My Rakuten Experience: Masa

Masa is Vice Manager of the Fashion Business Section in the EC Consulting Department

Current Job

As an e-commerce consultant for the fashion category of Rakuten Ichiba, I provide consulting services to stores on our shopping platform. With an eye toward improving sales, I propose measures and solutions by researching various strategies, such as purchasing methods, sales methods and listing optimization. I pay special attention to data analysis so that I can provide persuasive proposals and suggest evidence-based recommendations.

Currently, I am planning a proposal for the fashion category as a whole that will drive growth within the entire category.

Why did you join Rakuten?

At my previous job, most managers were relatively advanced in years, and many of them told me that I had to be at least 40 years old before I could move into a management role. One of the deciding factors that convinced me to join Rakuten was the fact that anyone can be promoted to a managerial position even at a young age, as advancement is performance driven, not seniority driven.

I find the position of Rakuten’s EC consultant appealing because it allows me to work closely with stores, have closer relationships with management, and craft marketing strategies to drive sales.

In fact, I feel that I am currently gaining experience as a group manager, while at the same time gaining other real-life experiences through direct involvement with the stores.

Skill Enhancement

Since my proposals greatly affect the sales of the stores on our platform, I check the trends of competitors every day and delve into that data to analyze why a product is selling well or not.

In addition, I make proposals accordingly, such as measures to further develop the store’s strengths and measures to compensate for its weaknesses. As a result, my analytical skills have improved greatly, and I feel that this has led to my ability to provide persuasive proposals.

I do worry, up until the day when my proposals are implemented, whether they will effectively improve sales, but it is truly rewarding when you can see positive impact resulting from your work. Since I am so closely involved with the stores, I feel motivated every day to enhance my skills as a consultant.

Career Goals

I would like to develop my management skills and become someone that my colleagues can rely on.

Currently, I work with seven team members, each of whom has their own personality. Even if I tell each of them the same thing in the same way, each of them will interpret what I’m saying differently. I would like to become a manager that embraces the individuality of each team member while at the same time ensuring that everyone is on the same page and effectively working toward the same goal.

In addition, compared to categories like daily necessities and food-related products, the fashion team has much more room for individual recognition and promotion. I would like to continue working on creating and expanding opportunities to spark people’s interest in this category.

What do you like about your work environment and Rakuten as an organization?

They provide free meals in the company cafeteria!

How many people are in your current department and what is the ratio of mid-career employees?

We have about 30 people. In recent years, the number of mid-career employees has been increasing, and the ratio is now over 60%.

What do you do on your days off?

 I play golf, which I started as a hobby. I’m also interested in fashion, so I often go shopping.

*The content and affiliation presented in this article are accurate as of the time of the interview.

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