GUIDE
Rakuten Marketplace: the guide
Active on the e-commerce market for over 25 years, the Rakuten marketplace brings together thousands of professional sellers. They sell a variety of items in a wide range of categories. If you too would like to develop your online sales, consider registering with this marketplace. You'll benefit from high visibility among millions of bargain-seeking buyers. Discover our dedicated Rakuten guide.
How does Rakuten Marketplace work?
Rakuten is a Japanese e-commerce platform offering a vast range of products, in the same spirit as Amazon Marketplace. Internet users can find electronics and fashion, as well as products for the home, motorcycles, DIY, etc.
Founded in 1997, Rakuten Marketplace, which operates worldwide, stands out for its loyalty program, which offers numerous advantages to buyers: loyalty points that can be converted into discounts, Club R advantage program...
Why sell on Rakuten Marketplace?
The Japanese marketplace is an attractive conversion lever for professional sellers. In 2022, it counted no fewer than 10.3 million unique visitors per month in France, ranking 12th in the annual e-commerce rankings, behind Fnac Marketplace (6th), Cdiscount Marketplace (3rd) and Amazon, at the top of the rankings. (Source : Fevad)
Who can sell on Rakuten?
Here again, Rakuten Marketplace sets itself apart from other marketplaces. It offers both professional and private sellers the opportunity to sell on its platform.
Pro sellers account for around 60% of all merchants. To be able to sell on Rakuten, they must meet certain criteria:
- Have a legally registered business,
- Sell products with UPC, EAN, JAN or ISBN barcodes,
- Create a professional Rakuten account.
What products can I sell on Rakuten?
The product categories on the Rakuten marketplace are vast, accommodating a wide range of sellers. Among the most popular on the platform are :
- Video games, console,
- Telephony,
- IT,
- TV, image and sound,
- Home,
- Electrical appliances,
- DIY and garden...
Products can be sold new, but also second-hand or reconditioned. A dedicated tab on the site highlights second-hand items.
Rakuten Marketplace features
By joining the 8500+ professional sellers on Rakuten Marketplace, you can take advantage of a platform with numerous services to help you develop your sales.
Rakuten e-Shop
After registering, you can easily create your own Rakuten E-shop in your brand's colors, thanks to a dedicated space on the platform. Various ways of adding your products are available: manual uploading from your catalog, batch additions via RSS feeds, for example, or connection to a third-party API to automate the process.
Rakuten InStore
This service enables you to offer click and collect to your customers at local level. This creates in-store traffic and generally generates a higher average shopping basket. A great opportunity to develop both your online and physical sales.
Rakuten Coupons
This solution was created to enable sellers to offer discount coupons to buyers. Your products gain in visibility as they are offered on a dedicated Rakuten Deals page. An effective way to acquire traffic and generate conversions faster on Rakuten Marketplace.
Rakuten Fulfillment Network
Like many other marketplaces, Rakuten offers its own order management service, to simplify the day-to-day work of professional sellers. The service includes product storage, packaging and shipping. By outsourcing your logistics, you save time and can significantly improve the customer experience.
Club R from Rakuten Marketplace
Club R is the loyalty program offered by the marketplace. Customers accumulate points which they can then convert into discounts. They can benefit from discounts of up to 20% on certain purchases. For sellers, membership of this club is ideal for gaining visibility and standing out from the competition.
Our theme guides
Want to know everything about Rakuten Marketplace, how it works and best practices? Discover our thematic guides on the subject.
Specific features of Rakuten Marketplace
Rakuten commissions
The Rakuten marketplace operates in the same way as other e-commerce sales platforms. As a seller, you pay a subscription fee and commissions on sales.
Two subscription formulas with associated commissions are available:
- Starter subscription at €0 excl. tax/month with variable commissions starting at 14% excl. tax, depending on item category and condition,
- Expert subscription at €49 excl. tax/month with commissions from 8%.
Marketplace payment terms
All marketplaces collect money from merchants' sales and pay it out periodically, deducting their sales commissions beforehand. On Rakuten, your funds are paid out once the buyer has marked up the order. This means that payment can take up to 23 days, depending on the time it takes for shipping, delivery and the buyer's rating.
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Read moreHow do I get started selling on Rakuten?
Now you know how Amazon's marketplace works, in theory. Now it's time to put it into practice! Here's how to set up an Amazon store in just a few key steps:
Would you like to start selling on Rakuten Marketplace? Fill in the professional seller registration form now. You will be asked to provide various legal information to ensure that you meet the platform's prerequisites. Once you've submitted your application, Rakuten will analyze it and confirm your registration between 3 and 10 working days, depending on the scope of your product catalog.
