How to start and create an online shop? Procedure for individuals to set up an online shop
Here we will introduce the process of setting up an online store for individual sellers who are wondering "Is it possible for individual sellers start selling their products online?" and "How do I start an online store and how do I create an ecommerce website?"
4,900 JPY a month (excluding tax) + selling fees
The six basic steps for opening an online store for individual sellers
These are the six basic steps to get started when opening an online store as an individual seller.
1. Think about the concept of the online store you want to operate
2. Check the legal procedures for selling online
3. Prepare the necessary notifications to open an online store
4. Decide whether to purchase and sell products or manufacture original products
5. Select an online store to open as an individual seller
6. Open an online store and make preparations to start selling
2. Check the legal procedures for selling online
3. Prepare the necessary notifications to open an online store
4. Decide whether to purchase and sell products or manufacture original products
5. Select an online store to open as an individual seller
6. Open an online store and make preparations to start selling
1. Think about the concept of the online store you want to operate
First, it's important to think about the concept of your online store.
• What genres of products will you be selling?
• Who do you want to sell your products to?
• Can you differentiate yourself from other companies' online stores?
• Who do you want to sell your products to?
• Can you differentiate yourself from other companies' online stores?
Also, if you are an individual seller, you will need to think about shipping at this time.
In the case of your own ecommerce website, product management, order receipt, delivery, and customer service are all handled by the individual seller.
In the case of your own ecommerce website, product management, order receipt, delivery, and customer service are all handled by the individual seller.
On the other hand, if you use Amazon's FBA shipping service, which is a mall-based ecommerce website, you can leave everything to Amazon, including receiving orders, shipping, and customer service.
If you are an individual seller opening an online store, we recommend that you utilize the FBA shipping service.
2. Check the legal procedures for selling online
In some cases, Japanese law requires permission or notification to sell certain products.
In the case of online stores such as Amazon, there are also restrictions on categories and products to be listed.
In the case of online stores such as Amazon, there are also restrictions on categories and products to be listed.
3. Prepare the necessary notifications to open an online store
In order to proceed with online sales, depending on the product, it is necessary to notify the online store or apply for permission.
As an example, we will introduce some categories that require notification or permission to sell on Amazon.
As an example, we will introduce some categories that require notification or permission to sell on Amazon.
Category
References for restrictions in Seller Central
4. Decide whether to purchase and sell products or manufacture original products
The next step is to decide whether to purchase and sell products or to manufacture original products.
Advantages of purchasing and selling products
• There are many suppliers of products
• You can start selling online at a low cost
Advantages of manufacturing original products
• Products can be manufactured based on the customer's needs
• You can incorporate your own ideas and thoughts into your products
• There are many suppliers of products
• You can start selling online at a low cost
Advantages of manufacturing original products
• Products can be manufactured based on the customer's needs
• You can incorporate your own ideas and thoughts into your products
5. Select an online store to open as an individual seller
There are two types of online stores: "own website" and "mall-type website".
Characteristics of your own website
• High initial cost (e.g., site production)
• Flexible promotions
• Time and cost required to attract customers
Characteristics of a mall-type website
• Low initial cost
• Malls may have many rules and regulations
• High ability to attract customers (already have existing customers)
• High initial cost (e.g., site production)
• Flexible promotions
• Time and cost required to attract customers
Characteristics of a mall-type website
• Low initial cost
• Malls may have many rules and regulations
• High ability to attract customers (already have existing customers)
Based on these features, please consider which one you would like to open for your online store.
If you open an online store on Amazon, there is a possibility that you will be able to reach more customers.
If you open an online store on Amazon, there is a possibility that you will be able to reach more customers.
300 million customers in over 180 countries shop with us
13.26 million unique visitors (on desktop) ¹, 43.06 million unique visitors (on mobile) ² per month in Japan
175 million+ items purchased during Prime Day 2019
¹ March 2019 Nielsen Digital Content Measurement: Brand Level - Home and Workplace Access
² March 2019 Ranking by Nielsen Mobile NetView Brand
² March 2019 Ranking by Nielsen Mobile NetView Brand
6. Open an online store and make preparations to start selling
After you have decided on an online store to sell your products, open your online store and get ready to sell.
With Amazon, you can start selling your products with the following three steps.
With Amazon, you can start selling your products with the following three steps.
For more details, please also see How to Start Selling Online.
Recommendations for individual sellers to increase sales after opening an online store
After opening an online store, you will tend to increase sales if you do the following three things.
