[Translation from Japanese to English ] They don't have a portal, so they can't look for products sold at BASE. They ...

Additional info

http://jp.startup-dating.com/2013/02/media-ec-will-change-the-world-by-the-new-way-of-search-and-experience

Original text

BASEが売っているものは商品ではなく「体験」

現在、楽天に出店している店舗数は約3万9000店舗（※1）、ショッピングカート大手のカラーミーショップを導入している店舗は3万6800店舗（※2）だという。前述の通り、昨年11月末に立上がったBASEは1万5000店舗にまで伸びている。しかしこの比較は正しいだろうか。

Translation / English

BASE sells "experience," not product

The number of the stores opened up in Rakuten is said to be approximately 39,000 stores (※ 1), and those with the Color Me Shop, the major shopping cart service, are 36,800 stores (※ 2) now. As stated above, BASE, launched last November, has grown up to 15,000 stores. However, is this comparison correct?

Translation / English

BASE sales "Experience" but not item

Nowaday it's said that the number of shop in Rakuten is 39,000 (*1), and in shop introducing Color Me Shop, a major shopping cart service, is 36,800. As mentioned above, BASE, established in the end of last November, reaches 15,000. However is this comparison correct?

Original text

BASEというサービスをどうみるか、色んな意見があって面白い。安い（というかタダなんだけど）ショッピングカートという人もいるし、ホームページ作成サービスの亜流のような捉え方、Gumroadのようなコンテンツ指向もあるし、Etsyのようなマーケットプレースかもという話もある。

出典：（株）日本流通産業新聞社「日本ネット経済新聞2012年5月24日号」／カラーミーショップサイトより

Translation / English

It is interesting that there are various opinons on the service BASE provides. While some people consider the service as a cheap (actually free) shopping cart, others think it as a follower of a homepage builder, or contents developer like Gumroad, or a marketplace such as Etsy.

Reference: “Nihon Net Keizai Shimubun, May 24, 2012 Issue” published by Nihon Ryustu Sangyo Shimbun, and the ColorMeShop’s website.

Original text

私はTumblrに近いと思っている。楽天やショッピングカートとの比較に違和感はあるけど、Tumblrのようなプラットフォームと比較すればあまりおかしく感じない。なぜか。彼らが作っているのがショッピングページというよりはコンテンツに近いからだ。彼らは同じくポータルを持たない。

Translation / English

I think it is closer to Tumblr. It is wierd to compare it with Rakuten or Shopping Cart. Platforms like Tumblr is mroe comparable. Why? What they are creating is closer to a content than a shopping page. They also don't have a portal page.

Translation / English

I think it's rather close to Tumblr. Comparing it to Rakuten and Shopping carts is a little different to what I think it is but when compared to a platform like Tumblr, it's not that strange. Why? It's because what they make is close to some "Contents" rather than a "Shopping page". They also don't have their portal.

Original text

以前私はこのような記事を書いた。彼らに近しい友人が「エビストラップ」や「自画像」を販売している。ひとつは手渡しで、ひとつは売ってるにも関わらず、ダウンロードが可能だった。真面目に文章で書くのもアレだが、このことに関連して家入氏が「モノというネタを通じてコミュニケーションを楽しんでいる」と話していたのが印象的だった。

Translation / English

I wrote THIS article before. One of close friends of theirs sells “prawn straps” and “a self-portrait image” on BASE. One is delivered by hand, and the other is on sale on the site, but it can be downloaded. It’s a bit farcical to write soberly in sentences, but Mr. Ieiri commented on this saying, “They enjoy their communication through products, which they think as themes.” And I thought his comment was very interesting.

Original text

彼らはポータルを持っていないので、BASEで売っている商品を探すことは出来ない。探す必要がないからだ。全く文脈を知らない人がいきなり似顔絵を出されても訳が分からないし、購入なんてしないだろう。あくまで購入という行為は販売者と近い関係にある人から広がった「輪」に存在する。

Translation / English

They don't have a portal, so they can't look for products sold at BASE. They don't have to look for them. Someone who doesn't know the context does not understand a portrait, let alone buy it. The act of purchasing exists in the ring of people near the seller.

Translation / English

They don’t have a portal, so you can’t find products being sold on BASE. You don’t need to find them. Because you wouldn’t understand why a person is selling his/her self-portrait unless you know the background, and you wouldn’t buy it. So people who buy products on BASE know sellers, therefore purchases occur within circles created by people close to sellers.

Original text

そうやって小さい輪から口コミで広がり、例えばこの「自分の名前を入れた和歌を作ってくれる」ショップは数十件の注文が入って現在注文を止めているそうだし、「月間で数百万を売上げるショップも出てきている」（鶴岡氏）という結果につながっている。

友人のTumblrを眺めているとたまに感動的なモノに出会うことがある。コメントをしたりリブログしたりリアクションする。BASEはこの体験の上に「買える」というアクションが追加されたものではないだろうか。

Translation / English

In this way, information about products or services spread by word of mouth from a small circle, leading to a certain level of growth. For example, a shop which makes a Japanese poem with your name included received a couple of dozen of order so far, and it currently has stopped receiving orders. And, according to Mr. Tsuruoka, there are shops which makes a couple of million yen a month in sales as well.

When I look at my friend’s Tumbler page, sometimes I happen to find something impressive. I comment, re-blog, or react on it. I think that BASE is a service which is built base on these kinds of experiences, with an option of purchasing.

Original text

ーーーこれらのサービスは文字で商品を検索させ、値段という数字で比較をさせない。イメージを駆使し、自分の価値観を人に勧める。モノによるコミュニケーション、買ったことへの話題づくりという体験を付加価値にビジネスしようとしている。このような「メディア化するEC」サービスはこれからも出てくるのではないだろうか。

Translation / English

---These services let the users search for products by words and doesn't let them compare with scales like prices. They utilize the image of the product and recommend them to people by their own perpective. It is a communication through the product itself and they turn this service into a business by giving users additional value from the experience of buying a product from them that will make a story. I believe that these kinds of "Media like EC" service would appear more in the future.

Translation / English

These services let users search products by words, but they don’t let them compare products by prices. They make excellent use of images and recommend their values to people. They are trying to do their business by providing value-added options; communication through products, and experience of creating topics by shopping. I’m sure there will be more of these “media-enabled e-commerce” services in the future.