Right now, the region remains a small player on the global e-commerce scene dominated by the United States. Boston Consulting reports already more than 1,650 Asian Web sites outside of Japan. Innovative alternatives to PC Internet connections are surfacing, says Gilman. Wireless connections also are an option. 7-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd. has an innovative approach.
Consumers can buy online, then pay cash and pick up the item at their local convenience store.
Use of plastic isn't even an issue for Bargain America. Virtually all of its customers pay by credit card, says Brissman, and the private company ships more than 1,000 parcels a day. In Japan, for example, sending products in standard-issue brown padded envelopes won't do. The Japanese are fastidious about quality and expect packages to be wrapped so that when the product arrives, it's pleasing to the eye as well as intact. Bill Curry, spokesman for Amazon, agrees on the importance of local customs and laws.