A professional in the stationery and general merchandise industry talks about the "true partner" needed for overseas expansion.Indigo Co., Ltd.

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

For 20 years since our founding, we have planned, sold, and wholesaled wrapping supplies, and have established extensive business relationships with major stationery and general merchandise stores in Japan. However, in recent years, the domestic market has shown little room for significant growth, and "overseas expansion" has become an unavoidable challenge when considering future business growth. That said, we lacked knowledge of international trade, and we were very apprehensive about conducting business negotiations and handling documents in multiple languages, such as English and French. While we could exhibit at trade shows, it was difficult to complete negotiations and follow-up entirely in-house, and hiring personnel was not realistic from a cost perspective.

That's when I discovered STANDAGE's "Omakase Trading" service. I was attracted to its comprehensive support for language, negotiation, and trade operations, and after comparing it with other services, I decided to implement it.

What exactly did it entail?

What I found most valuable was their support for exhibiting at overseas trade shows. They didn't just provide exhibition opportunities; they also provided thorough support from pre-show preparations to on-the-day arrangements, giving us a crucial first step towards expanding overseas.

What was particularly impressive was our first time exhibiting at "Maison & Objet" (the world's leading interior and design trade show). When we provided suggestions for improvement after the exhibition, the person in charge took them seriously and showed a willingness to use them to improve in the future, which further deepened our trust in STANDAGE.

What effects have you seen since implementing it?

By implementing "Omakase Trading," we were able to participate in overseas trade shows, something we couldn't have achieved on our own. Currently, our next challenge is how to cultivate the overseas customer base we have acquired over the past two years. However, it is difficult to handle these ongoing issues solely within our company.,We would like you to continue providing after-sales support and marketing assistance even after the contract ends.

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

We believe that it's crucial to consider how to follow up after the contract ends, rather than simply "selling and being done with it." We would be extremely grateful if you could clearly define the system and support details to ensure that the connections made through the exhibition are not just fleeting, but that continuous relationships can be built.

We expect STANDAGE to continue contributing to our sales through practical support such as disseminating new product information and sales promotion. We would like their help in building a system to cultivate relationships with overseas customers into continuous businesses, rather than letting them end as one-off encounters. We also expect further practical support that directly impacts sales, such as disseminating new product information and supporting sales promotion activities.

Comment from Indigo Umaji

For us, who have no prior experience in international trade, "Omakase Trade" is truly a reliable partner. We have great confidence in the enthusiasm and sincere service of the staff in charge.

This service is especially recommended for companies that lack trade knowledge, are unsure about language skills, or are short on manpower. For companies like ours that want to take the first step towards overseas expansion, it is a reliable source of support.