[Participants Wanted] Do! Solutions Webinar: "Key Points for Utilizing Your Own E-Commerce to Expand Sales Channels for Local Specialty Products" - Held November 8

Dentsu Inc.s problem-solving marketing information site, Do! Solutions, is recruiting participants for its webinar, the 3rd Regional EC Research Institute Seminar: "Key Points for Utilizing Your Own E-Commerce Platform to Expand Sales Channels for Local Specialty Products," to be held on Tuesday, November 8.

To capture the growing consumer interest in regional specialty products and revitalize local economies, expanding sales channels through e-commerce is crucial, alongside traditional offline sales. Today, it is increasingly important to leverage customer data for personalized communication and service, building a loyal customer base that makes repeat purchases.

This webinar targets local government officials exploring EC sales channel expansion and business support measures for regional specialties. Focusing on "in-house EC," it features Shopify Japan (an online store building platform) and a business actually operating an online store selling regional specialties. They will explain key points for utilizing in-house EC, success stories, and challenges.

【Overview】
Date & Time: Tuesday, November 8, 14:00 - 15:30
Cost: Free
Format: Zoom Webinar
Registration Deadline: Friday, November 4, 5:30 PM
Capacity: 500 participants

■Register and view seminar details here

【Program】

Part 1:
Differences Between Proprietary EC and Mall-Type EC
Systematically introducing each business model and its characteristics

Kazuhiko Odaka, Researcher, EC Research Institute for Regional Development

Part 2
Want to Sell Local Specialties?
Key Points for Setting Up an Online Store Explained by a Shopify Representative

Mariana Asada, Technical Advisor, Customer Support Department, Shopify Japan

Part 3
Business Owner Interview
Feedback from Operating Our Own EC Site and Support Requested from Local Governments

Retrospect, Inc. - Shungo Sugishita, CEO (Operator of Butterfly Knot, a fruit gift specialty e-commerce site)
Miki Akagi, Online Store Manager, MORISA (Operator of "LadyRisa," an EC Site for Tosa Washi Paper and Paper Goods)
Moderator: Junichi Kamino, Director, E-Commerce Research Institute for Regional Development

【Speaker Profiles】

, Technical Advisor, Customer Support Department, Shopify Japan Mariana Asada
At age 22, she traveled to Southeast Asia and launched a restaurant in Thailand. After returning to Japan in 2019, she joined WeWork Japan, which operates community-based shared offices. Based in Harajuku, she was responsible for event planning and community management to foster connections between resident startups and large corporations. To contribute to Japanese businesses' e-commerce expansion, she joined Shopify Japan in 2021. As a Technical Advisor, she supports core users with technical troubleshooting and store setup/management. Following her move to Shopify Japan, she works from two locations—Niigata Prefecture and Tokyo—under the company's remote work policy.

Representative Director, Retrospect (operator of fruit gift e-commerce site "Chobushi")
Shungo Sugishita
Previously sold fruit gifts in the basement of a long-established Kyoto department store. Following the closure of that business due to the owner's age and the impact of COVID-19, he took over the suppliers and launched his own venture in 2020. Operating without a physical store, he founded the online-only fruit gift specialty shop " Choumusubi " on Shopify, specializing in fruit gifts. He sells seasonal fruits from across Japan year-round.

Miki Akagi
Manages the online shop division for a Tosa washi manufacturer. Operates " LadyRisa," a shop for Tosa washi and paper goods. Handles everything from manufacturing to sales, developing product formats for various uses. Serves a wide range of customers, from commercial clients to small-lot orders. Launched YouTube in 2020 as a content platform for information dissemination.

Director, EC Research Institute for Regional Development
Chief Solution Director, Dentsu Inc.
Junichi Kanno
Possesses extensive experience overseeing projects for local governments and public agencies, including serving as the main planner for online sales of prefectural products in both Fukushima Prefectural Government (FY2017–present) and Oita Prefectural Government (FY2020, FY2021) projects, and as the activation part leader for the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' COVID-19 countermeasure project (#GenkiItadakimasu Project) in FY2020. Beyond local government projects, primarily handles collaborations between consumer goods manufacturers, food manufacturers, and distribution companies (including e-commerce), point operators, and digital payment providers, as well as new business development projects for clients.