Dozle Corp. is a popular game commentary group with over 2.5 million YouTube channel subscribers. We interviewed the person in charge at Dozle Corp. to reflect on approximately two years of support for the operation and in-housing of their official merchandise site, "Dozle Corp. Store."
【Interviewees】
Mikan (hereinafter Mikan)
Oversees the planning of all company merchandise and the store's lineup strategy.
Daibutsu (hereinafter Daibutsu)
Leader of the in-house EC store project. Responsible for building on-site operational flows.
Eko (hereinafter Eko)
Coordinator between the IP and EC sides. Plans projects while considering operational load.
※Dozle Corp. uses nicknames.
Overview of Dozle Corp. and the background of launching the EC store
― First, please briefly tell us about Dozle Corp.
Mikan:
Dozle Corp. delivers various entertainment with the philosophy of "making the game of life more enjoyable."
Our main activities include publishing videos and live streaming on YouTube. We also sell merchandise through the Dozle Corp. Store and license out our IP.
Dozle Corp.'s YouTube Channel
― Thank you. Moving on, what was the initial trigger for launching the "Dozle Corp. Store" EC store?
Mikan:
Since we didn't have any physical retail channels, we launched the EC store because we wanted to deliver our merchandise to Dozle Corp. fans nationwide.
Initially, we outsourced the operation to a support company that could handle everything from merchandise manufacturing to EC store operation. Since manufacturing to shipping was seamless, we didn't need to hold a large inventory, and there was an expectation for it to be a "launch phase" where we could start small and aim for expansion.
Daibutsu:
Wasn't licensing out being done at that time?
Mikan:
At that time, Dozle Corp. was just starting to develop its IP, so there were fewer licensing out arrangements. It was also the first time we had "made merchandise," so we were just doing "making and selling in-house" through the Dozle Corp. Store.
Initial operation in the dark and hidden challenges
― What was the operational structure of the "Dozle Corp. Store" at that time?
Mikan:
Dozle Corp. didn't have Shopify access or accounts; it was entirely outsourced. As I mentioned earlier, everything from product manufacturing to Shopify registration and even customer support was outsourced. So, to be honest, I didn't know what was happening behind the scenes.
Since I never looked inside Shopify, I would only learn which products were selling well from the monthly sales reports via Excel. And for things like how many users there were or how quickly products sold after release, I had to request the data each time.
― You mentioned that everything was truly entrusted to them, but were there any internal issues or concerns within the company at that time?
Mikan:
Yes, on a very detailed level, I don't think we had any concept of "creating rules" such as naming conventions for products and series, or category settings. Precisely because we weren't operating it ourselves, we didn't even know what the basics were. From a technical standpoint, Dozle Corp. didn't have a single person with EC expertise at the time.
Even if we were to take over operations from the outsourcing partner, we honestly had no idea where to start. We had absolutely no know-how. There were only about two members involved in product planning at the time, and they were also juggling other tasks, so resource shortages were a very serious issue.
Dozle Corp. and Commerce Media meeting (via virtual workspace "Gather")
― Were you also feeling the same frustration about "delivering a Dozle Corp.-like merchandise experience" to your fans?
Mikan:
Yes... With the previous system, there were frequent errors in order reception and delivery. We sometimes delivered items different from what was ordered...
― Did you have plans to have a warehouse (as a logistics hub) at that time?
Mikan:
No, the concept of a warehouse didn't even exist.
Since the process was to produce and ship products only after receiving an order from the outsourced operator, we didn't hold any inventory ourselves.
However, since there wasn't a robust system in place for everything from order reception to shipping, I believe human errors were inevitable.
The catalyst for Commerce Media's support
― Given that situation, what was the trigger that led to our operational support?
Mikan:
Thankfully, Dozle Corp. was growing in scale, and the number of daily orders, as well as orders when new products were released, was steadily increasing.
As orders increased, so did errors, and I think the major catalyst was the increased need for "standardization of rules" and "systematic operations."
― Following up on what you just said, was there a decisive incident that made you think, "This is bad"?
Mikan:
As Dozle Corp. was growing steadily, there's one incident I still remember very clearly. It was when we sold Dozle Corp.'s 3rd-anniversary merchandise. We released a limited edition of 300 high-priced items, costing around 10,000 yen, and they sold out instantly as soon as they went on sale. However, at the time, we didn't fully understand how e-commerce worked and were complacent, thinking that 300 units would be enough.
What actually happened was "duplicate orders" – a large number of orders came in simultaneously, resulting in more than 300 units being sold and insufficient inventory.
The site didn't crash, but we hadn't considered the concept of spares, and we never imagined that orders would go through simultaneously. Through that experience, we realized that we had no grasp of what was happening behind the scenes.
Dozle Corp. 3rd Anniversary Merchandise
What was achieved with Commerce Media's assistance
― From there, Commerce Media began to accompany you. How was it once the support started?
Mikan:
With few employees involved in MD, being able to fully entrust customer service and product registration on Shopify was a perfect fit for our structure at the time. It would have been impossible for us to start from scratch with zero knowledge.
