Tokyo, JAPAN, Tuesday April 12, 2022: Smartpay has today announced the launch of a free online training program, “the E-Commerce Growth Academy”in partnership with Hiroyuki Nishimura, the Japan Omni Channel Association and SMBC VC. Smartpay will invest JPY 500,000,000 over the next three years to improve the e-commerce business skills of merchants in Japan, and will provide a prize of JPY 10,000,000 for the merchant that shows the greatest improvement in e-commerce conversion this year.
Smartpay recognizes that the Japanese economy has transformed over the last few years, with the pandemic spurring an increase in e-commerce. A report by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications reveals that the number of households shopping online has increased from 42.8% in 2019 to 52.7% in 2022. Small and medium businesses in Japan are eager to know how to digitally transform their businesses, and drive more of their sales online.
In order to support merchants in Japan, Smartpay has collaborated with Hiroyuki Nishimura, the Japan Omni Channel Association, and SMBC VC to provide over 10,000 Japanese merchants with a three-module training program worth JPY 1,000,000. The training will be delivered online and is absolutely free for all merchants that would like to learn e-commerce best practices to drive conversions and revenue on their websites. As part of the program, Smartpay will also provide a JPY 10,000,000 prize for the merchant that shows the greatest improvement in e-commerce conversions after completing the course within 2022.
This unique training opportunity is made possible through the strong partnership between Japan’s first free-for-consumer BNPL platform (Smartpay), a Japanese tech icon (Hiroyuki Nishimura), the most relevant industry representative body (the Japan Omni Channel Association), and one of Japan’s most respected banks (SMBC VC). Together, the partnership has enabled the creation of an e-commerce training program for merchants in Japan which also includes seminars and coaching opportunities.
Naoya Otsubo, Country Manager for Smartpay explains that “All parties of the partnership deeply care about merchants in Japan and what they mean to our country's economy, jobs, growth and community. Many merchants were hit hard by covid and were not ready for the swift e-commerce transition it caused, but we are here to help.”
Yasuhiro Suzuki, Chairman of the Japan Omni Channel Association said that “We are very excited that Smartpay is investing in local merchants to grow their e-commerce business at a time when e-commerce is growing exponentially. Merchants in Japan want help transforming their business to be successful in both retail and e-commerce. However, the business models and go-to markets are different so retailers are looking for guidance and best practices to succeed. We are extremely proud to partner with Smartpay to launch this free world-class training program.”
To signify the depth of the partnership, Smartpay also announced today that Hiroyuki Nishimura is a shareholder in Smartpay and will be an ambassador for merchants and customers in Japan. Hiroyuki’s unique perspectives and deep passion for Japan’s digital success will boost Smartpay’s ability to enhance the e-commerce industry in Japan.
“I am so proud to be investing back into Japan's ecommerce industry to help our country's retailers get back on their feet by giving them the tools they need to help their shoppers with a new payment experience they haven’t seen before in Japan. Fintech success has always been achieved when you build with a win/ win mentality for both the shopper and merchants”, said Hiroyuki.
Merchants that complete the training course will be presented with an official certificate from Smartpay accredited by the Japan Omni Channel Association, and will also be signed by Hiroyuki.
About Smartpay
Smartpay is a technology company that aims to improve the financial well-being of people through smart solutions. We empower people with the right tools for their financial growth and freedom, by providing the first all-in-one payment experience and interest free BNPL solution built to solve Japanese consumer payment issues and improve merchant conversion rates. For more information, please visit https://smartpay.co/about/.
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