DHL Express Supports Japanese Small Businesses to Export Internationally With a New Online Tool

• DHL and Kousoku Offset jointly developed an online tool that enables international duty-free shipping from domestic retail stores
• Local retail stores can now easily capture the growing inbound travel & business

DHL Express, the world’s leading international express service provider and Kousoku Offset Co. Ltd., a leading printing and digital production company have jointly developed a new online tool, “HakobouyaDHL” that allows visitors to Japan to easily create DHL airway bills for international shipping in-store via their smartphones. By linking Kousoku Offset’s online tool “Hakobouya” with DHL's system, retail stores can arrange international shipping of goods purchased by foreign visitors to Japan.

To ship their in-store purchase internationally, tourists can input their shipping information via the mobile application. This helps retail stores reduce the hassle of arranging complex export documentation. With this newly created convenience, retail shoppers are more likely to purchase more, while retailers can capture the opportunities from a surge in inbound tourists and increase their revenue. Duty-free shipping can also be arranged at all registered or non-registered duty-free shops.

Tony Khan, President and Representative Director of DHL Express Japan said, “Japan attracts millions of tourists every year, and it is important to maximize the opportunities presented by this booming inbound travel demand. We are very pleased to partner with Kousoku Offset to strengthen our support for Japanese companies, especially small businesses in non-urban areas, that seek capturing the growth of inbound business as a source of growth.”

Kousoku Offset has been supporting local business trying to expand overseas with its “Hakobouya” online tool since 2021. Through its partnership with DHL Express Japan, the company established Japan's first auto-production system for airway bills, arranging international express shipments directly from retail stores in Japan.The service allows tourists to issue overseas delivery slips with their smartphones when they wish to send souvenirs purchased at local retail stores abroad. Customers will need to use their smartphones and read the QR code unique to the store, enter delivery details, and then have the store create an airway bill for international shipping.

Satoshi Shimada, President and Representative Director of Kousoku Offset Co., Ltd. said, “As a specialist in printing, we are also developing our digital business. When we exhibited our self-developed “Hakobouya” at the Overseas Business Expo held in Tokyo last November, DHL Japan became interested, and we are very pleased that we have now realized this partnership today. We expect the use of this tool to expand greatly, taking advantage of the convenience of being able to ship duty-free overseas”.

Over the years, DHL Express has consistently strengthened its infrastructure and expanded its network throughout Japan. This is in response to the growing need for overseas shipping, driven by the growth of the cross-border e-commerce market, not only in urban areas but also remote local areas of Japan. From 2023, DHL has started offering international shipping service utilizing Japan Post's product “Letter Pack.” The service allows customers to use DHL's international express service when they drop their shipments at the post office, mailbox, and authorized convenience store.

For more details on this new service “HakobouyaDHL”, please check the website: https://www.dhl.com/discover/ja-jp/ship-with-dhl/solution/inbound-business