Hello, everyone.
We offer a management service where you can entrust us with all aspects of operating your Rakuten Ichiba store,
I am an e-commerce consultant at Hide & Seek, Inc.
I opened a store on Rakuten Ichiba, but,
"I don't know where to start."
"How can I increase sales?"
We receive all kinds of feedback like this.
Based on our extensive experience operating on Rakuten Ichiba, we’d like to share some “basic strategies for increasing sales” that are surprisingly little known.
Once you start implementing it, aim to have it up and running within three months!
The "3 Months" That Hold the Key to Success
Rakuten Ichiba continues to hold the top market share among domestic e-commerce marketplaces in Japan.
Since 2021, it has grown by 600 billion yen, and by 2024, the total domestic transaction volume had surpassed 6 trillion yen.
To achieve results in a market crowded with competing stores, Swift Implementation と Thorough Implementation of Basic Measures ...is the key.
The way to increase sales on Rakuten Ichiba is simple.
① Gain visibility within the mall to increase traffic
② Increase the conversion rate to boost the number of sales
③ Increase the number of items purchased per transaction to raise the average transaction value
④ Increase the number of repeat customers and encourage them to make ongoing purchases
With that, we will work on solidifying these four fundamentals.
The key is to make sure you try implementing the measures I'm about to share over the next three months.
At our company, too, we spend the first three months after launching the service laying a solid foundation at a breakneck pace.
Based on my experience, when sales growth stalls, it’s often because one of two things is lacking: “core strategies” or “speed.”
Both factors work together to create a synergistic effect.
When it comes to things that can easily affect sales, “Do it right away!” is the Hide&Seek way!
Here are some of our key initiatives
At our company, we divide our operational methods into three phases.
One of these is Phase 1: “Basic Measures.”
We define these as basic measures to be implemented within three months of the start of operations.
As a special treat, we’d like to share a glimpse of it with you today.
Key Initiative: “Increase Traffic”
As you know, no matter how good a product is, if it doesn’t catch the user’s eye, they won’t buy it.
Rakuten Ichiba holds monthly promotional events, such as the "Shopping Marathon," to attract customers and create opportunities for user traffic.
To take advantage of this opportunity and boost sales, let’s start by implementing strategies to increase traffic.
Please be sure to check whether you've been able to implement this.
Traffic Strategy #1: Search Engine Optimization
First, let's review the product name, tagline, and product description.
The key is to incorporate big keywords along with keywords that are likely to have a high conversion rate (such as common concerns or product details).
High-volume keywords not only have a high search volume but also face a correspondingly high level of competition.
However, to rank highly in organic search results, you also need to build up a track record on the product page itself—such as past performance and reviews.
As a result, you might end up losing out to the competition and not appearing in search results.
Therefore, rather than the broad keyword “shampoo,” “scalp shampoo,”
To be more specific, it’s important to explicitly incorporate the needs of the users you want to attract—for example, “scalp shampoo for hair regrowth.”
By intentionally keeping the content concise and incorporating keywords that resonate with your target audience, you can more easily increase your conversion rate.
It’s also a good idea to include other keywords, such as those that appear in the autocomplete suggestions and trending terms.
Traffic Strategy #2: Increasing Clicks
Even if your product starts showing up in search results, traffic won’t increase unless users click on the product page because they think, “I’m interested in this product…”
There are two factors that significantly influence click-through rates: “thumbnails” and “product names.”
Although 45 products are displayed on the first page of search results, what users look at first to make a decision is mainly the thumbnails.
Have any of you ever had the experience of searching online and seeing the same product listed in five different stores?
Given that, what kind of thumbnail would make you click on it?
Actually, the first impression created by a thumbnail has a major impact on the click-through rate.
A thumbnail that encourages clicks is one that not only conveys the product’s basic information at a glance, but also—
The key is to highlight what sets your product apart from competitors or provides information on special offers, such as sales.
Other added values, such as “making it onto the Rakuten rankings” and “unique ingredients,” are also important.
If your thumbnail matches search results and user needs, and includes a call to action that makes people want to buy right now, your click-through rate will increase.
Key Initiative: “Increase the Conversion Rate”
The conversion rate is the percentage of users who visit a store and make a purchase.
Conversion rate strategies designed to encourage users viewing the page to think, “Let’s buy now!”
Have you ever walked into a store because you liked the clothes on the mannequins, only to find yourself making an unplanned purchase before you knew it?
