Rakuten are growing globally by acquisition and investment, Mitch, which in the US includes Buy.com, AhaLife, and their investment in Pinterest. I would expect to see their name cropping up over or under familiar e-commerce logos as they try and build share, but I wouldn't expect either Rakuten or Amazon to be knocked off the number one spot on their home territories. And I agree the competition will be good for everyone.
Aliexpress.com and taobao.com I don't know a lot about but they don't appear to have the same sort of ambitions as Rakuten and are happy to be portals for the export of Chinese goods.
@nimantha.de, I really like your point. A little competition never hurts. It keeps all parties on their toes and keeps the wheels of innovation turning. Consumers will ultimately benefit from the push forward for marketshare.
KMT568 - Brand loyalty moves pretty quickly, particularly on the Internet. How many bad experiences would a consumer need to have with Amazon before they just decided to move on?
Like you Mitch, I never heard of this retailer. I think brand loyalty will keep Amazon the preferred e-retailer for quite some time. I am a frequent Amazon customer and have been happy. I don't plan to make any changes. And if Amazon were to shut down, I would definitely be disappointed.
This battle was on for some time isnt it ?? There were so many competitors for this but now it has gone down to the very last drop. Good to see it because this will make room for innovation
Must agree that Rakuten has a ways to go before becoming a household name, at least in this country. And most of the homes I've been in for the past few years have at least one smiling box peeking out of a cupboard somewhere. Bushido and bravado don't always make for a better online shopping experience. Of course, I'm not Japanese, either. Perhaps there is a cultural difference that would help me better understand the way Rakuten markets and fulfills. Either way, it should be fun to watch!
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