Software Firm Tests Japanese Internet Waters

Realizing the importance of online retail, Redmond, Wash.-based Pacific Software Publications, Inc. is exploring the Internet’s potential in Japan for future goals.


Pacific Software Publications is one of the leading companies to license U.S. software for resale in the Japanese market. Software such as 32-bit programming language and operating products
from Metaware, Microway, and Phar Lap Software, as well as Japanese language software and role-playing games like Bungie Software’s Myth II and Aspyr Media Tomb Raider II for
Macintosh game products in Japan.


“We are taking this opportunity to try some direct-marketing
techniques with the game Tomb via the Internet in the Japanese market,”
said Mayumi Nakamura, Japan Business/NT Solutions section.


The company’s most active Internet sites are MOSHIx2.com and Mobile Japan.com, each doing direct sales and exports to Japanese users.


“This is our first year–and the third year since we started this Internet store–of actually being in the ‘black.’ It took a word-of-mouth approach. . .that led us to develop
trust with repeat customers,” added Nakamura.


“All inquiries come from Japan because the pages are in Japanese. Those customers want to import
directly from the U.S. but do not want to deal with English or any other
issues related to the transaction. We provide free estimates for any
inquiry we get from our customers.”


This studying of the Internet via its own network of outlets has now led Pacific Software to work towards a new Web site for more overt business purposes and change.


“We are building a site called japancentral.com,” Nakamura said. “We are planning to make
this site eventually a direct “software publishing” site for ourselves. If
we succeed, we have not only made our site successful, but it means we can
change the distribution system in Japan. . .We will see how radical we can be.”

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