Rakuten Ichiba expands global access to the Japanese e-commerce market

Shoppers on Japan’s largest online marketplace now have more choice than ever: Rakuten Ichiba has expanded access to the platform for sellers from 22 global markets.

The latest expansion welcomes merchants from Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and New Zealand. They join a roster that includes China, North America, Australia, the UK, German and Denmark.

According to Takafumi Kanatani, Vice General Manager of Rakuten Ichiba’s Overseas Sales Strategy Department, “Rakuten Ichiba is committed to building a borderless marketplace that benefits both merchants and consumers.”

Rakuten Ichiba currently commands a 27% share of Japan’s online shopping market, recording nearly 6 trillion yen in domestic gross merchandise sales in 2024. Adding to the platform’s over 50,000 domestic merchants, over 1,000 international merchants have begun selling to Japanese customers. These merchants are already logging GMS growth in the double digits.

The expansion is driven by a clear ambition, says Kanatani: to connect Rakuten’s 100 million+ members in Japan with products from around the world, many of which were previously difficult or impossible to source locally. “[This] is an important step in expanding global opportunities and bringing greater product diversity to our customers.”

Opening the door to the Japanese market

The move represents a significant opportunity for online merchants in these newly-included markets, allowing them to ship directly from their home countries without the need for a local entity on the ground in Japan.

South Korean beauty brand Medicube entered the Japanese market through Rakuten in 2019.

“Rakuten Ichiba’s strong influence and high brand credibility in Japan were the main reasons,” explained Nanako Hirono from APR Corporation, Medicube’s Japan marketing team. “Compared to other platforms, Rakuten has a higher proportion of beauty customers in their 30s to 50s, so we tailor our product planning and promotion strategies accordingly.”

This has helped the brand strengthen relationships with difficult-to-reach consumer segments. “Our contact points with customers in their 40s and 50s significantly expanded,” Hirono noted. “Rakuten’s trust and visibility helped us penetrate deeper into the Japanese market.”

EcoFlow is a China-based brand specializing in portable power.

“Rakuten Ichiba, with its strong local presence and streamlined logistics, provided the ideal platform to accelerate our entry into Japan,” said the brand’s spokesperson, highlighting the role of Rakuten’s local team in brand-building initiatives that “strengthened trust with Japanese consumers and supported our market expansion.”

American audio brand JBL remarked that joining Rakuten Ichiba was aimed not just at sales, but at connecting customers with the brand experience.

“We believed Rakuten Ichiba would provide an excellent platform to more deeply convey the distinct appeal of JBL products,” said Tsutomu Tano, JBL’s Head of E-Commerce. “Customers visit our official store to immerse themselves in JBL’s brand philosophy. That direct engagement has been instrumental in maintaining and enhancing our brand value.”

The company’s exclusive campaigns and promotions have been well received by Rakuten shoppers, even winning recognition as Shop of the Month. “We are very pleased with this strong performance and remain committed to continuously innovating our offerings and engagement strategies on Rakuten Ichiba,” Tano added.

Getting the most out of Rakuten Ichiba’s toolbox

Between language barriers and unique market conditions, doing business in Japan as a global company has never been simple. One crucial pillar of Rakuten Ichiba’s new strategy is its comprehensive support framework.

A bilingual team provides global merchants with end-to-end guidance on everything from the initial launch of a merchant’s storefront to ongoing promotions and performance management. The team will help the merchants take full advantage of Rakuten’s AI-powered store tools, as well as Japan’s most popular loyalty program, Rakuten Points.

The brands retain full control over their stores, while leveraging Rakuten’s powerful marketing and analytics tools to build visibility and customer trust. Rakuten Ichiba has strict anti-counterfeit policies, and a strong reputation among consumers for transparency and authenticity.

“Trust is the most important factor in the Japanese market,” said Hirono of Medicube. “Even with excellent products, many customers meticulously verify whether the product is trustworthy before making a purchase.”

This sentiment was echoed by Tano of JBL: “The Japanese market is renowned for its exceptionally high expectations regarding product quality and customer service. But succeeding on this platform can significantly elevate a brand’s perceived quality and trustworthiness.”

EcoFlow’s spokesperson had some advice for success selling in Japan: “Understand local needs and work closely with the Rakuten team. Make full use of the platform’s resources to succeed in the Japanese market.”