Note: This article covers Shop Serve, an e-commerce platform available only in Japan. This will not be relevant if you are not evaluating platforms for the Japanese market.
If you're looking for a feature-rich e-commerce cart with attentive support, Shop Serve may be one to consider.
This article explains Shop Serve's main features, usage fees, and pros and cons in detail. We also cover case studies of companies that have adopted Shop Serve and the characteristics of businesses we'd recommend it for, so please read to the end.
What Is Shop Serve?
Image source: Shop Serve
Shop Serve is an e-commerce site-building service specializing in D2C, operated by E-Store Co., Ltd.
Having served 110,000 companies over 25 years, it has accumulated a proven methodology for successful official direct-to-consumer sites, and it's well regarded within the industry.
It comes with the complete set of features needed to run an e-commerce site, and it also supports a wide range of payment methods. With a wealth of design templates available, you can easily create a shop with no coding required.
Main Features Available with Shop Serve
Shop Serve comes standard with over 300 features. The main features available with Shop Serve are as follows.
| Feature category | Main features |
|---|---|
| Front-end features | CRM e-gifting Cross-border e-commerce Upsell/cross-sell Subscriptions Member ranks In-store pickup Assortments Gift-with-purchase items Electronic receipt issuance, and more |
| Back-end features | Payment processing 3D Secure 2.0 Caching CDN Organization-validated SSL Proxy ordering Order ledger Admin permission settings Pre-order sales Restock notification email PCI DSS compliant, and more |
In addition to the above, Shop Serve also offers integration with over 100 third-party tools via API.
Fees for Using Shop Serve
The costs involved in using Shop Serve fall into three categories: base fees, payment fees, and option usage fees.
Base Fees
| Pricing plan | Plan 4S | Plan 4G | Plan 4P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Activation fee | 30,000 yen | 30,000 yen | 30,000 yen |
| Usage fee (monthly) | 25,000 yen | 65,000 yen | 145,000 yen |
| Number of customer records | 50,000 | 500,000 | 1,000,000 |
Source: Shop Serve
(As of March 2025)
The activation fee is the initial setup fee, and it's 30,000 yen for every plan. Which plan applies to you depends on your number of customer records. The number of customer records refers to the number of customers accumulated in the database.
Plan 4S is aimed at small businesses, Plan 4G at midsize businesses, and Plan 4P at large businesses.
Payment Fees
Shop Serve sets a fee for each payment method used. Below is a summary of the fees for the main payment methods.
Note that d Payment and Amazon Pay also carry a monthly usage fee. An additional 1,000 yen applies for d Payment and 3,000 yen for Amazon Pay, so keep this in mind.
| Payment method | Fee |
|---|---|
| Credit card payment | 3.5% and up |
| Deferred payment | 2.8% and up |
| Convenience store/bank ATM/online banking payment | 300 yen and up |
| Convenience store payment | 370 yen |
| Rakuten Bank payment | 4.18% |
| PayPay | 4.18% |
| Rakuten Pay | 4.40% |
| au PAY | 5.50% |
| Paidy (deferred payment) | 3.75% and up |
| d Payment | 6.00% |
| Amazon Pay | 3.90% |
| Order processing fee | 34 yen |
Source: Shop Serve
(As of March 2025)
Option Usage Fees
Shop Serve also offers optional features. The fees for these options are as follows.
| Feature | Initial setup fee | Monthly usage fee |
|---|---|---|
| Subscriptions | 5,000 yen | 5,000 yen |
| Assortments | 5,000 yen | 5,000 yen |
| LP Cart | 20,000 yen | 20,000 yen |
| CDN | Free | 2,000 yen |
| Credit card authentication service (3D Secure 2.0) | Free | Free |
| CRM | Free | Free |
| e-gifting | Free | Free |
| WordPress | Free | Free |
| Worldshopping Biz | Free | Free |
Source: Shop Serve
(As of March 2025)
Some options are available for free, but others carry an initial setup fee or monthly usage fee. Always check the fee before using an optional feature.
Benefits of Shop Serve
Below, we explain the benefits of Shop Serve.
It Comes with the Features Needed to Run an Online Shop
Shop Serve comes with a wide range of features, from the bare minimum needed to run a shop to convenient extras.
