For those who want to start exporting to the US from Amazon. There are a wide variety of points to clear during the preparation stage, such as initial investment, document procedures, and market research. In this article, we will explain in detail the specific steps and important points to keep in mind to get a smooth start.
Start by developing a solid business plan and analyzing your target market and competitors. It also covers methods for creating an Amazon seller account, product research, and market research. We provide detailed explanations of everything from legal regulations and tax compliance to delivery arrangements and customer service, so you can start your export business without any worries. Take the first step and build your path to global business success.
Preparations for starting Amazon export to the US
Get off to a smooth start by completing the preparation steps
In order to start exporting to the US from Amazon, advance preparation is very important.
There are a wide variety of tasks, including initial investment, document procedures, and market research. We will explain the points in detail along with specific steps.
Develop a business plan
Let's start by developing a business plan.
Clarify what kind of products you want to export, where your target market is, and how you are different from your competitors.
- Product selection: Think about products that are in demand in the American market and products that you can sell with confidence.
- Target customers: Research which customers are most likely to buy from you.
- Competitive analysis: Analyze how your product is superior to other companies selling products in the same category.
Amazon seller account creation
Create a professional seller account for the United States using the AWS (Amazon Web Services) online form.
The required information includes:
- Email Address: Email address for contact with Amazon
- Name and Company Details: Name and company information (corporation or sole proprietorship)
- Cruent Bank Account Information: Bank account to receive sales.
- Identification Card: Passport etc.
How to research products to make a profit by exporting from Japan to the US
Importance of product research
Product research is essential for success in the Amazon export business to the United States. Choosing the right products will give you a competitive edge and maximize your profits. In this article, we will explain in detail how to research products when exporting from Japan to the United States.
Fundamentals of market research
Let's start with market research. By understanding supply and demand, price range, competitive situation, etc., you can predict how much your product is likely to sell. The following are important points in market research:
- Google Trends: Understand your product's search volume and trends.
- Amazon Bestseller Ranking: Check the trends and competition of popular products.
- Tools like Ecomdash: Gather market trend data using inventory management and sales data analysis tools.
Product category selection
Next, decide on the product category you want to handle. Each category has its own unique supply and demand, so be sure to analyze them carefully. Promising categories include:
- Health and beauty products: Items closely related to consumers' daily lives are in steady demand.
- K-POP goods and otaku culture related items: Although this is a Niche market, there are many high-value items.
- Kitchen gadgets and household items: Popular for their practicality. Recommended products made in Japan
Products unique to Japan have a different appeal than those from other countries. Even similar products can receive overwhelming support from consumers just by being labeled as "Made in Japan." Popular products include Japanese sweets, stationery, and health products.
What are the listing procedures and precautions?
Listing procedures and precautions when exporting to Amazon to the US
Basic steps in the listing process
1. Product research and selection
When exporting products to the United States, it is important to first conduct market research and select products that are in demand.
Check out your competitors' prices and reviews to understand what products are selling well.
Utilize market research tools
Analyze demand and competition for your products using Amazon's Seller Central and other market research tools.
This allows you to find top-selling products and niche markets.
2. Product purchasing and inventory management
Once you have selected a product, find a reliable supplier and secure it in stock.
Inventory management is very important, so check the stock status regularly to prevent stockouts.
Selection of suppliers
Suppliers are selected taking into account quality, price, delivery time, etc.
By choosing highly reliable suppliers, we can provide a stable supply of high-quality products.
3. Creating a product page
Product pages are a very important source of information for buyers.
By creating attractive product pages, you can increase purchase intent.
Creating product titles and descriptions
Create product titles that include keywords that are easy to find in search engines.
The description should explain the product's features and benefits in detail to convey the product's value to buyers.
Use high quality images
Product images are an important element for buyers to visually understand your products.
Use high-quality images to clearly communicate product details.
4. Pricing and promotions
Pricing takes into account competitors' prices and market demand.
Pricing appropriately can give you a competitive edge.
Planning a pricing strategy
Regarding pricing strategy, it is important to set competitive prices while ensuring profits.
Boost your sales with discounts and promotions.
5. Start listing and selling
Once your product page is complete, list it on Amazon and start selling.
After sales start, update the product page regularly and check the sales status.
Check the listing procedure
We will check to see if the listing process has been completed correctly and make corrections as necessary.
Also, once sales begin, use customer feedback to improve your product page.
Points to note and troubleshooting
1. Laws and regulations and taxes
When exporting products to the United States, it is necessary to pay attention to local laws, regulations and taxes.
Understand the laws and tax rules regarding import and export, and respond appropriately.
Export and import laws and regulations
The United States has import regulations for certain products.
Make sure that the products you are exporting are not subject to regulations and take the necessary procedures.
