Amazon, the world’s largest company by market capitalization and the leading e-commerce platform in the world, has been a major player in the international retail industry for decades. As such, it is no surprise that Amazon participates in Rakuten, one of the largest e-commerce sites in Japan.
Rakuten was founded in 1997 as a marketplace for buying and selling used books and other products. In 2001, it expanded its service to include new products such as apparel and electronics.
Over time, Rakuten developed into one of the biggest online shopping sites in Japan with over 70 million registered users. It is also a major competitor to Amazon in Japan, boasting an impressive selection of products at competitive prices.
Amazon recognized this potential market early on and began offering its services on Rakuten in 2006. This allowed Amazon to reach out to potential customers who were already familiar with Rakuten’s services and gain new customers who may not have known about Amazon before. Through this partnership, Amazon has been able to expand its presence in Japan while taking advantage of Rakuten’s established network of vendors and customers.
Apart from offering its products on Rakuten, Amazon has also taken steps to further increase its visibility on the site by launching an official store and even sponsoring events hosted by Rakuten. These initiatives have helped Amazon gain more exposure and strengthen its relationship with customers who prefer shopping through Rakuten instead of directly from Amazon’s website.
In addition to providing access to more customers, participating in Rakuten also benefits Amazon by giving it access to valuable data about customer behaviour which can be used for marketing purposes. This data can then be used to improve customer experience by providing more personalized recommendations based on past searches or purchases made through Rakuten.
All things considered, it is clear that participating in Rakuten has been beneficial for Amazon both financially and strategically. The company has been able to reach out to a wider audience while gaining invaluable insights into customer behaviour which can be used for marketing purposes.
Conclusion: Yes, Amazon does participate in Rakuten – they have had an official store on the site since 2006 and have taken steps to further increase their presence there by sponsoring events hosted by Rakuten as well as gaining access to valuable data about customer behaviour which can be used for marketing purposes.