- CRM
- e-gifting
- Cross-border e-commerce
- Upsell/cross-sell
- Member ranks
- In-store pickup
- Payment processing
- Organization-validated SSL
- Caching CDN
- Proxy ordering
- Order ledger
- Pre-order sales
- Restock notification email, and more
It also comes with advanced security features, so you don't need to worry about data tampering or communications interception. Online shops selling high-value products can use it with confidence.
You Can Get Support from a Dedicated Representative
With Shop Serve, each shop is assigned a dedicated staff member matched to its situation, who provides support toward achieving your goals. Shops with a dedicated representative have seen results such as a 120% increase in sales growth.
Because the support goes beyond just the e-commerce side to offer the proposals needed to grow sales, this is especially recommended for anyone looking for strong support.
You Can Use Extensive CRM Features That Help Cultivate Repeat Customers
Shop Serve comes with extensive CRM features that help cultivate repeat customers. CRM refers to customer relationship management functionality. It manages data such as customer attributes, purchase history, inquiry history, and repeat-purchase rate, letting you run marketing initiatives tailored to each individual customer.
- Sending "happy birthday" emails
- Sending reminders to customers who still have items in their cart
- Sending emails to customers who haven't logged in for 3 months
- Sending a special-offer email to customers who have made purchases above a certain amount, and more
Drawbacks and Cautions of Shop Serve
Below, we explain the drawbacks of Shop Serve.
Initial and Monthly Fees Are on the Higher Side
A drawback of Shop Serve is that its initial and monthly fees are set on the higher side. With Shop Serve, every plan carries an initial setup fee of 30,000 yen. The monthly fee ranges from 25,000 yen for the cheapest plan to 145,000 yen for the most expensive plan.
Many other e-commerce carts are priced lower, with no initial fee and monthly fees of just a few thousand to a few tens of thousands of yen. Shop Serve isn't especially well suited to businesses that want to keep initial costs to a minimum.
Case Studies of Shop Serve Adoption
Below are case studies of companies that have adopted Shop Serve.
De'Longhi Japan
Image source: Shop Serve
De'Longhi Japan started running its e-commerce operation on Shop Serve with the goal of introducing spare parts and consumables to customers who had purchased products in physical stores.
Since launching its e-commerce site, the company has steadily grown sales by carrying out various initiatives, including expanding its product lineup and improving its infrastructure.
France Bed Co., Ltd.
Image source: Shop Serve
France Bed has used Shop Serve to run "Kaigo Takuhaibin" (home delivery for nursing care), an online sales operation for nursing-care equipment and consumables, since 2006.
In 2019, the company consulted with a dedicated Shop Serve representative and achieved a redesign into a simple, easy-to-read, easy-to-understand site. Implementing a more user-friendly setup reduced inquiries from customers who had forgotten to order accessory items, and the average order value also rose.
West Co., Ltd.
Image source: Shop Serve
West has been running an e-commerce site selling Western-style confectionery since around 1995.
Initially, an outside development company built the e-commerce site, which the company then ran itself, but it faced the challenge of having almost no follow-up support for site operation and being unable to update the products listed on the site or change delivery times.
After sales through the e-commerce site began growing following the pandemic, the company started using Shop Serve to improve its e-commerce site. With the attentive follow-up support of a dedicated representative, it became able to run a site that puts customers first.
Companies We Recommend Shop Serve For
We recommend using Shop Serve for companies such as the following.
- Companies that want to solve shop-related challenges with dedicated support
- Companies that want to focus on strengthening relationships with customers
- Companies running medium to large e-commerce sites
Shop Serve has a structure in place for a dedicated representative to propose the optimal initiatives toward your goals. Because you also get prompt, thorough responses to inquiries, it's recommended for companies looking for attentive support in solving their challenges.
Since it also comes standard with CRM that helps deepen relationships with customers, it's also recommended for companies looking to increase repeat customers. If you fit any of the above, consider using Shop Serve.
Shop Serve's Appeal Lies in Its Extensive Features and Attentive Support from a Dedicated Representative!
Shop Serve is an e-commerce site-building service specializing in D2C, and its appeal lies in its extensive functionality, including CRM, subscriptions, member ranks, pre-order sales, and proxy ordering.
It also has extensive security features, such as 3D Secure 2.0 and organization-validated SSL, letting you transact high-value products with confidence. You can also receive attentive support from a dedicated representative toward solving your shop's challenges.
Companies looking for strong support toward solving challenges, or companies running medium to large online shops, should take this opportunity to consider using Shop Serve.
