[What Is Online Shop Launch Agency?] RFP Creation and ROI Maximization for Beginners

WRITTEN BY

Makoto Takimiya

Manager

Meets Consulting Inc.

"Want to launch an EC site as a new business but lack in-house know-how?" "Don't know where to start?" — The savior for such companies isonline shop launch outsourcing. However, simply delegating everything carries extremely high failure risk. This article thoroughly covers service definitions, RFP creation, and strategic partner selection to maximize ROI — even for newly assigned managers.

1. Definition and Scope of Online Shop Launch Agencies

Online shop launch outsourcing is a one-stop service from EC development through merchandising, logistics, and traffic strategy. While "production companies" specialize in front-end UI/UX, "outsourcing agencies"realize "the mechanism for selling (business model)" itself.

• Platform Selection: Proposing optimal channels based on product characteristics — Shopify, BASE, MakeShop, or marketplaces (Rakuten, Amazon).
• Back-Office Design: Order management system (OMS), inventory integration, and logistics flow setup.
• Creative Production: Creating product pages (LPs) and creative assets that target customer insights.

2. RFP (Request for Proposal) Creation to Prevent Failure

The best weapon to prevent agency mismatch and increase project transparency is RFP. Use MECE thinking to articulate these items.

1. Background and Objectives: Why launch EC now (e.g., supplementing existing store sales, establishing D2C direct sales channel).
2. Target Metrics (KGI/KPI): Monthly sales 1 year post-launch, target AOV, acceptable CPA, LTV forecast.
3. Constraints: Development budget, desired timeline, ERP API integration requirements.

Requesting without clarity forces agencies to present buffered high-cost plans for risk hedging, resulting inprojects with extremely low ROI.

3. Three Elements of Partner Selection to Maximize ROI

Launch agency costs range widely from hundreds of thousands to millions of yen. Choose based on ROI potential rather than cheapest option.

As shown above, more important than building the site ischoosing a partner that allocates resources to "traffic, CRM, and operations" — directly connected to achieving early profitability (BEP).

4. Importance of Accompaniment-Type Support Anticipating In-House Operations

The ultimate goal of outsourcing services is reaching self-sufficiency without agency dependence — that is,"in-house operation". Always verify during contract review: "Are operation manuals provided?" "Is knowledge transfer conducted in regular meetings?"