Rakuten Rebrands Its C2C Marketplace App “Rakuten Rakuma,” Expands Lineup of Services to Create a New E-Commerce Platform that Contributes to the Circular Economy

Tokyo, April 5, 2022 – Rakuten Group, Inc., operator of the consumer e-commerce app “Rakuten Rakuma,” today unveiled a newly redesigned logo and app icon for Rakuten Rakuma, as the company aims to forge a new e-commerce platform that contributes to the creation of a circular society. In line with this vision, Rakuten also announced the full-scale launch of Rakuma Official Shops, which showcase more than 130 reuse businesses^*1 and 40 domestic parallel import businesses operating on the platform, and Direct from the Farm/Specialized Food Products Stores, which specialize in transactions involving agricultural and fishery products.

On the newly opened Rakuma Official Shops, reuse businesses and parallel import businesses – including major companies with experience operating physical stores – operate and manage a wide variety of products, such as professionally-inspected second-hand brand products and smartphones, as well as parallel imported products. In addition, through Direct from the Farm/Specialized Food Products Stores, food producers, manufacturers and distributors can sell specialized products such as agricultural goods and fishery products. Furthermore, Rakuten also plans to start selling official brand products from outlets and sale items in cooperation with apparel brands starting in the middle of 2022 (schedule subject to change).

Through Rakuten Rakuma, the company has committed to providing a platform that contributes to the creation of a circular economy, as it aims to lead the creation and development of a circulation market centered on second-hand goods and responsible consumption. Rakuten Rakuma, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, launched this rebranding project in order to create an even larger sphere of circulation as it evolves into an e-commerce platform that is far more than just a consumer commerce app. Moreover, Rakuten will further accelerate cross-use of Rakuten Ichiba and other services as it expands the Rakuten Ecosystem in order to achieve its goal of 10 trillion yen in total domestic e-commerce gross merchandise sales (GMS)^*2 and offer new value through e-commerce.

Since launching as Japan’s first consumer commerce app in 2012, Rakuten Rakuma has operated as a consumer-to-consumer (C2C) marketplace mobile app, with the concept of “connecting the items you no longer use with the people who need them.” The app is now used by people of all ages, thanks to advantages such as the ability to link one’s Rakuten ID and use Rakuten Points, as well as the ability to convert proceeds from items sold to Rakuten’s online e-money, Rakuten Cash.

Rakuten will continue to build on this new platform in order to contribute to the creation of a circular society through transactions involving both individuals and businesses, as well as provide services that deliver greater levels of convenience and offer higher added value to customers.

 *1 As of April 5, 2022.
*2 Total annual transaction sales for Rakuten Ichiba, Rakuten Travel (accommodation sales), Rakuten Books, golf business, Rakuten Ticket, Rakuten Fashion, Rakuten Dream businesses, Rakuten Beauty, Rakuten Delivery, Rakuten 24 (Rakuten Direct), Rakuten’s automotive business (Rakuten Car), Rakuten Rakuma, Rakuten Rebates, Rakuten Seiyu Netsuper, etc.

Changes to the logo and app icon
In line with the rebranding, the Rakuten Rakuma app icon and brand logo will change from today.

Service overview
Start of service: 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5, 2022 (JST)
Website: https://rakuma.rakuten.co.jp/ts/announce/new_rakuma/
Overview:
1.Rakuma Official Shops – Reuse, import items, official brand products (for outlet stores/sales)
Rakuma Official Shops are official stores where businesses can sell their products through Rakuten Rakuma. Reuse applies to businesses selling used clothes, second-hand brand products, second-hand smartphones/tablets, etc. Import items apply to businesses in Japan that sell products acquired from overseas. Both the reuse and import items categories on Rakuten Rakuma launched today on Rakuma Official Shops. As of today, more than 130 businesses, including companies with experience operating physical stores, are operating in the reuse category, and over 40 businesses are operating under import items. The official brand products (for outlet stores/sales) category is planned for launch in mid-2022.

2.Direct from the Farm/Specialized Food Products Stores
Direct from the Farm/Specialized Food Products Stores are online shops approved by Rakuten Rakuma through which food-related businesses can sell their products through Rakuten Rakuma. Businesses that can use this service include producers, manufacturers and distributors of food-related products, such as agricultural and fishery products. In order to further promote transactions involving food-related products, Rakuten aims to expand the lineup of features these stores offer for future sellers.

- Sales transaction fees for businesses: Vary depending on the functions offered. Please contact the Rakuten Rakuma sales team for details.
- For businesses: Please submit applications to sell through Rakuten Rakuma here: rakuma-inquiry@mail.rakuten.com (Addressed to the Rakuten Rakuma B2C sales team)

*The respective specialized webpages for both Rakuma Official Shops (reuse and import items) and Direct from the Farm/Specialized Food Products Stores can be accessed by any registered user of Rakuten Rakuma by tapping the respective banner icons on the homepage of the Rakuten Rakuma app released today. The products on sale can be displayed on the specialized webpages of each site, and by searching for a product on Rakuten Rakuma, you can see search results with similar items sold by an individual. Product pages for items sold by businesses will feature the official Rakuten Rakuma mark, so customers can differentiate them from individual sellers. Also, businesses have different functions for selling products than individuals and can also use functions such as an API system linked to their product warehouses. Businesses are strictly screened by Rakuten, and only those that pass the screening process can sell through Rakuten Rakuma.

About Rakuten Rakuma
Launched in February 2018, Rakuten Rakuma was created when Frill, the first consumer commerce app in Japan which launched in July 2012, merged with the Rakuten Group-operated service Rakuma. By expanding the circular economy where products are passed on rather than thrown away and creating a world of e-commerce that is easy for everyone to use, Rakuten Rakuma intends to drive the growth of the circulation market and contribute to the creation of a circular society. As of June 2021, the Rakuten Rakuma app has been downloaded over 30 million times.

About Rakuten
Rakuten Group, Inc. (TSE: 4755) is a global leader in internet services that empower individuals, communities, businesses and society. Founded in Tokyo in 1997 as an online marketplace, Rakuten has expanded to offer services in e-commerce, fintech, digital content and communications to approximately 1.6 billion members around the world. The Rakuten Group has over 28,000 employees, and operations in 30 countries and regions. For more information visit https://global.rakuten.com/corp/.