Federal Express Corporation (FedEx) has released two cross-border e-commerce handbooks to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating internationally better engage with consumers in China and Japan.

FedEx noted that China and Japan are the biggest markets in the Asia Pacific region, with robust cross-border e-commerce activity, providing extensive business opportunities for SMEs.

However, foreign merchants need to understand the unique digital landscape, consumer appetites, and logistics needs of each market to build a sustainable business model.

FedEx — one of the world's largest express transportation companies — said today that it is fully embedded in the e-commerce ecosystems of China and Japan and has used its experience to develop handbooks, which are available for download from the FedEx website.

Each e-book includes a geographic overview of the consumer landscape to help e-tailers geotarget their businesses in places where potential buyers are most plentiful, the most important e-commerce product categories so SMEs can quickly understand where their biggest competition lies, and which sectors are underserved; profiles of local e-commerce marketplaces and platforms where merchants can potentially mine for the most clicks; consumer habits and preferences for marketing strategies like live streaming, short video, and social commerce; and hot shopping seasons like Chinese Valentine's Day, Singles Day, and Couples Day in China, along with the Oshougatsu New Year Holidays and Golden Week in Japan; as well as payment and delivery options and preferences.

"Finding new customers in international markets is a smart approach for SMEs wanting to drive consumer and revenue growth. Digital channels lower the barriers to market entry, but the best business strategies are underpinned by smart, local market insights. That's critical in sectors like e-commerce which move incredibly quickly," said Kawal Preet, president Asia Pacific, FedEx.

"China and Japan are strategically important markets in the APAC region. We've built our local knowledge based on our decades-long operations, which is a critical component of the e-commerce experience," she added.

Preet noted that FedEx is also integrated into platforms and processes to provide a seamless experience for both merchants and consumers — providing a "unique viewpoint" on the latest local know-how to help e-tailers operate more effectively.

FedEx provides end-to-end e-commerce solutions that make order fulfilment easy and efficient for merchants while providing convenience and reliability for people receiving deliveries.

FedEx recently improved its Ship Manager platform to enable e-tailers to create shipments and paperwork directly from their online orders while integrating with e-commerce marketplaces like eBay and BigCommerce.

FedEx also has a network of 260,000 smart lockers across the APAC region to provide convenience and options for consumers. Recipients can chat directly to FedEx about their deliveries on WeChat in China and WhatsApp outside of China, and can even change the delivery location once the shipment is on its way through FedEx Delivery Manager International.