If we apply this analogy to an e-commerce marketplace, the thumbnails are like mannequins, and the product landing pages, carousel images, and other related products are like the clothes displayed inside the store.
It's important to get customers to view not just the first product they click on, but many other products as well.
We know that the more products a user views, the higher the conversion rate becomes.
Conversion Rate Optimization Tip #1: Set Up a Product Carousel
When you click on a product, a product carousel appears that lets you swipe horizontally through the thumbnails.
You can insert up to 20 images plus a video.
From differentiating factors such as ingredients to instructions for use,
The key is to let customers see what the product looks like by scrolling through the images.
Try to convey the information that as many users as possible are looking for through images and videos.
Conversion Rate Optimization Strategy #2: Issue Coupons
Since users who view the page are highly motivated to buy, we need to implement strategies that encourage them to “Buy Now!”
Issuing limited-time coupons encourages customers to buy by making them think, “The coupon expires today, so I have to buy it now!”
Furthermore, when comparing your product to competitors’ offerings, having a coupon makes it a better deal, giving you a competitive edge.
Key Strategy: “Increase Average Spend Per Customer”
Since there are many competing stores on Rakuten Ichiba, there’s no guarantee that a customer who buys from you once will make a second purchase.
Therefore, encouraging customers to buy more during a single shopping trip will lead to increased sales.
Here are some strategies to increase average order value that naturally encourage users to make purchases.
Strategy 1 for Increasing Average Spend Per Customer: Sell in Sets
This involves selling products that complement each other well as a set.
For shampoo, group highly related products—such as “shampoo and conditioner”—into a set and offer it at a more affordable price than buying the items separately. This will naturally encourage customers to purchase the set.
Of course, you can also encourage customers to make combined purchases through coupon campaigns such as “Buy A and B Together to Get a 10%OFF Coupon,” so,
It's a good idea to choose the appropriate one based on product characteristics and user demographics.
Also, if there are no products to include in a set,
Another approach is to encourage bulk purchases, such as "2-packs" or "3-packs."
Strategy for Increasing Average Spend per Customer (2): Encouraging Customers to Order Set Menus
One thing we mustn't forget here is to guide them.
Even if you create a product bundle page, no one will buy it unless there’s a call to action directing customers to it.
Let's insert a banner on the product page to direct visitors there.
Clearly stating promotional messages that make people want to check it out and feel they’re getting a good deal—such as “Set price: 20%OFF”—is
This is the key to getting people to click on the banner.
Key Strategy: “Increase the Number of Repeat Customers”
So far, we’ve covered everything from driving traffic to increasing average customer spend, but this is no time to rest on our laurels.
Since our competitors are constantly striving to increase their sales, we need to find ways to encourage customers to make repeat purchases—from their first purchase to their second, third, and beyond.
Strategy for Repeat Purchases #1: Include Free Gifts
When your order arrives and you open the box to find a coupon inside that gives you a discount on your next purchase, wouldn’t you be tempted to check out the store?
If the product includes instructions on how to use it, users may come to like it even more; if the brand’s identity comes across clearly, they may even become fans of the store.
Instead of letting the purchase end after just one transaction, use the items included in the package to create opportunities that encourage users to visit your store again and make another purchase.
Strategy for Repeat Business #2: Send Email Newsletters and LINE Messages
I mentioned that the items included in the package can serve as a starting point, but the same applies to newsletters and LINE.
On Rakuten Ichiba, it’s easy to create email newsletters with banners, so just like with thumbnails, you can include more than just text,
You can engage users through images.
Similarly, you can use LINE by applying to the official Rakuten account.
Since this also helps with strategies to attract repeat visitors, we strongly encourage you to implement this measure.
Summary
"The First Step" in Engaging with Rakuten
When you open Rakuten's RMS admin panel, you'll find a variety of features.
"I have no idea what's going on!" I almost gave up right away (lol).
However, when you actually take the time to understand the features, you’ll find that you end up using only about 30 to 40 percent of them.
Feel free to explore the RMS admin panel to see what you can do and what metrics are available.
■Strategy × Speed
So far, I’ve shared some of the basic measures, and you’ll find that many of them are surprisingly simple and easy.
These measures will produce synergistic effects once each one is fully implemented.
Check right now to see if you’re implementing the strategies we’ve introduced today, and try to enjoy this as a crucial three-month period.
I think you'll really feel that the actions you've taken are paying off!
