DHL eCommerce has announced plans to build an Outbound Cross-Border eCommerce Distribution Center in Narita, Japan. The facility, expected to be completed by by April 2017, will broaden the range of e-commerce logistics services available to e-tailers and marketplaces operating in the country.
New shipping products specifically designed for e-tailers will offer greater choices to reach consumers in Europe, the US and the UK, DHL said. Focused on reliability and value-for-money, the services are tailored according to the unique needs of e-tailers and marketplaces in the Japanese market. This latest development by DHL eCommerce will help drive Japan’s booming cross-border e-commerce market, which is growing at a CAGR of 16 per cent and estimated to hit over €1.1 billion in 2018.
DHL Parcel International Direct, a cross-border shipping product, will offer affordable deliveries from Japan to the US and the UK, DHL said, adding that this product promises transit times of 4-6 business days, a game changer in the current Japanese logistics landscape. Another cross-border shipping product, DHL GlobalMail Packet Plus will offer the best rates for Japan – Europedeliveries, with transit times of 5 to 10 business days and a high degree of visibility into the status of packages.
These products will help Japanese e-tailers handle the increasing pressure when it comes to servicing more overseas customers, making timely deliveries, and keeping operating costs low. Major marketplaces will also be better equipped to handle rising volumes of e-commerce deliveries and offer Japanese e-tailers a global reach and value-added services.
With an estimated cross-border e-commerce value of €38.5 billion, the US is one the top export destinations for Japan’s e-commerce products. Roughly 25 per cent of digital shoppers in the country have made a cross-border purchase in the past 12 months. Europe also presents a tremendous opportunity for Japanese e-tailers. There are currently 303.1 million digital buyers in the region and total e-commerce sales volume has hit €349.4 billion.
“We are seeing incredible growth in the Japanese cross-border e-commerce market and look forward to helping local players surmount their challenges. Our solutions offer easy one-stop gateway services for e-tailers, enabling them to deliver greater customer experiences while remaining in control of their costs. In addition, we will help them connect with overseas markets by partnering with popular marketplaces to deliver reliable services with a global reach,” said Yoshihiko Sasaki , managing director, DHL eCommerce Japan.
The distribution centre will be co-located with the Japan Global Distribution Center in Narita established by one of DHL’s divisions. Leveraging a cross-divisional approach, this will help bring Japanese e-tailers to more customers overseas, and enable them to also tap into comprehensive supply chain solutions. This means that customers who utilise the new DHL eCommerce offerings will get access to more in-depth supply chain expertise and an extensive logistics network that serves over 220 countries and territories globally.
“The power of e-commerce lies in its ability to break physical barriers. E-commerce companies are not limited by geographical borders and have the flexibility to offer services and products to customers in other countries. By combining the deep understanding of the Japanese market which DHL eCommerce has, with the warehousing and transport management capabilities of our sister division, we will be able to explore operations such as fulfilment as part of a global partnership for our customers,” added Sasaki.
The expansion plans in Japan are part of a larger Asia Pacific strategy by DHL eCommerce. The company also recently revealed its €70 million investment in India to boost the capabilities of the Delhi and Mumbai air hubs to enhance B2C e-commerce delivery in India .
In June 2016 , DHL eCommerce announced that it will grow its overall presence in China by 50 per cent, with the expansion of the distribution centres in Shenzhen, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Along with the huge growth of e-commerce in China , the distribution centres will enable maximum volumes of over 130 million shipments a year combined.
Earlier in January 2016 , DHL eCommerce launched domestic delivery operations in Thailand and announced plans to double its fleet and number of depots by 2017. Thailand, with its tremendous growth potential, fast e-commerce adoption, and high smartphone penetration rates, was identified as the first Southeast Asian country to launch the DHL eCommerce domestic delivery service – in line with the Group’s Strategy 2020.
