1What is IOR?

IOR (Importer of Record) refers to the legally registered official party responsible for importing goods into a specific country.

• In Southeast Asia, goods cannot be legally imported or sold without a locally registered IOR.
• The IOR is the legally recognized party by customs and regulatory authorities.
• ASION provides IOR services that allow you to enter the Southeast Asian market without establishing a local entity.

2Why IOR is Essential in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia operates under very strict import and regulatory frameworks.

Requirements

• Only locally registered importers can clear customs
• Product licenses must be linked to the importing entity
• Marketplaces such as TikTok Shop, Shopee, and Lazada require a legitimate import record
• Legal liability must be attributed to a local entity or legal party

Without an IOR

• Customs holds or seizures
• Inability to sell legally
• Penalties such as fines, product recalls, or blacklisting

IOR is not optional — it is a prerequisite for market entry.

3How ASION's IOR Service Works

ASION acts as the official Importer of Record (IOR) on behalf of your brand.

What This Enables

• Import without establishing a local entity
• Legal customs clearance
• Tax and tariff handling
• Local regulatory compliance
• Immediate market entry

4ASION's Responsibilities as IOR

ASION fulfills clearly defined legal and operational responsibilities under local law.

• Acting as the official importer declared to customs
• Managing customs documentation and procedures
• Paying and reporting customs duties and import taxes
• Importing under valid licenses and registrations
• Responding to customs and regulatory inquiries related to imports

5Responsibilities That Remain with the Brand

The IOR does not assume brand ownership or product liability.

• Product safety and quality
• Accuracy of product information and specifications
• Compliance with ingredient and component regulations
• Marketing claims and consumer-facing representations
• Misuse or unauthorized channel distribution

The IOR enables market entry but does not transfer product ownership or brand legal liability.

6Risk Management and Control

IOR risk in Southeast Asia is structural. A regulatory issue with one product can affect the entire IOR structure, so ASION strictly manages the following:

• Thorough product screening before onboarding
• Control of import and distribution channels
• Clear contractual agreements on sales and usage scope
• Ongoing compliance monitoring

This structure protects the IOR entity, existing partner brands, and long-term market access.

7IOR Model vs. Local Entity Establishment

Many brands validate the market through IOR, then transition to a local entity once results are confirmed. ASION supports both structures.

8What Sets ASION's IOR Apart

• Integrated with licensing and registration services
• Connected to local logistics and fulfillment
• Optimized for marketplace and cross-border sales structures
• Built on real Southeast Asia operational experience
• Scalable structure, not a short-term workaround

!Why License Registration Matters

In Southeast Asia, importing a product does not mean you can immediately sell it. Every product category must obtain regulatory agency approval before entering the market.

Without Proper License Registration

• Customs holds or rejections
• Rejection from marketplace product listings
• Penalties including fines, recalls, or sales bans

License registration is the legal permit that allows you to operate legitimately.

1ASION's License Registration Service

ASION manages the entire process of an integrated license registration service linked to IOR and import operations.

• Licensing issued under the appropriate legal entity
• Registration structure aligned with customs and sales structure
• Ongoing compliance maintained through to post-approval distribution

2Cosmetics License Registration

Cosmetics must be registered with local health authorities before importing and selling.

Key Review Items

• Full ingredient review
• Screening for prohibited and restricted substances
• Verification of product function and intended use
• Local language labeling compliance
• Responsible party designation and IOR linkage

What ASION Does

• Pre-review of formulas and ingredients
• Country-specific regulatory gap analysis
• Authority submission and follow-up responses
• License issuance and maintenance

Unregistered cosmetics cannot be imported or sold.

3Food & Beverage License Registration

Food and beverages are classified as consumable products and require safety approval before importation.

Registration Scope

• Ingredient and additive compliance
• Nutritional content review
• Shelf life and storage condition verification
• Local language labeling
• Import and distribution approval

What ASION Does

• Product category classification
• Local regulatory compliance review
• Authority registration and approval procedures
• Alignment with IOR and customs structure

Foods without a license are treated as illegal imports.

4Health Supplement License Registration

Health supplements are subject to stricter regulations than general foods.

Authority Review Items

• Active ingredient content and safety
• Functional and health claims
• Supporting documentation
• Product classification (food vs. pharmaceutical)
• Marketing and advertising restrictions

What ASION Does

• Pre-review of product classification
• Review of functional claims and ingredient compliance
• Regulatory submission and authority communication
• Establishing the legal scope of sales

Product misclassification is the most common cause of delays and rejections.

5Integrated Structure of Licensing and IOR

In Southeast Asia, licenses are bound to a specific entity and directly linked to the importer.

What ASION Ensures

• License registered under the appropriate importing entity
• Consistency maintained across IOR, customs, and license structures
• Seamless operations from approval to sales

Issues This Prevents

• License invalidation
• Customs rejections
• Marketplace compliance violations

!Why Logistics & Regulatory Compliance Matter

In Southeast Asia, logistics is not simply about moving goods. The core challenge is supplying the market legally, in compliance, and without interruption.

