{"id":5288,"date":"2024-03-12T10:00:52","date_gmt":"2024-03-12T01:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.standage.co.jp\/?p=5288"},"modified":"2026-02-06T12:32:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T03:32:13","slug":"usecase_nosaku_20240312","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.standage.co.jp\/us\/2024\/03\/12\/usecase_nosaku_20240312\/","title":{"rendered":"[Introduction example] Providing "DigiTrad" trade-oriented packaging to Nosaku, a long-established Kanazawa lacquerware store"},"content":{"rendered":"

Building trade through overseas crowdfunding: Achieved over 400% of goal amount in 3 days<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

STANDAGE Co., Ltd. (Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Akinori Adachi; hereinafter referred to as Standage), which develops and provides digital trade platforms, has begun offering the trade package service "Digitrad" to Nosaku Co., Ltd. (Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture; CEO: Yoshiyuki Oka; hereinafter referred to as Nosaku) in April 2023. Kanazawa lacquerware, which has a high unit price and high quality, has always had high inbound demand, but due to the nature of the product, it is difficult to mass-produce it, and there is no personnel with know-how in overseas business, so the company has only considered selling it overseas on its own. After receiving a consultation, Standage focused on crowdfunding, which allows the creators' thoughts and stories to be delivered to wealthy people overseas and allows them to sell made-to-order products overseas. Immediately after the start of the service, orders came in mainly from Europe and the United States, and in just three days, they achieved approximately 407% of their target amount.
\nIn the future, we plan to use the recognition and achievements we have gained through crowdfunding to further expand our overseas sales channels, including exhibiting at overseas exhibitions of Japanese products.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u25a0 There is demand, but exports are not possible... A barrier unique to "luxury crafts"<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kanazawa lacquerware is a traditional craft that is widely acclaimed both in Japan and overseas for its dazzling beauty and the traditional technique of applying lacquer to wooden products.<\/p>\n

Founded in 1780 and celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2030, Nousaku, located in the Kaga domain of one million koku of rice, pursues high quality and design and offers a wide range of products, including tea ceremony utensils, tableware, and decorative items.<\/p>\n

Due to the location of Kanazawa, Nousaku lacquerware has long been in high demand from foreign tourists visiting the area. However, due to the characteristics of the products, which are high-priced and cannot be mass-produced, Nousaku was not able to secure and maintain enough inventory to withstand continuous orders, and the company did not have the know-how to handle trade procedures, so it did not actively sell to overseas markets.<\/p>\n

Having been aware of the recognition and demand for Kanazawa lacquerware from overseas, we began a contract with Standage's trade packaging company, Digitrad, in April 2023.<\/p>\n

Although there is definite demand, traditional crafts can only be sold on a made-to-order basis and are not considered suitable for trade as commercial products. We therefore took on the challenge of developing overseas sales channels for these traditional crafts.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u25a0Made-to-order products can be sold overseas without difficulty Focusing on compatibility with crowdfunding<\/strong><\/p>\n

Typically, in trade, the lead time from ordering needs to be adjusted to meet the buyer's requirements, so it is assumed that the seller can steadily secure inventory that can withstand this.<\/p>\n

In the case of traditional crafts and other products that are high-priced and difficult to mass-produce, the lead time can sometimes reach several months, making them unprofitable under normal trade schemes and unsuitable for building permanent overseas sales.<\/p>\n

Therefore, Standage turned its attention to using crowdfunding as a way to sell overseas while maintaining its made-to-order production system.<\/p>\n

Unlike sales on e-commerce sites, the main motivation for buyers in crowdfunding is to sympathize with and support the story of the creator, such as "the creator's thoughts," "the history they have built up and the dreams they want to realize."<\/p>\n

For this reason, most buyers do not mind if it takes several months for the product to arrive, and even made-to-order products can be easily sold overseas all at once.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, a crowdfunding page that has been carefully created by trade and overseas marketing professionals can also function as a powerful landing page (LP) for overseas markets, visibly demonstrating your company's proven track record.<\/p>\n

As a stepping stone to full-scale overseas expansion, NOUSAKU first believed it was important to gain recognition and a track record, so we promoted NOUSAKU's Kanazawa lacquerware plates, "INAZUMA," on the American crowdfunding site "Kickstarter."<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As a result, orders continued to come in mainly from European and American regions, such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Switzerland, and the crowdfunding campaign achieved approximately 407% of its goal just three days after it began.<\/p>\n

The main factors behind the success are thought to be that a person well versed in overseas marketing carefully created a story about Nousaku's history and the makers' commitment through video and text, and that the product was chosen to be plates that can be used universally around the world, rather than bowls and chopsticks.<\/p>\n

Armed with the recognition and success gained through this crowdfunding promotion, the company plans to further expand sales overseas by participating in exhibitions of Japanese products overseas, allowing visitors to see and examine genuine lacquerware in person.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u25a0Comment from Yoshiyuki Oka, 8th generation president and CEO of Nousaku Co., Ltd.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This time, we used this system to promote, recognize, and sell our Maki-e lacquerware, a product lineup that is our specialty, overseas.<\/p>\n

