Rakuten Europe Launches Cashback Shopping Platform in Ukraine

• After successfully launching Shopping & Affiliate Platforms in the U.K., Spain, France, and Germany, Rakuten Europe expands its unique membership proposition to Ukraine.

• Rakuten Chatbot within Rakuten Viber, cross-platform messaging and voice-based communication app enhances the digital shopping experience .

Luxembourg/Kyiv, November 04, 2021 – Rakuten, a global leader in internet services including e-commerce, fintech, digital content, and communications, and best known to the Ukrainian audience with its messaging service provider Rakuten Viber, is launching its Shopping and Affiliate Platform in Ukraine, offering consumers a new Cashback program.

Internet penetration in Ukraine has grown significantly in recent years, leading to increased demand for e-commerce and mobile shopping. Both sectors have experienced massive growth, with mobile commerce becoming increasingly popular, with roughly a third of digital orders being placed via smartphone.[1]

Viber is the most popular messenger in Ukraine according to InMind research and is one of the top 3 most popular applications (according to Kantar CMeter). Viber is installed on 97% of Ukrainian users’ smartphones.

Rakuten is building a new loyalty proposition for customers in Ukraine, with more than 250 retail partners such as Intertop, AliExpress, Puma, Foxtrot, Argo, Watsons, Moyo, Answear, Yakaboo, iHerb, Kasta and Citrus across many categories, including entertainment, electronics, beauty, clothing, travel, books, household items, food and outdoors.

By signing up to become a Rakuten member for free, customers can shop on partners’ websites and will receive cashback for each purchase. The cashback rates go up to 30 percent. After reaching the minimum threshold of redemption of 150 Hryvnias, members can withdraw the accumulated cashback to their bank accounts (or to their Visa or Mastercard) in just a few steps.

On Viber, Rakuten is providing the Rakuten Chatbot that supports consumers in finding the best offers and recommendations in a big variety of categories. With just a few clicks, members can also check their cashback balance and withdraw the accumulated cashback directly to their bank account.

Toby Otsuka, CEO of Rakuten Europe, commented: “Rakuten is committed to adding real value to our members’ lives. We want our members to feel special, and the best way to do that is to offer rewards that align with their personal values.”

Cédric Dufour, Managing Director of Rakuten’s Shopping and Affiliate Platform adds: “Rakuten Ukraine allows us to bring our services to members in a more relevant and dynamic way — but we’re constantly considering what we could do to add even more value for our customers. The chatbot experience in Viber and the site at launch is a springboard from which we intend to add breadth and depth of service through personalization, additional partners and functionalities that will allow members to receive additional value and even better shopping experiences.”

Rakuten has proven success with the concept of rewarding customers in the U.K. with Club Rakuten and its Shopping and Affiliate Platforms in Germany, Spain, and France, as well as its Cashback, Rewards, and Deals program in the U.S. Seeing its customers as “members” rather than users, Rakuten has created an offering that aligns with the brand’s knowledge of consumers wants, needs and values, delivering an easy-to-use platform with rewards that offer functional, emotional and aspirational value to members.[2].

Over time, Rakuten will seek to extend its offering by adding deeper personalization to its offers, providing a highly tailored and relevant experience that is unique to every customer.

For the duration of November, all members who register with the newly launched Cashback program and make a purchase of over 500 Hryvnias within the first 10 days after registering, will receive a welcome bonus of 120 Hryvnias and a voucher for a movie on Rakuten TV, Rakuten’s streaming platform available in 43 countries, including Ukraine.

[1] According to research by Rakuten Insight on Cashback Loyalty Concepts, March 2021

[2] According to research from Rakuten’s Platform Strategy Supervisory Department undertaken in 2018, Points and Membership value account for 47% of the Key Buying Factor in Japan

About Rakuten

Rakuten Group, Inc. (TSE: 4755) is a global leader in internet services that empower individuals, communities, businesses and society. Founded in Tokyo in 1997 as an online marketplace, Rakuten has expanded to offer services in e-commerce, fintech, digital content and communications to approximately 1.5 billion members around the world. The Rakuten Group has over 25,000 employees, and operations in 30 countries and regions.

For more information visit https://global.rakuten.com/corp/

In Europe, Rakuten has been active for more than a decade and is constantly growing its footprint. The network of business units consists of more than 14 services, available in almost every European country. With Rakuten Europe’s head office in Luxembourg and offices in London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Barcelona and other major European cities, Rakuten is more than just a company, it’s a vision of a true Ecosystem.

For more information visit https://corp.rakuten.eu/

About Rakuten Viber

Rakuten Viber connects people. No matter who they are, or where they are from. With over one billion Google Play downloads worldwide, Viber offers its user base a range of features like one-on-one chats, video calls, group messaging, and updates and discussions with their favorite brands and celebrities. Viber ensures our users have a secure and free environment to share their emotions. Rakuten Viber is part of Rakuten Group, Inc., a world leader in e-commerce and financial services. It is the official communication channel of FC Barcelona, and the official instant messaging and calling app partner of the Golden State Warriors.