Sell directly to Japanese consumers from your "Artist Shop"
*A great solution for physical distribution in Japan

Type 1: Artist Shop Using TopMusic.jp e-Commerce System
($15/item setup fee only. No monthly, no annual, no transaction fees.)

We create an "Artist Shop" section in your FULL Version Japanese web site as well as in your artist page in the TopMusic.jp Online Music Guide. The shop is connected to the TopMusic.jp e-Commerce System). We handle all online orders that come from your Japanese web site. We translate the customer's info (name/address) if written in Japanese and send it to you by email in English. Then you put your CD in a padded or bubble envelope, write down the address, and airmail it directly to the customer in Japan. After your balance reaches $20 (*varies according to country and payment method), we will send you a payment in US$.

You decide how much you want to be paid in US$ for each CD (or other item) sold. This is called the "wholesale" price. Just make sure you include your mailing costs when deciding your wholesale price. You will always receive that amount in US$ so you don't have to worry about fluctuating exchange rates. The retail price which the customer pays in Japanese YEN will be set by us and includes our transaction fees (we usually add about 500 YEN).

For example, if you are selling a CD and want to receive US$10 for it and it costs you $5 to mail it to Japan then you should set a wholesale price of $15. You will always receive $15 regardless of exchange rate fluctuations. The retail price will be set in Japanese YEN by us. *Check your local post office to find the cost of mailing your item to Japan. Regular airmail can reach Japan within 1-2 weeks. For your information, the regular price of CD's in Japan ranges from 1,800 to 3,000 YEN (excluding shipping).

A simple formula to use when coming up with your "wholesale" price is:

Your Manufacturing Cost + Your Shipping Cost to Japan + Your Desired Profit = Your Wholesale Price (US$)
*You can choose to set your wholesale price in Japanese YEN or US$

By using the TopMusic.jp Online Shop (e-Commerce System) your customers can have an order experience and support completely in Japanese. And you don't have to worry about communicating with the customer in Japanese if there is a problem or question about an order.

When you ship the CD (or other item) directly to customers you have a chance to include extras (e.g. poster, sticker, or even autographed "thank you" note). Japanese customers will appreciate these personal touches and allow you to better connect with your Japanese fans when they buy directly from you.

Note: We do not import and store your products in a warehouse in Japan. It is expensive to do so. With this "drop-ship" distribution system the costs are lower for you, us and the customer. (It is called "Drop-Ship" Distribution because you ship it directly to the customer when there is an order instead of to a middleman.)

We indicate to customers that there is no refund after shipping unless the item is defective/damaged or the wrong item was shipped. If a customer requests an exchange due to defect/damage or wrong item, we will ask the customer to send the item back to you at their cost. Then when you receive the returned item, you are responsible for exchanging the item. If the customer's issue cannot be resolved within 4 weeks, then we refund the customer the full amount paid and you will not receive payment for the item.

When your sales balance reaches $20 we will send your sales to your PayPal account. If you do not have a PayPal account, we can send a check (US/Canada) or money order at different fees and balances depending on your country. We send all money in US$.

See example #1| See example #2 | See example #3 | See example #4

Type 2: Artist Shop Using your own PayPal Account Buttons
($15/item setup fee only. No monthly, no annual, no transaction fees.)

We create an "Artist Shop" section in your FULL Version Japanese web site as well as in your artist page in the TopMusic.jp Online Music Guide. Instead of connecting the order/payment processing to the TopMusic.jp e-Commerce System, we add your own PayPal "Buy Now" or "Add to Cart" buttons so orders go directly to your PayPal account. You set the final retail price (preferably in Japanese Yen and including your shipping cost). You control all aspects of the order. We do not know, see or control any of your orders. We do not add anything to your prices or charge you any monthly, annual or transaction fees. All we do is setup your Japanese version PayPal "Artist Shop".

*Check your local post office to find the cost of mailing your item to Japan. Regular airmail can reach Japan within 1-2 weeks. For your information, the regular price of CD's in Japan ranges from 1,800 to 3,000 YEN.

PayPal checkout automatically switches to Japanese language if the user is using a Japanese browser/computer system. As long as we have your PayPal account email, product names/prices/images, we can set up the PayPal buttons in Japanese and set up your Japanese web site for direct online sales via PayPal. We also put a note letting the customer know that they should fill out the order form in English so that you can read them when you receive the shipping info.

When you ship the CD (or other item) directly to customers in Japan you have a chance to include extras (e.g. poster, sticker, or even autographed "thank you" note). Japanese customers will appreciate these personal touches and allow you to better connect with your Japanese fans when they buy directly from you.

Note: We do not keep stocks of your products. We do not provide Japanese customer support if we use your PayPal buttons (e.g. if there is a question or problem with an order and you have to communicate in Japanese with the customer). However, if you need it, we can provide Japanese customer support on a per incident basis (min. $5/incident).

See example #1 | See example #2 | See example #3 | See example #4

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