We didn't have anyone in our company who was skilled at expanding sales channels overseas, and now we have many customers from overseas, with 30% of our sales coming from Europe and the United States. Although we have a good understanding of what overseas customers are interested in, we didn't know how to approach them from our side and were feeling frustrated. In the midst of this, we decided to introduce and implement this system.<\/p>\n

I think it was a good idea for STANDAGE to first carefully explain to people overseas the origins and process of Kanazawa lacquerware, using text and videos of the lacquerware being used, and to first get them to become fans, which I believe led to sales.<\/p>\n

We hope that once people have purchased our products, they will spread the word about them to others through word of mouth, and that this will help spread the appeal of lacquerware, which is not available overseas, to the rest of the world.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u25a0 DigiTrad is introduced by a total of 150 companies in Japan<\/strong><\/p>\n

"DigiTrad" is a comprehensive trade package service developed exclusively by Standage that provides a one-stop service covering everything from sales channel development to negotiations, contracts, settlements, and administrative procedures related to logistics and customs clearance.<\/p>\n

Due to the rapid depreciation of the yen in the second half of 2010 and the government's efforts to expand exports, Japan's overall export volume has been on a gradual upward trend. However, when looking at the export volume of small and medium-sized enterprises in urban and rural areas, the gap is still widening.<\/p>\n

Digitrad was created as a package service to handle all aspects of trade, from market development to contracts, negotiations, payments, and logistics, to enable Japanese manufacturers, who face these challenges, to expand overseas more freely and easily.<\/p>\n

Rather than being limited to systemizing some operations or providing consulting, this is a service that can "handle" the entire flow of trade. As of February 2012, the number of companies using this service has reached a total of 150.<\/p>\n

\u25c7Click here for the \u201cDigiTrad\u201d service details page: https:\/\/boueki.standage.co.jp\/digitrad\/<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Building trade through overseas crowdfunding, achieving over 400% of the target amount in just three days STANDAGE Co., Ltd. (Minato-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Akinori Adachi, hereinafter referred to as Standage), a developer and provider of digital trade platforms, has... Continue reading [Introduction example] Providing "DigiTrad" trade-oriented packaging to Nosaku, a long-established Kanazawa lacquerware store<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5292,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[46],"tags":[],"acf":{"en_news":{"custom_css":"","en_title":"Nosaku, a long-established Kanazawa lacquerware company, begins using \"Digitrad,\" our trade all-in-one package.","content":"Trade building through utilizing overseas crowdfunding\u3000<\/strong>
\r\nAchieved more than 400% of the goal in the first 3 days<\/strong>

\r\n\r\nSTANDAGE Corporation, a developer and provider of digital trade platforms, has begun offering its \"Digitrad\" all-in-one trade package service to Nosaku (Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture; CEO: Yoshiyuki Oka; hereinafter \"Nosaku\") from April 2023. Kanazawa lacquerware, with its high quality, has always been in high demand for overseas sales. However, the company itself had only been considering overseas sales due to the difficulty of manufacturing large quantities due to the nature of the product and the lack of human resources with overseas business know-how. Having been consulted, Standage turned its attention to crowdfunding, which enables the delivery of the creator's thoughts and story to rich consumers overseas and makes it possible to sell products overseas, despite the fact that they are made-to-order. Immediately after its launch, orders began pouring in, mainly from Europe and the U.S., and in just three days the company achieved approximately 407% of its goal.
\r\nThe company plans to further expand its overseas sales channels by participating in overseas exhibitions of Japanese products with the recognition and achievements gained through crowdfunding.\r\n


\r\n \r\n\r\n\u25a0Demand exists, but export remains a challenge... A barrier that only \"high-end craftwork\" faces.<\/strong>\r\n

\r\nKanazawa lacquerware is a traditional craft widely acclaimed in Japan and abroad for its traditional technique of applying lacquer to wooden products and its glittering beauty.

\r\n\r\nFounded in 1780 and celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2030, Nosaku pursues high quality and design in the land of Kaga Hyakumangoku, and offers a wide range of products including tea ceremony utensils, tableware, and decorative items.

\r\n\r\nDue to the location of Kanazawa, Nosaku's lacquerware has long been in increasing demand from foreigners visiting the area for sightseeing. However, due to the characteristics of our products, which are not mass-producible, it was not possible to secure and maintain enough inventory to sustain continuous orders, and there was no in-house know-how to handle trade practices, so Nosaku did not actively market its lacquerware to overseas customers.

\r\n\r\nHaving always sensed the overseas reputation and demand for Kanazawa lacquerware, the company began contracting with Standage's trade all-in-one package \"Digitrad\" in April 2023.

