Many types of Japanese products, ranging from anime and video games to cosmetics and consumer electronics, are gaining popularity worldwide.

In recent years in particular, helped by a weak yen, inbound demand in Japan has continued to grow year after year. Consequently, overseas consumers’ interest in goods from Japan has also been growing. This can be seen as an excellent opportunity for Japanese businesses to enter the cross-border ecommerce sector, where products are sold online to customers outside of the country.

To fully realize the potential of cross-border ecommerce, it is important first to conduct thorough market research in the target country and develop customer acquisition strategies grounded in a deep understanding of local consumer needs.

This article provides a comprehensive overview of cross-border ecommerce, covering everything from the basics of customer acquisition to specific strategies and main success factors.

Key takeaways

• When acquiring customers for cross-border ecommerce, it is key to localize content to align with the culture and business practices of the target country, and use major local social media platforms for marketing.
  
• There are a wide variety of methods for attracting and acquiring customers in cross-border ecommerce. However, it is necessary to select the most appropriate approach based on the target country or region.
  
• To successfully attract cross-border ecommerce customers, there are several considerations to keep in mind.
  
• Common factors shared by successful cross-border ecommerce businesses include a clear definition of the target audience and product offerings, adaptation to regional social networks, and a deep understanding of customers.
  
• Because Stripe Payments supports global payment needs, you can simplify your cross-border ecommerce payment processing and create a secure and user-friendly website.
  

The basics of customer acquisition for cross-border ecommerce

In cross-border ecommerce, customer acquisition refers to all promotional activities that encourage overseas consumers to purchase your company's products.

The goal is to increase sales by raising awareness of your goods and services through customer acquisition and by enabling a large number of shoppers abroad to enjoy online shopping. Another goal is to achieve sustainable business growth that goes beyond a one-time purchase. The aim is to have customers think, “I’d like to buy this product again.”

Therefore, unlike domestic ecommerce, cross-border ecommerce requires adaptation to the business practices, culture, and language of the target country or region, along with the proper use of major regional social networks, influencer engagement, and implementation of search engine optimization (SEO) strategies.

For example, to appeal to overseas consumers of goods from Japan, rather than simply recommending popular items from there, it is necessary first to understand their interests and needs. In other words, to attract customers in cross-border ecommerce, the key is to start by analyzing how your products are perceived in terms of their value in the local market and redefining your brand’s strengths.

Challenges in the expansion of the cross-border ecommerce market and acquiring customers

As revealed by a survey from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the cross-border ecommerce market is growing steadily. The average annual growth rate from 2025 to 2034 is projected to be approximately 23.1%. The industry is expected to continue expanding, with market size projected to reach $6.72 trillion USD by 2034. These figures point to continued growth.

Products from Japan enjoy high popularity in Asian markets such as South Korea and Thailand, as well as in massive cross-border ecommerce sectors such as China and the United States.

Still, there are various barriers to reaching customers in cross-border ecommerce, including language differences, social media trends, and legal regulations. Furthermore, the psychological barrier of wondering, “Can I really complete the payment on this site without any problems?” is the biggest factor leading to cart abandonment. The checkout process needs to reflect the preferred payment options in each target sector.

Customer acquisition methods adapted for the target country

In cross-border ecommerce, it is necessary to use the most appropriate methods tailored to the target country’s culture and digital environment. Eight of the major customer acquisition approaches are explained below:

Social media marketing

This approach focuses on social media platforms that local consumers visit daily. Instagram and TikTok are good examples in the American market. By sharing information on the major social media platforms in your target countries, you can boost brand awareness in real time and visually showcase your offerings to a global audience.

Engaging influencers and key opinion leaders

Engaging influencers who have gained large followings by sharing trends in areas such as beauty, health, and fashion, as well as key opinion leaders (KOLs) with deep expertise and authority in specific fields, is a highly effective tactic in markets that value trust.

Hiring people who strongly influence consumers’ purchasing behavior and decision-making allows them to introduce products from a third-party perspective, which helps alleviate buyers’ concerns and boosts their willingness to purchase.

Live commerce

Live commerce is a sales channel that combines live streaming with ecommerce. Sellers introduce and promote goods and services in real time through live video streams.

Many users appreciate the ability to interact with streamers as the broadcast unfolds—such as asking questions in the comments section while watching a video—as well as the ease of purchasing products directly during the livestream.

Live commerce is gaining popularity, particularly among younger generations in China, South Korea, and Southeast Asian countries. As a result, many online retailers are implementing live commerce strategies using apps and social media.

Search ads

These ads are displayed in local search results. While Google boasts an overwhelming global market share, Baidu is the most widely used search engine in China, and NAVER is the most widely used in South Korea.

One of the main advantages of search ads is their high targeting accuracy, as they allow you to reach users globally who are searching for specific keywords directly. In other words, by serving keyword-based ads, you can reach a broad range of potential customers. It is also a useful way to test demand before entering a new territory.

Content-based SEO measures

This approach provides useful product information in the local language via search engines in the target country.

By regularly publishing official material, such as articles or blog posts, that addresses the concerns and questions of local consumers and ensuring this content appears near the top of search results, you can naturally attract users interested in specific topics.