Tax response
When exporting products to the United States, taxes such as customs duties and consumption taxes may be incurred.
Understand tax calculation methods and payment procedures, and respond appropriately.
2. Shipping and logistics
When shipping products to the United States, it is important to choose the shipping method and logistics company.
It is necessary to select a highly reliable logistics company to deliver products quickly and safely.
Selection of delivery method
The shipping method is selected depending on the type, size, and weight of the product.
Also, consider shipping costs and delivery times when choosing the most suitable shipping method.
Selection of logistics company
Logistics companies are selected based on reliability and track record.
Also, check options such as tracking services and insurance, and choose a carrier that can deliver your items with peace of mind.
3. Customer care and review management
Customer care is a key element after the sale.
We are required to respond quickly and courteously to increase customer satisfaction.
quick response
It is important to respond quickly to customer inquiries and complaints.
Also, when a problem occurs, it is important to provide an appropriate solution and gain the trust of the customer.
review management
Customer reviews have a huge impact on product ratings.
Keep striving to increase customer satisfaction to increase positive reviews.
4. Troubleshooting
Various problems can occur in the export business.
When a problem occurs, you are required to respond quickly and appropriately.
Returns/refunds available
If the customer is not satisfied with the product or there is a defect with the product, a return or refund must be provided.
Give your customers peace of mind with clear return and refund policies.
troubleshooting
When a problem occurs, it is important to quickly identify the cause and take appropriate measures.
It is also important to take preventive measures to prevent the problem from recurring.
summary
There are many procedures and points to be aware of when exporting to the United States from Amazon, but if you respond appropriately, you can be successful.
From market research to product page creation to customer service, it is important to carefully perform each step to increase customer satisfaction.
In addition, you must pay careful attention to legal regulations, taxes, shipping and logistics, and respond quickly when problems occur.
Keep these points in mind and make your Amazon export to the US a success.
How should I follow up and interact with customers after the sale?
The importance of post-sales follow-up and customer care
Post-sales follow-up and customer care are extremely important when exporting to the US from Amazon.
These activities are the key to increasing customer satisfaction and increasing repeat business.
Even after a customer makes a purchase, you can build trust by following up with them appropriately.
In addition, prompt and courteous customer service is essential for preventing problems and resolving customer dissatisfaction.
Follow-up basics
Follow-up refers to the series of activities that a customer performs after receiving the product.
Here are the basic steps for effective follow-up.
1. Contact to confirm product arrival
Contact the customer to confirm that the product has arrived.
This communication is typically done through email or text.
When contacting us to confirm your arrival, it is important to keep the following points in mind.
- Checking whether the product has arrived safely
- Check if there are any problems with the product
- Checking if customers are satisfied
2. Request for product review
After a certain period of time has passed after receiving the product, ask your customers to review the product.
Reviews help other customers make purchases.
When requesting a review, please note the following points:
- express gratitude
- Explain why reviews are important
- Briefly explain how to write a review
3. Regular follow-up
Maintain relationships with your customers by regularly following up with them even after they have made a purchase.
For example, it is effective to provide information about new products or special campaigns.
When performing regular follow-ups, keep the following points in mind:
- Provide useful information to customers
- Avoid excessive contact
- Check customer reactions and respond appropriately
Basics of customer service
Customer service refers to responding quickly and courteously to inquiries and complaints from customers.
Here are the basic steps for effective customer interaction.
1. Rapid response
It is important to respond quickly to customer inquiries and complaints.
Delays in response can lead to increased customer dissatisfaction and loss of trust.
In order to respond quickly, please note the following points:
- When you receive an inquiry or complaint, check it immediately.
- Set response priorities
- Collaborate with other personnel as needed
2. Polite response
When dealing with customers, polite language and attitude are required.
It is important to sincerely address customer complaints and questions.
In order to respond carefully, please note the following points:
- listen carefully to what the customer has to say
- express gratitude
- Make sure to use appropriate language
3. Actions to solve the problem
It is important to take prompt and appropriate action in response to customer complaints and issues.
The following steps are effective in resolving the issue:
- Identify the cause of the problem
- suggest a solution
- Explain the solution to the customer and gain buy-in
- implement the solution
- Follow up with customers after resolution
Ideas to increase customer satisfaction
In order to increase customer satisfaction, it is necessary to not only follow up and respond to customers, but also to take various measures.
Here are some specific ways to increase customer satisfaction.
1. Personalized service
Increase customer satisfaction by providing personalized service tailored to each customer.
For example, it is effective to make product suggestions based on the customer's purchase history and preferences.
2. Fast delivery
Prompt delivery of products is an important factor in increasing customer satisfaction.
