Facing the challenges of overseas expansion—a cosmetics OEM company opens the door to the Chinese market with "hands-off trading."Tenshindo Co., Ltd.

Could you tell us what led you to introduce STANDAGE's automated trading service this time?

We at Tenshindo have been operating a domestic cosmetics OEM business for many years, providing services to numerous clients primarily through manufacturing within Japan. However, we felt that providing services only in the domestic market was insufficient, so for about 10 years we have been considering supporting our clients' expansion into overseas markets, particularly the Chinese market. However, until now, we have not been able to produce any concrete results in expanding into China, and it has remained merely a dream.

Our biggest challenge was our lack of know-how for overseas expansion. Our strength lay in domestic sales support, but we lacked sufficient knowledge and resources for trade operations and local sales support. That's when we came across STANDAGE's "Leave it to us trading" service. We were introduced to them by our bank, and we were able to find a new partner.

We felt that "Omakase Trading" could solve the challenges we had been facing for some time. In particular, the ability to communicate in Japanese regarding practical matters, the expertise in trade operations, and the fact that sales channels in various countries were secured were major deciding factors in our decision to implement it.

What exactly did it entail?

The main services we request from STANDAGE are not simply exporting products, but comprehensive support that includes developing sales channels in China and conducting sales activities locally, acting as a bridge to the Chinese market. In particular, their ability to overcome language barriers and negotiate with local companies on our behalf is of great value to us.

Furthermore, they complement our lack of resources, allowing us to carry out our work efficiently. With "Omakase Trading," they not only sell our products locally, but also handle repeat sales and ongoing follow-up, which is very reassuring for us.

What results have you achieved since implementing it?

The biggest benefit is that barriers previously caused by language and cultural differences have been eliminated. Furthermore, the effort involved in trade operations and logistics has been significantly reduced, allowing us to focus on our core OEM business. Previously, the time and effort spent on trade operations was a major burden, but STANDAGE handles all of that for us, which is extremely helpful. In addition, STANDAGE's representatives are well-versed in local market trends and understand the demand for our products, enabling them to provide optimal strategies.

What kind of support do you expect from Omakase Trading in the future?

Our ultimate goal is to steadily build on our current sales performance in the Chinese market and use that experience to expand into other countries. While the Chinese market is certainly important, we ultimately want to expand into other Asian markets as well.

To achieve this, we first need to establish a solid track record in the Chinese market and then expand our sales channels there. We would like to continue to ask STANDAGE for their support in sales promotion activities in the Chinese market and in expanding into other Asian markets.

Comment from Mr. Yamazaki of Tenshindo

Meeting STANDAGE was a major turning point for us. Until then, we had been troubled by language barriers and local conditions, but thanks to their "Leave it to us trading" service, our full-scale entry into the Chinese market has become a reality. We were anxious at first, but we have come to realize that STANDAGE is a trustworthy partner, and now we can entrust everything to them with peace of mind.

Furthermore, what's incredibly reassuring about "Omakase Trading" is that it goes beyond mere logistics outsourcing; it provides comprehensive support ranging from market trends and sales channel development to local sales activities. We plan to continue strengthening our sales activities, primarily in the Chinese market, and aim for further international expansion together with STANDAGE.