If you implement SEO tactics aimed at achieving top rankings, you can expect steady traffic from organic results without having to spend money on ongoing advertising. Furthermore, since content is an asset, many ecommerce businesses are actively implementing SEO strategies as a medium- to long-term customer acquisition channel.

Create storefronts on popular local ecommerce malls

Creating a storefront on an ecommerce mall in the target country is a great way to start a cross-border ecommerce business quickly. For online marketplaces that are already well-known and popular among local users, one advantage is that it’s easier to attract customers because the marketplace already has an established audience.

In addition, major overseas ecommerce marketplaces already have established logistical routes and support for local payment options and various languages. This allows sellers to focus on operational tasks such as planning promotional campaigns and managing inventory.

Keep in mind that there are many other ways to start cross-border ecommerce beyond the ones mentioned above. The optimal approach will be determined by the target country, business scale, sales goals, and merchandise. These factors can guide expansion decisions.

Participation in local trade shows

Offline customer acquisition methods, such as exhibiting at industry-specific trade shows, can support both business-to-consumer and business-to-business lead generation.

Exhibiting at trade shows in the target country allows local attendees to touch and experience your products firsthand. Furthermore, since it is possible to conduct business negotiations directly on-site, despite the expenses and work involved with exhibitions, it is a highly valuable marketing activity for building long-term relationships of trust and gauging local market reactions firsthand.

Email marketing

This marketing method involves emailing international customers who have previously purchased your products. By regularly sending updates about new items, seasonal sales, and limited-time coupons, you will maintain a good relationship with your customers and encourage repeat purchases.

Key points for successful customer acquisition for cross-border ecommerce

For acquiring cross-border ecommerce customers, simply launching a website and selling goods overseas is not enough to achieve satisfactory results. The goal is to create an environment where international customers can shop online without stress, just as they would in their own country.

Next, we’ll outline the main factors for successfully attracting customers for cross-border ecommerce. Keeping them in mind will help prevent cart abandonment and increase your conversion rate.

Selecting products that represent Japan’s unique charm

Choose items that offer a sense of exclusivity and added value because they are “from Japan.” For instance, traditional Japanese crafts, gourmet food products, and brand-name cosmetics available exclusively on your company’s website will be highly sought after and attractive to many overseas consumers.

When selecting products, first research local consumer needs and assess whether the items are likely to attract customers.

Transparency of information

If information about additional costs such as shipping fees and tariffs isn’t clear, it could lead to problems in the future. To prevent this, clearly state shipping policies, customs duties or tariffs, and return procedures for international shipments in an easily accessible location on the website to help alleviate customers’ concerns.

In particular, since customs duties might need to be paid upon receipt of the merchandise, care must be taken when designing the page to ensure buyers are clearly informed in advance that additional customs duties could apply.

Shipping methods and costs

Fast delivery and affordable shipping costs strongly affect your brand’s reputation. Selecting a logistics partner capable of delivering the speed of service consumers expect and providing services such as free shipping can further encourage purchases.

Support local currencies

When prices are displayed solely in Japanese yen, international consumers can’t easily see the exact amount in their own currency or get a sense of the actual price while browsing product pages. The uncertainty can act as a psychological barrier to purchasing and cause visitors to leave the site.

Displaying prices in the local currency can give customers peace of mind and improve satisfaction.

Support for the target country’s language and time zone

Making your ecommerce site multilingual is fundamental for cross-border ecommerce targeting international consumers. In particular, if you’re targeting a specific country, it’s central to at least provide support in that country’s language.

High-quality multilingual localization can improve your business’s credibility and public image. To accurately convey information to local consumers, rely on human-based localization rather than machine translation. Language professionals have the skills and experience to select expressions appropriate to regional culture, religion, and business practices, putting your company and products in the best light.

A customer support center staffed with local personnel can also resolve any issues arising from operating in a time zone different from Japan.

Adopt payment methods that are popular in the target area

Offering a flexible range of cross-border ecommerce payment methods is foundational. Preferences vary significantly by country. After thoroughly researching the payment landscape in the target market, adopt the options preferred by local consumers.

In China, WeChat Pay, Alipay, and UnionPay are widely used, while in the U.S., credit card payments and PayPal are the leading choices.

Case studies of successful cross-border ecommerce customer acquisition

Real-world success stories can provide useful lessons for business operations.

While there are numerous case studies in cross-border ecommerce, what successful businesses have in common is a clear target audience and merchandise selection, an understanding of the regional social media landscape, and close attention to consumer needs.

One example is Hokkaido Omiyage Tankentai—known for products such as Shiroi Koibito, Rokkatei, and ROYCE’—ensures smooth customer service for international shoppers by making full use of translation tools and having staff who speak the local language handle communication.

Tokyo Otaku Mode actively engages in social media outreach for official merchandise, figurines, and other items to anime and game fans around the world. By fostering a fan community, the company has strengthened its connection with customers and achieved a high repeat purchase rate.

How Stripe Payments can help

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Learn more about how Stripe Payments can power your online and in-person payments, or get started today.

FAQs about customer acquisition in cross-border ecommerce