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Rakuten commissions: how do Rakuten Marketplace fees and commissions work?
Temps de lecture : 4 minutes
Selling on a marketplace like Rakuten requires a thorough understanding of its specific features, including fees and commissions. This is essential if you are to anticipate and secure your sales margins. Each marketplace has its own rules of operation. In this article, we'll tell you all about how Rakuten commissions work.
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Sales commission: rates by product category
Rakuten charges a variable commission depending on the product category and type of subscription.
The platform applies 3 product categories:
Category A : 14% for Starter subscribers and 8% for Expert subscribers . It includes electronic devices and components (televisions or computers) and household appliances.
Category B: 18% for Starter subscribers and 12% for for Expert subscribers. This is the category for do-it-yourself items, tools, video games, software, etc.
Category C:21% for Starter subscribers and 15 % for Expert subscribers . This includes household linen, tableware, sports equipment, toys and childcare, watches, jewelry, etc.
Appointments on their pricing page for a complete list of items by category.
The platform also charges an additional commission of 2% on non-new products and sellers based outside France.
Other expenses
In addition to commissions on sales, here are the other costs to expect when selling on Rakuten:
Management fees . They are calculated according to the total amount of the product sold. Your Rakuten management fees vary from 0.15 euros to 5 euros, depending on the total amount sold.
Subscription fees . The platform offers two types of subscription (discussed in the next section of this article).
Advertising costs . You can sponsor your sales via the platform's paid advertising service, Rakuten Ads. This will enable you to increase the visibility of your products. Your budget depends on your marketing objectives.
Rakuten subscriptions for professional sellers
As mentioned above, Rakuten offers two types of subscription:
Starter. This is a free, no-obligation subscription designed for VSEs and SMEs. For subscribers to this offer, the platform applies a commission starting at à 14 % according to product category.
Expert plan. Available for a monthly fee of 49 euros excluding VAT, this plan offers a lower commission than the free plan. Expert commission starts at 8%.
Commission comparison by marketplace: Rakuten vs Amazon vs Cdiscount vs eBay
Each marketplace has its own rules for commissions and other fees applied to sellers.
Amazon is known for its both complex and high .
However, the platform is ideal for companies wishing to reach an international clientele. What's more, its logistics service, Amazon FBA, is renowned for its efficiency and speed of execution.
For its part, Cdiscount is essentially a focused on the French market.
La marketplace offre good visibility particularly to companies offering electronic products and home equipment. More competitive user fees than on Amazon.
And finally, Rakuten's loyalty program, designed to encourage purchases, is a real plus for sellers on the Japanese marketplace. All the more so as it also applies competitive commissions according to product category.
Here is a table comparing the commissions charged by each platform:
| Rakuten | Amazon | Cdiscount | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commission rate per sale | From 8 to 21% depending on the subscription chosen and the product category 2% surcharge for non-new products or products sold by vendors outside France | From 6 to 45% depending on product category | Single commission of 15% except for certain product types 2% surcharge for non-new products |
What are Rakuten's commissions used for?
The commissions collected by the platform are used to finance the various services provided, such as :
The guarantee against non-payment covered by the platform . On Rakuten, sellers are protected against all types of non-payment.
Customer service including management of disputes and logistics-related problems
E-showcase which allows vendors to showcase their products
Advertising by the platform to increase the visibility of your products
Putting sellers in touch with buyers on the marketplace.
How does Heropay help you manage your cash flow when selling on Rakuten?
Heropay is a payment solution that allows you to respond to the specific cash flow needs of companies selling their products on marketplaces.
The way they operate is such that the company does not immediately receive the amount of its sales.
The marketplace collects the payments and holds them for a certain period of time. This is referred to as payment terms on marketplaces . This varies from platform to platform.
On Rakuten, payment is made as soon as the customer confirms receipt of the parcel. However, this no longer than 23 days .
During this time, the company may find itself short of cash to pay current expenses or to replenish supplies. This situation is all the more problematic for VSE/SMEs with limited cash reserves.
Heropay responds to just this type of problem by offering advance payment for your sales on D+1 following confirmation of the sale. In this way, the company immediately has the liquidity it needs to operate normally.
Heropay then collects the payment from the marketplace, and may pay you any surplus.
On the other hand, the payment platform can also advance payment of your supplier purchases to preserve your cash flow.
You can then reimburse it while benefiting from payment facilities: deferred payment after 60 to 90 days or the payment in 6 or 4 instalments.
Request a customized quoteIn short, the commissions Rakuten are among the most competitive on the market. What makes the platform even more attractive is its loyalty program, which is sure to boost your sales. Heropay is your ideal payment tool for selling on the platform, as it protects your cash flow from the potentially negative effects of payment delays on the marketplace.
