Launching the Japan Official Shop for the Global-Standard Travel Adapter "SKROSS®": End-to-End Support as an "Outsourced EC Division" from Strategy to Operations

Bridge to Japan, Inc. is a company that brings globally trusted imported products to the Japanese market under the theme of "good products that last." Leveraging the global network it has cultivated over many years in the import industry, the company handles high-quality, highly safe products that are not yet available in Japan. enableX provides end-to-end support — from launching on EC marketplaces through to sales strategy. In this interview, we spoke with Representative Director Mr. Osuga and Co-founder Mr. Hirata about the background to the engagement and their assessment of enableX's support.

Could you tell us about your business?
Under the concept of "delivering, over the long term, trusted imported goods that are globally recognized yet have not been handled in Japan," we bring products acclaimed worldwide to customers in Japan. We never handle products with concerns regarding quality or after-sales support. By selling reliable products at the right price point, we have earned our customers' trust. Our flagship product line is the "SKROSS®" travel-adapter brand manufactured by World Connect AG in Switzerland. These travel conversion plugs work with outlets in 196 countries worldwide and are designed with a fuse to protect your devices from high voltage — a product of exceptionally high quality. We serve as the exclusive distributor in Japan and are driving its rollout in the Japanese market. Selling overseas-made electronic devices in Japan can require approval from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. We have a track record of more than 20 years in the import and sales business and possess the technical knowledge required for the necessary government filings. This is one of the reasons we have earned the trust of overseas manufacturers.

What challenges did you face before engaging us?
Until then, we had primarily conducted wholesale to major domestic travel-goods trading companies. However, as parallel-import sales on EC marketplaces grew, our desire to "launch an official brand store online to deliver products to customers safely" grew stronger. Our team includes members with extensive EC experience, and we had a track record of sales on EC marketplaces in the past. However, to formally develop the business as the exclusive distributor, we needed broad EC expertise and know-how — including sales-strategy design aimed at lifting brand awareness, effective ad operations, and creative production. We therefore decided not to handle this on our own, but to engage a specialist firm that could provide comprehensive support.

What was the deciding factor in choosing enableX?
In fact, we had worked with the enableX team before, in a partner-company arrangement. At that time, we felt that "the enableX team is studious and provides sharp, on-point advice." When we decided to engage external EC support this time, we evaluated several companies, but ultimately concluded that enableX had the deepest know-how and the strongest consulting capability — and decided to go with enableX. Another attractive point was that they could deliver everything end-to-end, from consulting on sales strategy through to execution support such as creative production and ad operations.

What kind of impact have you seen since enableX's support began?
Preparations for our new Amazon storefront proceeded smoothly. In particular, the sales simulation provided by enableX was extremely valuable — we were able to grasp market size and revenue prospects in advance. This allowed us to develop more concrete inventory-management and marketing strategies. Support around brand registration was also a major help. As the Japan exclusive distributor for an overseas manufacturer, we needed to complete Amazon Brand Registry, but the procedure was complex and required specialized knowledge. With enableX's support, we were able to complete the registration smoothly.

What aspects beyond quantitative results have left you satisfied?
Beyond the storefront preparations, we are highly satisfied with creative production and page improvements as well. Because enableX handles product-page design and ad banner production in-house, they built pages that convey the brand's appeal effectively. Also, because we operate with a small team, it is difficult to handle every fine-grained EC task in-house. In that respect, having enableX function as "our own EC division" has substantially reduced the operational load. Going forward, the plan is to maintain a role split where we handle customer service and inventory management, and enableX handles everything else.

What are your expectations of enableX going forward?
Going forward, we aim to maximize revenue through ad-operations optimization and page improvements. We are counting on enableX to propose marketing initiatives grounded in post-launch data analysis, and to strengthen our sales strategy through competitive analysis. We also expect to continue requesting their support when introducing new products and expanding sales channels. With enableX's support, we are confident that our business can grow more smoothly.

A message to companies considering enableX for EC support.
For a company like ours, operating with a small team, having a partner like enableX that effectively serves as our in-house EC division is invaluable. For companies looking to smoothly launch EC operations with a small team, we believe they are a highly recommended and dependable partner.