“Disney Store” Opens on Rakuten Ichiba

Rakuten, Inc. (“Rakuten,” Chairman and CEO: Hiroshi Mikitani, Head Office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo) announced that it will open a “Disney Store” set up by The Walt Disney Company (Japan) Limited, on “Rakuten Ichiba” on February 15.

Since creating “Disney Zone,” a special page for selling plush toys, everyday household goods and DVDs featuring Disney characters on Rakuten Ichiba in October 2009, Rakuten Ichiba and The Walt Disney Company (Japan) Limited have collaborated on planning and providing timely content to coincide with the seasons, movie premieres, etc.

At the same time, The Walt Disney Company (Japan) Limited currently has 47 “Disney Stores” set up throughout the country and the Internet marketing business on its own website has been selling goods directly to customers since 2008.

They have been engaging more actively than ever in promoting sales since turning the “Disney Store” into a company-owned business in April 2010. They will establish a shop on Rakuten Ichiba, the largest domestic Internet shopping mall, as part of this sales promotion. Through Rakuten Ichiba, many more customers will be given the opportunity to buy a variety of goods.

Since the establishment of “Disney Zone,” sales of Disney goods on Rakuten Ichiba have continued to grow by over 50% every year compared to sales in the same months of the previous year. The Walt Disney Japan Official Shop will open and attempt to differentiate itself from other stores in the future through sales of exclusive products on Rakuten Ichiba, resulting in the two companies mutually enhancing Rakuten Ichiba customer satisfaction.

Rakuten will also cooperate further with Walt Disney Company (Japan) Limited in actively promoting tie-ups between the various licensees of Disney goods and Rakuten Ichiba merchants, to facilitate new B2B business and bolster sales of Disney goods on Rakuten Ichiba.