Also, previously, we were constantly dealing with many errors, but since receiving support (from Commerce Media), errors have decreased. This has allowed Dozle Corp. to concentrate its resources on more fundamental aspects, such as researching "how the company should respond" and proposing cases from other companies, rather than just one-on-one customer interactions.
Dozle Corp. Store Product List Page
Eko:
To add to that, I feel that we received immense support in terms of updates closer to user experience (UX), such as how products are displayed and campaign strategies. For example, the introduction of recommendation features, and even how "free shipping campaigns" are displayed.
Beyond just running campaigns, when we consulted them with "this is what we want to do" at the level of "where and how should we display it on the site to communicate it to customers," they responded incredibly quickly with concrete perspectives, including whether it was realistic and what the operational load would be. That speed was incredibly helpful.
Daibutsu:
When we want to "add new features," Shopify allows us to choose and integrate features from countless apps, right?
I felt it was difficult to determine which one was optimal for Dozle Corp. without expertise. Consulting Commerce Media was like "the professionals chose the best app for us," which was incredibly helpful.
Also, I joined this project midway through, but being able to entrust everything, including CS (customer support), consistently made things incredibly fast. In game development, you either have in-house CS or completely outsource it. Typically, outsourcing CS incurs huge costs just for connecting on-site information. However, with Commerce Media, the operations and CS teams work together, so the coordination is extremely smooth, and decisions are made very quickly.
In-housing the Dozle Corp. Store, fueled by operational support
― Approximately two years after the start of support, what made you strongly consider in-housing the operations?
Daibutsu:
The biggest reason was definitely "speed."
We release video content on YouTube every day, and user reactions are incredibly fast. The peak comes the moment something becomes a hot topic and then quickly fades. In such situations, we had discussions internally about how if we could complete operations internally, we could move at a speed that matches that excitement.
Live Streaming Scene
Mikan:
While receiving support, I felt that some information was fragmented.
For example, I didn't see the overall picture of how Shopify, Logi-less (note), and the warehouse were connected by data.
Through two years of collaboration, the movement of inventory and the structure of the shipping flow became visible, giving us a concrete idea of how to operate it ourselves for in-housing.
(Note) An integrated OMS/WMS system that automates everything from order reception to shipping.
― Were there any concerns when you proceeded with in-housing?
Daibutsu:
Simply put, there was a concern about "whether we could handle the current order volume ourselves."
However, during the handover from Commerce Media, they didn't just teach us the details of the tasks, but also diagrammed and explained the overall picture of "what is the purpose of this task," which was a huge help.
If we had just followed the procedures, we wouldn't have been able to adapt, but since we were able to truly understand the mechanism, our anxiety gradually disappeared. They also created a comprehensive manual for us, so we feel secure knowing that we can refer to it if anything happens.
― Has the in-housing changed the awareness within the company?
Daibutsu:
After we started handling customer support ourselves, we began to directly feel the enthusiasm of our users. Some inquiries were very emotional. While it's sometimes difficult to respond immediately due to operational constraints, understanding the passion behind it has strengthened our desire to "eliminate problems" more than ever, and we naturally started to consider how to reflect that in our operations.
Aiming for "EC as a playground"
― Please tell us about the future vision for the Dozle Corp. Store.
Mikan:
During live YouTube broadcasts, 20,000 to 30,000 people watch simultaneously. We want to further pursue fast-paced projects, such as introducing products on the spot and delivering them while the excitement is still high.
For example, we planned to commercialize words decided in the year-end "Buzzword Grand Prix" during the New Year holidays, and I believe we can now do similar things more under our own initiative.
Products born from video projects
Eko:
I want to cherish the keyword "EC as a playground."
Not just a place with a cart to shop, but rather a more game-like experience, or linking it with members-only content like a fan site. We haven't concretely decided what to do yet, but I want to deliver exciting experiences that are unique to Dozle Corp. through the store.
Daibutsu:
Currently, the EC site also serves as a place to absorb the excitement from videos, but I think it would be interesting if we could expand the experience so that content is generated from the store itself in the future.
The main focus will always be videos, but I want to make the store a place that can further enhance them.
Finally: To all those struggling with EC operations
― Please give a message to business owners who are struggling with in-housing or operating their EC.
Mikan:
When you have no know-how, it's normal not to know where to start.
For us, it was incredibly helpful that they walked us through with the goal of "eventually graduating and bringing it in-house" from the very beginning.
I think this style of gradually accumulating knowledge within ourselves while working together would be very reassuring for businesses with limited resources.
Eko:
Even when we consulted them empty-handed, they never said "it can't be done," but instead worked with us to figure out how to implement it, which built a lot of trust.
I believe our current challenges are possible precisely because they built such a solid foundation for our e-commerce site.
Daibutsu:
Even if you don't know what you don't know, I think the first step is to consult someone.
As you work together, you'll start to see "how this system works," and having a professional by your side to support in-housing is incredibly reassuring.
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