1. The traffic in Japan is relatively large;
2. The competition in Japan is relatively less intense;
3. The first-haul logistics of Japan station has advantages;
4. The official support of Japan station is stronger.
Disadvantages of Japan Station:
1. Language barriers;
2. High rate of negative reviews;
3. Taxes and fees at Japan Station are more complicated;
4. The competitors in Japan are also very strong.
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1.Advantages of Japan Station
The traffic in Japan is relatively large
According to the average daily visits data of the Amazon website published by foreign authoritative statistical agencies, the Japanese website has also become the second largest Amazon website after the US website. Flow represents direct purchasing power, and the size of the flow determines the final order quantity. So in terms of traffic, the advantage of the Japanese station is quite obvious.
2. Japan's competition is relatively less intense
Note that the word I used is "relative". The reason for using this word is because it is aimed at the US station and the European station. Because Japanese is far less popular than English and other languages, sellers usually choose to start from the US or Europe because of language barriers. Many people will say that I can use translation software to translate. Generally speaking, none of the people who say this has actually been to Japan, and sometimes the translated Japanese is very different from the Japanese. Some Japanese sellers even complained about the listing of some products, and some demanding sellers even responded with negative reviews.
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In addition, judging from the increase in the number of Amazon sellers per site, the increase in sellers in Japan is also the smallest. However, considering the absolute number of US sellers, the overall increase in the number of sellers is still the largest. This reflects the level of competition in the Japanese station, which is not like the influx of new competitors every year in the US and Europe stations.
3. First-haul logistics in Japan has advantages
Many sellers are out of stock during the operation of the US station. A large part of the problem of out-of-stock is due to the uncontrollable first-time restrictions. As far as the timeliness of the maiden flight is concerned, Japan Station has an inherent advantage. Due to its proximity to China, Japanese FBA sellers can enjoy high logistics timeliness. This is very helpful for the seller's operation.
Moreover, in Amazon's current operating costs, the cost of first-haul logistics has become an important component. For Japanese sellers, the closer the distance means the lower the logistics cost, which is especially important for sellers with tight capital chains.
4. The official support of Japan station is stronger.
Amazon Japan is facing fierce competition from Rakuten and Yahoo. Therefore, Amazon officially gave Japanese sellers a strong preferential policy. For example, on the A+ page, you need to complete the brand registration at the US site before you can apply, but the Japanese seller can apply directly, even if you have not completed the brand registration. In addition, Japan also has preferential policies such as the first month's rent and monthly promotions. For specific policies, please contact the investment manager of Japan Station for consultation.
2. Disadvantages of Japan Station
1.Language barriers
The official language of Japan Station is naturally Japanese. There are probably not many Japanese sellers in China. Among the cross-border companies that operate Amazon, the people who are generally responsible for the operation of the Japanese station are proficient in Japanese. A seller asked me if I could publish it in English on the Japanese website. In fact, this is a very funny question. The English penetration rate in Japan is not as high as you think. In addition, publishing the list in English on the Japanese site is also not allowed by Amazon officials. In Japan, the English-published lists will not only be controlled by Amazon, but also Japanese customers will complain because you use the English-language lists. Therefore, if you want to do well in Japan, you must have a basic knowledge of Japanese.
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2. High negative review rate
It is a well-known fact that Japanese buyers are picky. For the same product, the negative review rate in the United States and Europe may be only 1%-3%, while Japan's rate is as high as 6%. A kitchen accessory product has a rating of about 4.2 in the United States and Europe, while in Japan, the overall rating of buyers is only 3.5. Some Japanese customers are almost to the point where they are picky about details. This is a big challenge for sellers who want to enter the Japanese station.
3. Taxes and fees at Japan Station are more complicated
Taxation at the Japanese station is a bit complicated. The tariff at the Japanese station is generally divided into three parts: tariff + consumption tax + local consumption value-added tax. Most categories of Japanese stations are 2% tariff and 7.8% consumption tax, and some categories may have other tax rates. If the new seller does not know much about the tax calculation in Japan, you can consult a freight forwarder before shipping. Freight forwarders are generally very clear about these things. In addition, regarding the declared value of the Japanese station, the seller used to declare about 35% of the true value.
However, the Japanese customs has gradually implemented an "inverse algorithm" for Chinese sellers, that is, the Japanese customs will perform inverse calculations in accordance with the formula of "the real selling price of Amazon products-FBA delivery fee-sales commission". Through this reverse calculation, it is more difficult to reduce the declared value.
4. Japan’s competitors are also very strong
Amazon is not the only e-commerce market in Japan. Rakuten and Yahoo are also strong in Japan. Before placing an order, many Japanese buyers will make a full price comparison on the three websites and finally decide to buy. Sometimes the Rakuten website has big promotions, and the sales of Amazon Japan can only be described as bleak.
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