Strengthen cooperation with delivery companies and achieve prompt delivery.
3. High quality products
Providing high-quality products is the basis for increasing customer satisfaction.
Thoroughly control product quality and always strive to provide high-quality products.
4. Reflect the voice of the customer
Be proactive about receiving customer feedback and use it to improve your services and products.
By reflecting customer feedback, you can increase customer satisfaction.
5. Special campaigns and promotions
Run special campaigns and promotions to attract and increase customer satisfaction.
For example, offering discounts or limited edition products to repeat customers is effective.
summary
Post-sales follow-up and customer care are extremely important when exporting to the US from Amazon.
Through these activities, you can increase customer satisfaction and increase repeat customers.
Follow up by contacting them to confirm product arrival, requesting product reviews, and regular follow-ups.
When dealing with customers, it is important to respond quickly and courteously, and to take action to resolve problems.
Additionally, try to increase customer satisfaction through personalized service, fast shipping, quality products, customer feedback, and special campaigns and promotions.
By implementing these initiatives, you will be able to succeed in your Amazon export business to the United States.
Amazon.com advertising operations
Basics of Amazon.com advertising operations
Advertising on Amazon.com is an important way to increase product exposure and increase sales.
Here, we will explain the basic types of Amazon ads and how to use them.
sponsored product ads
Sponsored Product Ads are ads that appear in Amazon search results and product detail pages.
These ads appear when you bid on a specific keyword and someone searches for that keyword.
To operate Sponsored Product Ads, follow the steps below.
- Keyword selection: Select keywords related to the product.
- Setting the bid amount: Set the bid amount for each keyword.
- Create an ad campaign: Create an ad campaign and set a budget.
- Performance Monitoring: Regularly review the performance of your ads and adjust as necessary.
sponsored brand advertising
Sponsored Brands ads are ads that include your brand logo or custom message and appear at the top of Amazon search results pages.
This ad is suitable for promoting multiple products at once.
To operate Sponsored Brand Ads, follow the steps below.
- Brand registration: Perform Amazon brand registration.
- Create ad creatives: Create ad creatives that include your brand logo and custom messages.
- Keyword selection: Select keywords related to the product.
- Setting the bid amount: Set the bid amount for each keyword.
- Create an ad campaign: Create an ad campaign and set a budget.
- Performance Monitoring: Regularly review the performance of your ads and adjust as necessary.
sponsored display ads
Sponsored Display ads are ads that appear on and off Amazon's sites.
These ads target specific audiences and increase exposure for your products.
To operate Sponsored Display ads, follow the steps below.
- Targeting settings: Target specific audiences.
- Create ad creative: Create an ad creative.
- Set bid amount: Set the bid amount.
- Create an ad campaign: Create an ad campaign and set a budget.
- Performance Monitoring: Regularly review the performance of your ads and adjust as necessary.
Best practices for advertising operations
It's important to follow some best practices to ensure success with Amazon advertising.
Keyword optimization
Keyword selection is directly linked to advertising success.
You can maximize the effectiveness of your ads by choosing keywords related to your product and reviewing them regularly.
Improving ad creative
Advertising creative is important to catch the user's attention.
Use high-quality images and engaging copy, and test and improve regularly.
Performance monitoring and tuning
Regularly monitor the performance of your ads and make adjustments as needed.
In particular, it is important to check your click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate (CVR) and find areas for improvement.
budget management
It's important to manage your advertising budget effectively.
Review your budget regularly to allocate it appropriately and avoid unnecessary spending.
Success stories of advertising operations
By referring to actual success stories, you can use them to guide your own advertising operations.
Below are some success stories.
Case 1: Increased sales through keyword optimization
One seller focused on keyword selection and optimization.
As a result, ad click-through rates improved and sales increased significantly.
Case 2: Improving conversion rate by improving ad creative
Another seller worked on improving their ad creative.
Using high-quality images and engaging copy improved conversion rates and increased sales.
Case 3: Effective advertising operations through performance monitoring and adjustment
One seller regularly monitored the performance of their ads and made adjustments as needed.
As a result, advertising effectiveness was maximized and sales increased.
summary
Advertising on Amazon.com is an important way to increase product exposure and increase sales.
Understanding the basics of Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display ads and following best practices will help you run your ads effectively.
You can also refer to success stories to help improve your own advertising operations.
Maximize the effectiveness of your ads by regularly monitoring their performance and making adjustments as needed.
lastly
Below is a summary of how to prepare to start exporting to Amazon to the US. Create a business plan and clarify what products you will export and who your target customers are. Then, create an Amazon seller account and prepare the necessary information and documents. Also, analyze how your products differ from those of your competitors and develop a sales strategy. Follow these steps to get off to a smooth start.