1. FBA shipping service
2. Sponsored ads
3. Amazon Vine paid program
2. Sponsored ads
3. Amazon Vine paid program
1. FBA shipping service
With FBA, you can leave all of the shipping procedures, customer service, etc. to Amazon.
2. Sponsored ads
Three advertising solutions are available and can be applied for through Seller Central.
1. Sponsored Products
Sponsored Products are ads for individual product listings on Amazon, so they help drive product visibility (and product sales). They appear on search results pages and product detail pages.
2. Sponsored Brands
Sponsored Brands showcase your brand and product portfolio. They’re search-result ads that feature your brand logo, a custom headline, and up to three of your products.
3. Amazon Stores
Stores are custom multipage shopping destinations for individual brands. Share your brand story and product offerings. (And you don’t need any website experience to use them.)
3. Amazon Vine paid program
The Amazon Vine paid program is a program where products can be provided free of charge to the most reliable reviewers (Vine Voices) selected by Amazon and customer product reviews can be requested.
Product reviews are an important factor in deciding whether a customer buys a product.
Learn more about how to increase customer product reviews on Amazon.
Learn more about how to increase customer product reviews on Amazon.
Questions from people who are thinking about opening an online store as individual sellers
Do I need special skills or knowledge to open an online store?
If you’re planning to open a store on Amazon, you’ll be able to run it as long you have computer or internet-operating skills. Templates are available for adding products, filling out forms, and creating a store. Since various data and business reports are also provided, you’ll also be able to analyze brands and products that you’ve sold.
If you are setting up your own in-house ecommerce website, you may need skills like such as website design and web marketing if plan on doing it on your own, or ask a production agency to do them for you.
If you are setting up your own in-house ecommerce website, you may need skills like such as website design and web marketing if plan on doing it on your own, or ask a production agency to do them for you.
What are the advantages of opening an online store?
Here are three main advantages.
･ Being able to conveniently purchase products 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
･ Possible to reach a wide range of customers across different regions/countries
･ Possible to operate at a low cost compared to opening a new physical store, and being able start small with a fewer number of products and less inventory
･ Being able to conveniently purchase products 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
･ Possible to reach a wide range of customers across different regions/countries
･ Possible to operate at a low cost compared to opening a new physical store, and being able start small with a fewer number of products and less inventory
Can I sell online on my own?
Yes. Corporations, sole proprietors, and individuals can sell on Amazon.
Please check here for instructions on how to register your account.
Please check here for instructions on how to register your account.
What are the advantages of selling online on Amazon?
The advantage of selling on Amazon is being able to tap into Amazon’s strong capability to attract customers.
･ No. 1 in monthly visitors - over 52 million users per month¹
Also, by using a service called FBA, you can leave it to Amazon to take care of all the ordering, shipping, and customer service, so it’s recommended if you’re considering doing this as a side business.
Also, by joining the Amazon Brand Registry, you can create an online store for your own in-house brand within Amazon while keeping the advantage of attracting customers, even if it’s an original brand, which makes it possible to introduce brand stories and brand products.
･ No. 1 in monthly visitors - over 52 million users per month¹
Also, by using a service called FBA, you can leave it to Amazon to take care of all the ordering, shipping, and customer service, so it’s recommended if you’re considering doing this as a side business.
Also, by joining the Amazon Brand Registry, you can create an online store for your own in-house brand within Amazon while keeping the advantage of attracting customers, even if it’s an original brand, which makes it possible to introduce brand stories and brand products.
¹ Source: Nielsen Digital Co., Ltd. “Digital Contents Audience Rating, April 2020, Monthly Total Report”
Are there any points to keep in mind when running an online store as an individual seller?
There are three major points to keep in mind if you’re an individual seller who’s planning to run an online store.
• Confirm costs associated with online sales:
You’ll need to confirm how much it costs to open and run your online store in advance. Click here for the cost of selling online on Amazon.
• Confirm products that can be sold at each online store:
Depending on the online store, some products aren’t able to be sold, so make sure to check. See here for categories and products that are restricted from being sold on Amazon.
• Confirm laws and regulations:
It’s necessary to understand and comply with laws and regulations relating to the sale of products.
You’ll need to confirm how much it costs to open and run your online store in advance. Click here for the cost of selling online on Amazon.
• Confirm products that can be sold at each online store:
Depending on the online store, some products aren’t able to be sold, so make sure to check. See here for categories and products that are restricted from being sold on Amazon.
• Confirm laws and regulations:
It’s necessary to understand and comply with laws and regulations relating to the sale of products.
Start managing an online store while keeping in mind the points above.
