How to start selling in Japan
Learn how to roll out your eCommerce store on Japan's #1 online shopping mall with active user base of 111M shoppers.
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G E T T I N G S T A R T E D
How to open a shop on Rakuten Ichiba?
Rakuten Ichiba currently provides a Direct Shop Plan for the countries and regions listed below:
U.S.
Taiwan
China
France
South Korea
Germany
U.K.
Canada
Hong Kong
Australia
Additional conditions/requirements may apply – please get in touch to learn more.
Y O U R C O U N T R Y N O T L I S T E D A B O V E ?
Get in touch to discuss your options
Entities from other countries
International sellers without an entity from countries listed for Direct Shop Plan are required to sign a contract with service partners approved by Rakuten.
These third-party partners will act as your local team to help you set up your store on Rakuten and provide operational support.
Japanese entity
If you have a Japanese entity, please click the button below for more details (in Japanese).
Onboarding schedule
S T E P 1
Registration
S T E P 2
Store setup
S T E P 3
Shop opening
Once your store is live, a dedicated E-Commerce Consultant (ECC) will be assigned to further drive sales and maximize your store’s performance to ensure success on Rakuten’s marketplace.
Requirements
Highly proficient Japanese capabilities are required for the following:
- Store Setup
- Customer Support
- Page Maintenance
- Order and Return Management
- Marketing Campaigns
*Our Shop Interface, RMS (Rakuten Merchant Server) is only provided in Japanese.
Assume foreign exchange risk, as products are sold in Japanese Yen.
All items must comply with applicable Japanese laws. For further details please speak with your Onboarding Consultant.
Establishing reliable logistics in order to ship products directly from the merchants to end users in Japan.
Must be incorporated and be able to provide your unique nine-digit identifier for your business.
E D U C A T I O N
Want more market insights & how-to's?
Check out this definitive guide to running your e-Commerce business in Japan & how businesses like yours are already thriving thanks to lucrative opportunities this market provides.
Costs and fees
| Registration fee | 60,000 JPY (APX: 552 USD) |
| Monthly fixed fee (consultation fee included) | 50,000 JPY (APX: 460 USD) |
| Listing capacity | 20,000 (can be increased upon request) |
| System commission | 2.0%-4.0%, +0.5% via mobile |
| System enhancement fee | 0.1% |
| Payment processing fee | 2.5%-3.5% |
| Affiliate fee | 2.6%-10.4% (sales via affiliate) |
| Rakuten Point | 1% (base %) |
*FX conversion rate 100 JPY = 0.92 USD (as of 10/14/2019)
Cost simulation
M O N T H L Y S A L E S T A R G E T: 1 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 J P Y
A V E R A G E P U R C H A S E P R I C E: 5 , 0 0 0 J P Y
All commission pricing listed below is in Japanese Yen (JPY).
| Total (tax not included) | PC/Home electronics ¥92,400 | Fashion ¥104,000 | Health & Beauty ¥98,250 | Home & Kitchen ¥94,350 | Food ¥104,100 |
| System fee (PC) | 16,000 | 16,000 | 16,000 | 16,000 | 16,000 |
| System fee (mobile) | 27,000 | 27,000 | 27,000 | 27,000 | 27,000 |
| Rakuten Point fee | 9,500 | 9,500 | 9,500 | 9,500 | 9,500 |
| System enhancement fee (system usage fee for improving safety and usability) | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Affiliate fees (affiliate incentive fee + Rakuten Super Affiliate System Commission) | 3,900 | 15,600 | 9,750 | 5,850 | 15,600 |
| R-Pay (Payment Processing Fee) | 35,000 | 35,000 | 35,000 | 35,000 | 35,000 |
For details about each fee (in Japanese only) >
*The above calculation results are all tax-excluded.
*The initial registration fee and monthly fixed fees are paid in advance and are not included in the above calculation.
Cost simulation assumptions
| Fee category |
Fee summary (tax not included) |
Assumptions |
| System fee: PC (tax not included) | 3.5%-5.0% | Sales Ratio from PC: 40% |
| System fee: Mobile (tax not included) | 4.0%-5.5% | Sales Ratio from Mobile: 60% |
| Rakuten Point fee | 1% of sales via Rakuten Members | Purchase from Rakuten Members: 95% |
| System enhancement fee for improving safety and usability (tax not included) | 0.1% of total monthly sales | --- |
| Affiliate fees (tax not included) | --- | --- |
| Affiliate Incentive Fee | Sales via Rakuten Super Affiliate x Affiliate Rate (2.0%-8.0% depending on product category) | Sales via Affiliate: 15% |
| Rakuten Super Affiliate System Commission | 15%-30% of Affiliate Incentive Fee | --- |
| R-Pay (Payment Processing Fee) | 2.5%-3.5% | --- |
S H O P O P E N S C H E M E
Full support every step of the journey
STEP 1
Registration
Our team of Onboarding Consultant specialize in overseas business, and will guide you in preparing materials to submit for your company’s screening. Once you pass all stages of screening, you can begin to create your store on Rakuten’s marketplace.
STEP 2
Store setup
After you gain access to RMS (Rakuten Merchant Server), the next step will be to register your items, upload your company’s information, set your return and shipping policy, and create your storefront. A Shop Open Adviser will be standing by to support you with set up.
STEP 3
Shop opening
Once your store is live, an e-Commerce Consultant (ECC) will be assigned to help you further drive sales and maximize your store’s performance to ensure success on Rakuten’s marketplace.
Looking to establish a foothold in Japan?
Get in touch with us to learn more about the exciting opportunities for eCommerce merchants in Japan or request more insights about Rakuten's cross-border eCommerce program!