Costco Japan says it plans to launch an online store next year.

The wholesale club-style retailer is still finalising plans for the site, in particular the exact launch date and the product range it will offer online. But it says it is committed to the e-commerce business given how Japanese consumers are increasingly buying goods over the internet.

As with its physical stores, customers of the online store will have to pay an annual membership fee before they can purchase goods. That fee is currently ¥4752 (US$43).

Meanwhile, Costco Japan plans to expand its network of hypermarkets from 26 to 50 by 2030. It is also building new distribution bases in the Chiba and Hyogo prefectures to prepare to service online customers and new stores.