Overseas expansion that was limited to introductions from acquaintances—connections with France and America built through "Leave it to us trading"Bonds Communication Co., Ltd.

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

Our company originally focused on call center operations, but our president, Yamamoto, envisioned overseas expansion as the next pillar of our business. Within that context, we wanted to create a business model that leveraged the strengths of Japanese intellectual property (IP), such as anime, manga, and games, to handle everything from planning and manufacturing to global distribution.

The catalyst was a fountain pen collaboration with a popular anime IP, which was sold in a limited edition of 1,000 units in Japan. When we partnered with the collaborating company's online store, the first 100 pens sold out in 8 to 10 hours. At that point, we were already receiving inquiries from overseas, with people saying they would buy it even at double the price. Because it was a Japan-only product, we didn't end up selling it overseas at the time, but seeing this reaction, we became convinced that it would be successful internationally as well.

However, our company lacked experience and know-how in developing overseas sales channels, and our contacts up until then had been limited to referrals from acquaintances and customers. Feeling that this was insufficient, we were fortunate enough to learn about STANDAGE and had several online meetings with them. Hearing about their track record in overseas expansion across various industries made us feel that this was a viable option, and that was the deciding factor.

What exactly did it entail?

The aspect of the support we received that we value most is the management of our Kickstarter campaign. They provided comprehensive support for all aspects of trade operations, from project announcements and management to customer service and shipping. Honestly, if we had tried to handle everything ourselves, we would have panicked.

I was extremely grateful to the staff at STANDAGE who responded to my inquiries at any time. There were some issues along the way, such as inaccuracies in the shipping information on Kickstarter, but as I continued to provide feedback, their response speed improved.

What impressed me most was the proposal, made through the contact person's network, to showcase our products in a collaborative event with traditional performing arts. I value not only the practical aspects of trade but also the proposal of such new opportunities.

What effects have you seen since implementing it?

In the Kickstarter campaign conducted after implementation, the process, which normally takes about nine months, was shortened to four months, and we achieved sales of approximately 5 million yen for plain fountain pens.

Regarding the fountain pens in collaboration with popular anime IPs, we are expanding overseas by sending samples to France and communicating with them regarding orders. We are currently in the process of preparing for pre-orders in France and the United States.

There have been changes in areas other than just the numbers. Our merchandise sales department doesn't have a dedicated overseas member, but STANDAGE has been acting as a partner. In addition to establishing partnerships with one agency each in France and the United States, new connections are emerging, such as with anime and merchandise shops in Brazil.

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

As we progressed with our development efforts, there were several instances where miscommunication occurred when conveying our intentions to overseas parties through the person in charge. It would be helpful if you could improve the accuracy of communication, such as through CC (Customer Communication) sharing. Also, we would appreciate it if you could share a more detailed roadmap and process regarding the routes and methods used for development. Furthermore, it would be great if you could improve the mobile compatibility of the trade cloud.

Our outlook is to establish collaborative relationships with more than 10 overseas agencies within the two-year contract period. We plan to expand primarily in the United States, Europe (Germany, France, Italy), and Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia). We also intend to develop our matcha business in the same way, as we have our own production capacity.

Comment from Mr. Xu of Bonds Communication Co., Ltd.

If your company has no experience in developing overseas sales channels, I highly recommend asking STANDAGE for their help. They can provide advice based on their know-how, experience, and track record, and I feel that the biggest advantage is being able to obtain so-called "raw" information that you can't find by searching online.

For example, when I asked about market prices and sales volumes in the US and Europe during a regular meeting regarding our matcha business, they were able to answer immediately. It's because we have that kind of information that we can make decisions with confidence.