cross-border commerce
Bring the value of Made in Japan
to the world with modern e-commerce technology
We help you sell products overseas with Shopify. Starting with low-cost research into the potential of international expansion, we use next-generation headless commerce to build websites optimized for overseas customers without affecting your domestic website.
service1
Start by exploring cross-border potential at minimal cost
To avoid investing heavily in a website that does not sell, we first test demand in your target country using social media advertising and a minimal operational setup. Like launching a trial balloon, we observe the results and propose a dedicated overseas e-commerce website only when the figures are promising.
service2
A storefront optimized for your target country,
built with next-generation headless commerce
built with next-generation headless commerce
We create designs suited to the culture of your target country, going beyond simply translating a Japanese website. With headless commerce, domestic and overseas storefronts are managed through one Shopify store while their front-end designs remain completely independent.
Case studies
Our cross-border e-commerce development process
step1
- Demand testing
We identify the target country and begin by understanding its laws and culture, then determine currency, payments, translation and shipping arrangements. At this stage, we use social media advertising and a minimal operational setup to test which messages sell products and at what cost. We proceed to building the website once results are promising. Otherwise, we recommend changing the country, region or messaging to focus your efforts more effectively.
step2
- Cross-border storefront development
Once demand is confirmed, we begin building the cross-border storefront.
month1
1week
- Discovery
- Create a Lean Canvas
- Initial discovery
To understand the business as a whole, we create a Lean Canvas: a one-page overview of its business model.
1week
- Design sprint
- Identify long-term goals and challenges
- Create a customer journey map
- Interview experts and team members
- Generate ideas and make decisions
- Create a storyboard
To test hypotheses quickly, we use Google’s Design Sprint framework to create a rough e-commerce website storyboard in two days. Incorporating both management and operational perspectives helps everyone take ownership of the project.
month2
3week
- Create a prototype
- Create a paper prototype
- Build a prototype using Adobe XD or an existing Shopify theme
Based on the storyboard from the previous step, we create an interactive prototype for user interviews.
1week
- User interviews
- Observe users testing the prototype and identify improvements
We invite about five actual users, or people with similar characteristics, to try the prototype, observe them and interview them to identify improvements. This process reveals insights the project team may not have anticipated and is essential to refining the website.
month3
3week
- Design
- For an original theme, develop the design from the prototype
- For an existing theme, make adjustments and replace draft images and copy with final content
For an original theme, we build on the prototype’s structure to create a design that communicates the brand’s world. When using an existing theme, we refine the prototype website and replace its images and copy with final content.
- Support in-house content production
- Help your team produce product photographs, product copy and blog articles
If your team will create content in-house, we provide guidelines and advice to maintain a consistent standard of quality.
1week
- Design revisions
- Revise the design as needed
- Determine payment and shipping methods
- Determine payment and shipping methods
3week
- Implementation
- Implement Shopify themes and apps
For an original theme, we implement the theme and apps. If an app requires substantial development, we divide the work into phases, generally aiming for an initial release within three months.
month4
to be continued
- Launch
- Publish the store
- Growth
- Analysis and improvement
We analyze the website quantitatively and qualitatively, using analytics and user interviews, and make improvements continuously.