\r\n\r\nWe took on the challenge of developing overseas sales channels for traditional crafts that, although there was solid demand, could only be sold virtually on a made-to-order basis and were not suitable for trade as a commercial product.

\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n

\r\n\u25a0Order-made products can be sold overseas without difficulty with crowdfunding
\r\nFocus on affinity with crowdfunding<\/strong>

\r\n\r\nNormally, in trade, the lead time from order placement needs to match the buyer's demand, so it is a prerequisite that the seller can secure a stable inventory that can meet that demand.

\r\n\r\nIn the case of products with high unit prices and difficult mass production, such as traditional crafts, the lead time can extend to several months, making the normal trading scheme unprofitable and unsuitable for building permanent overseas sales.

\r\n\r\nTherefore, Standage focused on the use of crowdfunding as a way to sell products overseas while maintaining a made-to-order production system.

\r\n\r\nIn contrast to sales on e-commerce platforms, the main motivation of buyers through crowdfunding is their sympathy and support for the stories of \"the thoughts of the makers,\" \"the history they have built up, and the aspirations they want to achieve.

\r\n\r\nTherefore, most buyers do not mind if it takes several months for the product to reach their hands, and even made-to-order products can be sold simultaneously overseas without problems.

\r\n\r\nIn addition, the crowdfunding page, which has been carefully designed by professionals in the fields of trade and overseas marketing, can function as a powerful overseas landing page (LP) that visibly demonstrates a solid track record.

\r\n\r\nAs a foothold for Nosaku's full-scale overseas expansion, we thought it was important to first gain recognition and a track record, so we promoted Nosaku's \"INAZUMA\" Kanazawa lacquerware plates on the American crowdfunding site Kickstarter.

\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n

\r\nOrders continued to come in, mainly from the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Belgium, Switzerland, and other Western regions, and the crowdfunding campaign achieved approximately 407% of its goal in just three days from its launch.

\r\n\r\nThe main reasons for the success are thought to be the fact that the staff in charge, who are well versed in overseas marketing, created a video and text that told the story of Nosaku's history and the craftsman's dedication, and that they chose plates that can be used universally around the world as the product material, unlike tea bowls and chopsticks.

\r\n\r\nWith the recognition and achievements gained through this crowdfunding promotion, we plan to further expand our overseas sales by exhibiting at overseas exhibitions of Japanese products so that people can actually see and consider genuine lacquerware.


\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\u25a0Comment from Mr. Yoshiyuki Oka, President and Representative Director of Nosaku\u00a0<\/strong>\r\n

\r\nThis time we decided to use this service to promote, recognize, and sell 'maki-e' lacquerware, which is our company's specialty product line, to overseas markets.

\r\n\r\nWe had no one in our company who was good at expanding sales channels overseas, and now we have many customers from overseas, with foreigners from Europe, the U.S., and other countries accounting for 30% of our sales. We had a pretty good grasp of what overseas customers were interested in, but we did not know how to approach them, leaving us in a state of agony.

\r\n\r\nWe believe that STANDAGE carefully explained the origins and processes of Kanazawa lacquerware to foreign visitors by using text and videos of the lacquerware being used, and that this was a good first step in making them fans of the product, which led to the sale.

\r\n\r\nWe hope that once someone buys a piece of lacquerware, it will spread to other people through word of mouth and other means, spreading the appeal of lacquerware that does not exist overseas to the rest of the world.\r\n


\r\n \r\n\r\n\u25a0About Digitrad, adopted by a total of 150 companies in Japan<\/b>
\r\nDigitrad is a all-in-one inclusive trade package service developed by Standage, covering everything from the development of sales channels, negotiations and contracts, settlement and administrative procedures related to logistics and customs clearance.
\r\nWhile Japan's overall export turnover has been rising moderately due to the sharp depreciation of the yen in the second half of 2022 and national efforts to increase exports, the gap between the export turnover of SMEs by urban and rural areas remains significant.
\r\nDigitrad was created as a packaged service that provides a one-stop trade process from sales channel development to contracting, negotiation, settlement and logistics, so that Japanese manufacturers facing these challenges can more freely and easily expand their business overseas.\r\nThis service is not limited to the systematisation of some operations or consulting, but can 'full-support' the entire flow of trade. As of February 2024, the number of companies that have adopted this service has reached 150.

\r\n\r\n\u25c7Digitrad service official website:<\/strong>\r\nhttps:\/\/standage.co.jp\/digitrad<\/a>"},"author":{"author_image":"","author_name":"","author_image_link":"","introduction":""},"production_published":true},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.standage.co.jp\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5288"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.standage.co.jp\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.standage.co.jp\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.standage.co.jp\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.standage.co.jp\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5288"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/wp.standage.co.jp\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5288\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5322,"href":"https:\/\/wp.standage.co.jp\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5288\/revisions\/5322"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.standage.co.jp\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5292"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.standage.co.jp\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.standage.co.jp\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.standage.co.jp\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}