In Japan, LINE is a messenger app... or at least it used to be; nowadays, it's practically public infrastructure. With over 92 million users --that’s about 73% of the country's population-- LINE has become as essential as rice in a bento box.
LINE isn’t just about messaging; it’s a super-app that offers everything from mobile payments to gaming and even news updates (there's even a rip-off of TikTok on Line that's called Voom, for some godforsaken reason).
If you’re looking to market your brand in Japan, mastering LINE is good step forward. Advertise on it. Make content for it. Message people with it.
The Influencer Invasion
If your keyboard doesn't click loud enough to break the sound barrier, can you even call yourself an influencer?
Influencer marketing in Japan is like wasabi – a little goes a long way, but use too much, and you'll leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth. Japanese consumers TEND to value authenticity and relatability over glitz and glamour (with the exclusion of V-Tubers, which are hand-grown in underground bio-vats using carefully controlled chemical mixtures of glitz, glamour, and kawaii magic).
Enter the "micro-influencer" – the secret weapon in Japan's marketing arsenal. These are everyday folks with followings between 1,000 to 100,000 who specialize in niche markets. They're like the neighborhood sushi chef – maybe not world-famous, but boy, do people swear by the stuff they make.
These micro-influencers have built tight-knit communities around specific interests, whether it's vintage fashion, artisanal coffee, or watching old people camp stylishly (shout out to the one and only Winpy-Jiji). Their recommendations carry weight because they're seen as genuine enthusiasts rather than paid mouthpieces (and in the case of Winpy-Jiji, because he's chill and cool).
Brands that partner with micro-influencers can tap into a level of trust and engagement that's hard to achieve through traditional advertising. It's not about reaching millions; it's about reaching the right thousand people who will actually care about your product and spread the word organically.
At Mix-Mix Mail, we're not just (logistics) nerds --we're also well-versed in the art of Japanese e-commerce. Our fulfillment services don't just stop at packing and shipping your products. We can help you navigate the complex world of Japanese consumer preferences, with optional translation and localization services! So why struggle with cultural nuances when you could be focusing on growing your business? Let Mix-Mix Mail be your guide in the Land of the Rising Sun (and Rising Sales)!