Even minor compliance issues such as labeling errors or documentation mistakes can lead to:

• Customs delays or clearance rejections
• Inventory holds or seizures
• Marketplace sales suspensions

Logistics without regulatory control is risk.

1What is ASION's Logistics & Regulatory Service?

ASION provides an integrated logistics service designed to keep products moving through the entire import-to-sales process without regulatory issues.

By managing logistics alongside regulatory requirements, we ensure products meet the following:

• Accurate customs processing
• Labeling compliant with local regulations
• Compliant storage and distribution
• Legally ready for sale across various distribution channels

2Customs Clearance & Import Management

• Import documentation and declaration management
• Customs communication under the IOR structure
• Duties and tax compliance management
• Customs issue resolution and follow-up

3Labeling & Regulatory Compliance

• Local language label verification
• Required information checks (ingredients, usage, warnings, etc.)
• Packaging and sticker compliance review
• Alignment with license and registration scope

4Warehouse & Fulfillment Operations

• Compliance checks upon arrival at local warehouse
• Inventory management within license scope
• Order fulfillment for e-commerce and offline channels
• Storage and handling managed according to regulatory requirements

5Sales Readiness Operations

• Compliance checks prior to marketplace listing
• Ensuring structural alignment between import records and sales channels
• Continuous monitoring of regulatory changes

6One Structure, Full-Process Control

ASION's logistics service is designed to:

• Proactively prevent customs issues
• Eliminate structural gaps between import and sales
• Maintain regulatory consistency across all operations

!Why Market Research Matters in Southeast Asia

Many global brands fail in Southeast Asia not because their products are poor, but because they enter the market without truly understanding it. They often rely on:

• Applying experience from other regions directly
• Superficial data
• Unverified distributor opinions

The result is wrong positioning, wrong channel selection, wrong pricing strategy, and early failure. ASION's market research is designed to reduce these risks.

1What is ASION's Market Research?

ASION's market research is a strategy-driven decision-making framework designed to support real market entry decisions — not a simple report, but an analysis designed based on:

• Your business model
• Your target market
• Your entry objectives

ASION analyzes the Southeast Asian market not from theory, but from an actual operational structure perspective. We incorporate real local voices and validate insights through structured analytical tools.

2ASION's Market Research Approach

ASION applies global consulting methodologies adapted to Southeast Asian realities. We combine the following to determine not "whether to enter" but "how to enter":

• Local market intelligence
• Systematic analytical frameworks
• Real consumer and on-the-ground operational insights

3Key Analysis Areas

4Ground-Truth Analysis, Not Assumptions

ASION's market research is based on:

• Local operators
• Market practitioners
• Consumer behavior signals

We don't guess what will work. We validate strategies that actually do.

!Why Market Landing Requires a Separate Approach

Having IOR, licensing, and logistics in place does not mean market entry happens automatically. Who to sell to, through which channels, and in what way requires a separate execution strategy.

Many brands have resolved regulatory and logistics issues but get stuck at:

• Failing to find reliable local distribution partners
• Not knowing how marketplace listing works
• Not knowing what marketing approach works for local consumers

Market landing is the practical entry phase that follows regulatory preparation.

1What is ASION's Market Landing Service?

ASION supports brands throughout the entire process — from distribution channel matching to initial marketing execution — to help them actually start selling in the Southeast Asian market.

2Local Distribution Partner Matching

A good distribution partner in Southeast Asia is not just a wholesaler. They must be a partner who understands the market structure, complies with regulations, and can grow your brand's value together.

• Identifying partners aligned with your product category and brand positioning
• Verifying partner credibility and distribution capabilities
• Designing exclusive and non-exclusive distribution structures
• Supporting initial contract terms and scope-of-role definition

3Online Channel Listing Support

Southeast Asian e-commerce is growing rapidly, but listing requirements and operational methods differ across platforms.

• Platform-specific listing support for Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop, and more
• Seller registration based on legitimate import records
• Product listing and content localization guidance
• Platform compliance checks and operational setup

4Offline Channel Expansion

Depending on the product category — cosmetics, F&B, health supplements — offline distribution channels remain essential.

• Connecting with local retail channels (pharmacies, convenience stores, supermarkets, etc.)
• Identifying B2B buyers and arranging initial meetings
• Supporting offline sales terms and margin structure design
• Maintaining pricing policy consistency across online and offline channels

5Local Marketing Strategy Support

Southeast Asian consumers respond differently by country and platform. There is no guarantee that marketing that worked in your home country will work in Southeast Asia.

• Message design based on local consumer behavior and purchasing patterns
• Influencer and KOL marketing channel connections
• Social media and platform advertising strategy development
• Initial launch campaign planning and execution support

6Post-Entry Operational Continuity

Market landing does not end with listing. Maintaining operational stability after initial sales is the key to sustained growth.

• Sales performance monitoring and channel-by-channel feedback collection
• Tracking regulatory changes and license renewal requirements
• Distribution structure optimization and channel expansion review
• Connecting to expansion strategy planning for the next country