Find out how Yamato helped a global sports nutrition brand handle surging demand in Japan, delivering over one million parcels annually with fast lead times, full customs compliance, and an exceptional last-mile experience.

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Background

A Europe-based e-commerce company specialising in protein supplements and sports nutrition was experiencing surging demand across Asia, with Japan emerging as its single largest market and order volumes exceeding one million parcels annually. However, scaling into Asia brought significant operational complexity. On top of that, due to the growing demand, the volume of customer inquiries and complaints related to delivery status and service quality has placed a lot of pressure on both the company’s reputation and internal resources.

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Solution

Yamato served as the end-to-end shipping partner, taking full ownership of daily cargo collection, daily flight booking and uplift, customs clearance, and last-mile delivery from Singapore to Japan. Operating in close coordination with the client’s fulfillment centre, we managed the entire downstream logistics process. Ensuring a seamless handoff from fulfilment to final delivery.

Key capabilities included:

Cross-Border Shipping & Customs Compliance Yamato performed product compliance and content checks, advised on Japan’s import regulations, and provided fast, reliable customs brokerage under AEO* scheme. All shipments were processed through a Zero GST Warehouse framework, reducing landed costs and improving overall cost efficiency.

Fast Delivery Lead Times for the Japanese market to match the speed expectations of Japanese e-commerce consumers, Yamato’s service model delivered lead times of 3 days or better which is on par with domestic carriers. This gave the client a competitive edge in one of Asia’s most demanding online retail markets.

Last-Mile Convenience & Flexible Delivery Options through Yamato’s Kuroneko membership network, end-customers gained access to a broad range of self-collection points and flexible redelivery options. A dedicated smartphone app enabled real-time delivery notifications and allowed customers to set preferred pick-up locations and timings with ease.

Japanese-Speaking Customer Service A dedicated team of Japanese-speaking customer service officers handled delivery requests, managed parcel investigations, and resolved disputes ensuring every customer interaction was handled accurately, promptly, and in the customer’s native language.

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Results

This partnership delivered a significant uplift in external and internal quality across the board:

1. Shipment capacity was secured and stabilised through a Block Space Agreement (BSA) negotiated between Yamato and its partner airline, guaranteeing dedicated daily flight capacity to meet the client’s volume demands consistently. 
2. Improved customs clearance compliance through Yamato’s thorough content verification and destination country regulatory checks, ensuring every shipment meets import requirements before it moves. 
3. Customers in Japan experienced faster, more reliable deliveries with greater transparency thanks to our top-of-the-line delivery experience (PUDO, Kuroneko Members**)

 

For a complimentary, obligation-free consultation, please leave us a message through our contact form or send us an email at [email protected].

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*AEO: Authorised Economic Operator in Japan is a certification granted by Japan Customs to trusted businesses involved in international trade. Yamato was the 1st to be granted with the AEO title out of all e-commerce shipping companies for fast clearance for personal import goods.

**Kuroneko Members: a free membership program by Yamato Transport in Japan that lets customers track deliveries, reroute parcels, make cashless payments, and manage shipments all in one place.