Online Supermarket “Rakuten Mart” Set to Start Service on July 9

TOKYO, July 9, 2012 ? Rakuten, Inc. (JASDAQ: 4755), Japan’s top e-commerce company, announced today that its group company Rakuten Mart, Inc. (“Rakuten Mart,” Representative Director and President: Naohiko Kitsuta, Head office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo) has launched a new online supermarket called “Rakuten Mart” on July 9.

Rakuten Mart is a directly-owned and operated online store for which Rakuten itself procures and sells food items and other products. Rakuten has established a dedicated distribution center so that it can provide consumers with end-to-end delivery services. This structure will enable Rakuten to offer efficient logistics services where orders will be shipped the next day. Initially, services will be offered for consumers living in four of Tokyo’s wards, including Tohima Ward, Kita Ward, Itabashi Ward, and Nerima Ward. Service coverage will be gradually expanded to other areas of Japan in the future.

Rakuten has supported the online shopping businesses of companies across Japan through its Internet shopping mall Rakuten Ichiba. Through Rakuten Mart, Rakuten will operate its own online supermarket to promote the more frequent use of Internet shopping and to expand the scope of online shopping services for seniors, mothers with young children who cannot travel far to go shopping, and company employees that are too busy to go shopping.  

Rakuten Mart’s greatest advantage is that consumers can purchase fresh produce and daily essentials, as well as smaller quantities of popular special order gourmet foods offered on Rakuten Ichiba, where they are normally sold in bulk quantities. Rakuten Ichiba merchants can sell their products through Rakuten Mart, and ship them together with fresh produce and other items, making it possible now to offer consumers more attractive prices and smaller quantities of products that were once difficult to sell in small quantities due to shipping costs.

In addition, focus will also be placed on food safety, with all fruits and vegetables grown in Japan undergoing radiation screenings and all rice products receiving DNA testing. The name of the prefecture where the product was produced will be clearly labeled, and the website will allow consumers to search for items based on the location where they were produced.

Rakuten Mart will also publish a weekly catalogue, and take orders both online and over the phone in order to expand its target users.

Through Rakuten Mart, Rakuten is committed to providing fun and convenient services to consumers for their daily shopping needs, as well as to helping expand Japan’s online supermarket and Internet shopping markets.

Name of Service:　Rakuten Mart

Website: 　https://www.rakuten.ne.jp/gold/rakuten-mart/lp.html

Launch Date: Monday, July 9, 2012

Overview: 

A new online supermarket service where consumers can purchase fresh produce, other food items, daily sundries, and popular products offered on Rakuten Ichiba such as special order gourmet foods online or over the phone.

Features:

・ Orders placed before midnight will be shipped the next day.

・ Consumers can purchase popular special order gourmet foods offered on Rakuten Ichiba. 

・ Consumers can purchase products in smaller quantities, such as one-quarter cuts of vegetables and small quantities of special order gourmet foods. 

・ Consumers can place orders online or over the phone using the weekly catalogue. 

・ Consumers can accumulate and use Rakuten Super Points. 

・ Consumers can purchase fruit and vegetables that have undergone radiation screenings and rice that has undergone DNA testing.

・ The name of the prefecture where the product was produced will be clearly labeled, and the website will allow consumers to search for items based on the location where they were produced. 

Fees: Entry fee: 1,050 yen

Monthly membership fee: 210 yen

Delivery charge: 315 yen (free shipping for orders over 3,000 yen)

Main Products:

・ Fresh produce: Fruits, vegetables, seafood and other fisheries products (including dried salted fish), ground meats (beef, pork, chicken, ham, and processed foods), prepared foods (including cooked rice, and sushi), and cooking sets 

・ Other food items: Daily essentials (including water, pickled goods, paste products, eggs, dairy products, bread, and frozen foods) and groceries (including processed foods, sweets, and uncooked rice)

・ Daily sundries: Daily essentials (daily sundries / baby products / cosmetics / pet food)

・ Popular items from Rakuten Ichiba: Gourmet, processed foods, and sweets

Expected Users:

・ Consumers who cannot travel far to go shopping, such as seniors and mothers with young children.

・ Consumers who are too busy to go shopping, such as company employees.

Business Model:

・ Directly owned and operated online store for which Rakuten itself procures and sells the products. 

・ Rakuten will operate a distribution center through which it can provide end-to-end delivery services to consumers, which will result in dedicated and efficient logistics services.