Rakuten | Competitive Intelligence Profile

Rakuten International is a division of Rakuten Group, specializing in e-commerce, digital content, advertising, entertainment, and...


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Rakuten International is a division of Rakuten Group, specializing in e-commerce, digital content, advertising, entertainment, and communications. It serves over 1 billion members worldwide with a diverse portfolio that includes technology, advertising, eReaders, TV streaming, and more. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Rakuten is known for its innovation and mission to make life more rewarding for its customers and communities.

Website
Headquarters
San Mateo, California
Size
1001-5000 employees
Industry
Software Development
Specialities
technology, advertising, eReaders, TV streaming, internet, logistics, shipping, fulfillment, shopping, cashback, retail, fashion, adtech, fintech, mobile, ecommerce

🛍️ Rakuten Product and Pricing Intelligence →

📅 Rakuten Event Participations →

⚖️ Rakuten Regulatory Intelligence →

👔 Rakuten Management and Leadership Team →

⚔️ Rakuten Alternatives and Competitors →

💼 Rakuten Hiring and Layoffs →

🤝 Rakuten Partnerships, Clients and Vendors →

📈 Rakuten Financial Performance, Fundraising, M&A →


🛍️ Rakuten Product and Pricing Intelligence

Leverage product insights to define key product development milestones, guide go-to-market planning, build a robust product-market fit matrix, and perform in-depth SWOT analyses.

Harness pricing intelligence to support strategic pricing decisions, conduct competitive pricing analysis, and craft effective differential pricing strategies.

  • Rakuten International launched its new website RakutenInternational.com on October 28 to strengthen its identity and showcase its seven business units.
  • Rakuten Mobile collaborated with OpenAI to develop an AI-powered voice assistant using OpenAI's Realtime API and its own Rakuten AI 7B model, making customer support quicker and more accessible for its 10 million subscribers in Japan.
  • Rakuten Viki is expanding its Viki Originals catalog with three new titles—Moon River, Last Summer, and Dear X—debuting in late October and early November.


📅 Rakuten Event Participations

Stay updated on where your competitors are showing up—industry conferences, webinars, podcasts, and speaking engagements—to gauge their messaging, target audiences, and strategic focus. Discover how they’re positioning themselves in the market, what narratives they’re pushing, and which partnerships they’re cultivating. Use this intelligence to refine your own positioning, identify missed opportunities, and stay top-of-mind in your industry.

  • Rakuten Viki's VP of Marketing Karen Paek will speak on a panel at SXSW 2026 from March 12-18.
  • Rakuten Group Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani will deliver a keynote at the Rakuten Technology Conference 2025 on November 15, focusing on AI integration and personalized user experiences.
  • Rakuten International CEO Amit Patel participated in a panel discussion during SFTechWeek at the Consulate General of Georgia in San Francisco.

⚖️ Rakuten Regulatory Intelligence

Monitor critical regulatory events—such as issued or revoked licenses, lawsuits, investigations, and court rulings—to understand the compliance posture and legal exposure of your rivals. Spot early warning signs of operational risk, delays, or reputational damage, and use these insights to fine-tune your market strategy, mitigate your own risk, or capitalize on competitor setbacks.

  • Japan's communications ministry gave administrative guidance to Rakuten Mobile on August 20 over a delayed report of illegal access that leaked personal information from at least 7,000 subscriptions.

👔 Rakuten Management and Leadership Team

Understand who’s steering your competitors by tracking changes in their management and leadership teams. Gain insights into strategic direction, leadership style, and organizational priorities based on executive backgrounds and hiring trends. Use this knowledge to anticipate competitive moves, tailor your sales or partnership approach, and benchmark against industry leaders.


⚔️ Rakuten Alternatives and Competitors

Identify the competitors of your competitors to uncover indirect threats, emerging disruptors, and untapped opportunities. Understand the broader competitive ecosystem, spot white space in the market, and gain strategic context that helps you position more effectively. These insights sharpen your market intelligence and reveal angles others often overlook.

  • Amazon
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  • eBay
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  • Alibaba Group
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  • Walmart
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  • Dillard's
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  • Overstock
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  • Macy's
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  • Kohl's
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  • JCPenney
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  • TJX
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  • Target
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  • retailmenot.com
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  • groupon.com
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  • couponfollow.com
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  • Befrugal
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  • Quality Unit
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  • Awin
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  • ShareASale
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  • Escalate
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  • Digikala
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  • Lucky
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  • Ibotta
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  • Fetch
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  • Hoopla Doopla
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  • ShopBack
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  • Karma
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  • Upside
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  • PriceRunner
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  • Honey
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  • First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company
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  • Marex Group
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  • Capital One
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  • IndusInd Bank


💼 Rakuten Hiring and Layoffs

Track key workforce changes—new hires, leadership shifts, and layoffs—to spot strategic organizational moves. Identify rising competitors, uncover shifts in company direction, and seize opportunities to attract top talent or engage new decision-makers. Use these insights to refine your recruitment strategy and build stronger business relationships.

  • Rakuten is hiring a Head of Facilities & Real Estate in the United States to oversee global real estate and facilities management.
  • Pallavi M. has joined Rakuten as Director, Total Rewards in the United Kingdom, previously serving as Total Rewards Leader at OutSystems.
  • Rakuten Kobo Inc. hired a VP for Self Publishing & Kobo Originals in Toronto.


🤝 Rakuten Partnerships, Clients and Vendors

Monitor new partnerships, client wins, and vendor relationships to understand where your competitors are gaining traction. Spot emerging alliances, evaluate ecosystem shifts, and identify potential partners or prospects early. These insights help you refine your sales strategy, anticipate market movements, and stay one step ahead in a dynamic competitive landscape.

  • Rakuten CMO Wendy Bergh announced that Sephora became the exclusive beauty partner for Rakuten+ in October 2025, offering members at least 10% cash back.
  • Rakuten partners with HP Japan to integrate its Rakuten AI platform into HP's PCs for offline access starting Spring to Summer 2026.
  • Rakuten and Bilt launched a partnership on November 6, allowing Rakuten users to link accounts and earn Bilt points for online shopping.


📈 Rakuten Financial Performance, Fundraising, M&A

Track competitors’ financial performance, fundraising rounds, and M&A activity to assess their growth trajectory and strategic focus. Uncover signals of expansion, market entry, or consolidation, and benchmark your position accordingly. Use these insights to inform investor conversations, identify acquisition opportunities, and fine-tune your competitive strategy.

  • Rakuten Group posted a net loss for the January-to-September period for the seventh consecutive year despite higher sales.
  • Rakuten Group achieved a record-high consolidated revenue of 628.6 billion yen in Q3 FY2025, with year-on-year growth across all segments.
  • Rakuten taps Japan's booming retail demand for bonds to attract investors seeking higher returns amid inflation.


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