E-commerce space heats up, Rakuten goes live Nov 1
By Digital News Asia October 31, 2012
- Over 11,000 goods from top local retailers available at launch, expanding daily
- Company aims to build an ecosystem here that is similar in Japan
JAPAN’S top e-commerce company Rakuten Inc announced that its Malaysian Internet shopping mall Rakuten Online Shopping is set to launch on Nov 1, at 9am Malaysia Standard Time.
With over 11,000 goods from top local retailers available at launch and expanding daily, the service provides consumers in Malaysia with an entirely new online shopping experience that is entertaining and interactive, the company said in a statement.
Rakuten Online Shopping has recruited some of Malaysia’s top retailers to offer a diverse mix of product categories, including consumer electronics, computer and IT, healthcare, fashion apparels, jewellery and accessories.
Customers can expect an exciting line-up from over 40 top retailers at launch, including Senheng Electric, Best Denki, CARiNG Pharmacy, Toys ‘R’ Us, and Poh Kong among others, with more merchants and products being added each day, Rakuten claimed.
“Rakuten Online Shopping brings to the market a unique and interactive online shopping experience,” said Rakuten Online Shopping president and chief executive officer Masaya Ueno (pic).
“At Rakuten, our philosophy is ‘Shopping is Entertainment.’ We believe that shopping online can and should be as exciting and interactive as a live market and not simply the vending-machine-like experience that most sites offer.”
Rakuten Online Shopping is a virtual mall populated with multiple stores that cater to various segments of interest. It also features the Rakuten Super Points loyalty rewards program that provide shoppers with points for all purchases that are redeemable as payment for future purchases.
“The launch represents a significant first step in our journey towards growing Rakuten into a full Internet services company in Malaysia. We aim to build an ecosystem here that is similar in Japan, where we now offer over 40 different Internet services, in addition to e-commerce, all connected by Rakuten Super Points,” said Ueno.
Going forward, Rakuten will continue to grow its base of merchant partners across key industries to expand its product categories in Malaysia. Using its proven business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) model, merchants are able to build online storefronts on the marketplace and sell directly to consumers.
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