Possibilities of Transaction x Point x ID x Data

At Rakuten Payment, we have launched many innovations centered around cashless payment services. It is no exaggeration to say that by continuously challenging ourselves to create value unique to Rakuten, we have greatly contributed to the promotion of cashless society. At the forefront, the members of the Strategy Office are tackling various challenges and working on initiatives that lead to the next innovations.

Our Mission & Surrounding Challenges

Centered on “Redesigning Values”
We also challenge ourselves to create new businesses and services.

The Strategy Office’s mission consists of three pillars: “Management Support,” “Problem Solving,” and “Growth Strategy.” What we focus on while advancing these is the redesign of existing values. We leverage Rakuten’s big data to provide optimal customer experiences, promote synergy with Rakuten Group and Rakuten services, and also work on creating new businesses and services.

Members

Strategic Planning

Daiki
Strategic Planning

Sachiko
Strategic Planning

Tessy
Sales

Tom

Unparalleled ID Data Worldwide.
Proposing Greater Value Through Its Utilization.

Supporting Rakuten Payment’s innovation are assets such as user IDs, point programs, big data from Rakuten services, and over 70 service groups.
The strength of the big data created by combining these lies in the fact that various data such as purchases and behaviors are connected to a single ID.

For example, if partner companies utilize assets like the “Rakuten Pay App” or “Rakuten Point Card” in their promotional campaigns, behavior analysis using user IDs becomes possible.

Furthermore, the ability to earn and use Rakuten Points is a strong trigger unique to us. With a cumulative issued points exceeding 4.1 trillion (as of Q1 2024), Rakuten Points have been chosen as the No.1 points people want to collect, demonstrating overwhelming achievement.

Tom“By utilizing analyzed data, we can support marketing efforts such as increasing sales and attracting new users. This also leads to the creation of services that propose solutions tailored to each company.”
Sachiko“Who a person is — an ID that can see this so clearly is rare both in Japan and overseas. We aim to leverage this not only for promotion but also for marketing and product development. That is the challenge of the Strategy Department.”

Complete Cashless Stadiums. A Pioneering Challenge That Also Conveyed Social Significance.

One innovation driven by Rakuten Payment’s cashless payment services and Rakuten Group’s assets is the complete cashless transformation of stadiums. The project started in autumn 2018 targeting the home stadiums of the professional baseball team “Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles” and the J1 professional soccer team “Vissel Kobe.” The preparation period until the 2019 season opening was only about five months.

As a cross-business project, members from Rakuten Payment’s Strategy Department, as well as representatives from Rakuten Pay, Rakuten Edy, Rakuten Card, and the teams were assigned. The quick project start was largely due to the ability to handle credit cards, electronic money, QR code payments, and point cards all with Rakuten assets.
Moreover, Rakuten’s manpower was vital. On opening day, payment employees visited the stadium to assist with app downloads and explain cashless services.

The social significance was great, and cashless adoption has progressed in other stadiums as well. The Strategy Department aimed for the cashless transformation to expand horizontally and broaden its possibilities.

Sachiko“Even without any cash, sales increased. Waiting times at registers decreased, allowing more time for communication with customers. I believe we were able to convey that introducing cashless has significance beyond just improving convenience.”
Daiki“Leveraging the strength of multiple payment protocols, we succeeded in attracting a wide range of users, including elderly and cashless beginners. We take pride in having created a good precedent by leading the way.”

Creating Optimal Customer Experiences,
Expanding New Markets.

New initiatives leveraging assets connected by a single ID and points are also underway. One such initiative is OMO, which integrates EC sites like Rakuten Ichiba (online) and physical stores (offline).
This effort, mainly in home appliances and fashion sectors where online-only shopping is difficult to complete, uses data obtained online and offline to provide optimal customer experiences, enabling more effective marketing.

Additionally, experimental efforts are ongoing to add new elements to existing assets. In collaboration with a major hotel chain, data from users gained through a Rakuten Points-based accommodation campaign was analyzed. The goal was to create mechanisms that step up to the next initiative of creating experiences that satisfy users even more.

Tessy“Rakuten’s brand power is strong, making it easier to develop services leveraging the image of providing shopping-related services. I believe Rakuten uniquely fosters value not only in the joy of shopping but also in how people manage their money.”

Achieving Greater Convenience and Promoting Cashless with ONE Payment.

Rakuten Payment’s cashless payment services handle very high transaction volumes even within the Rakuten Group. User acquisition directly impacts Japan’s cashless ratio. Committed to the national goal of a 40% cashless ratio, this business holds high social significance.

The next development the Strategy Department is working on is “ONE Payment.” By consolidating Rakuten Group’s payment-related services into the “Rakuten Pay App,” it aims not only to enhance convenience but also to promote cross-use of services. This will increase the app’s media power and customer referral capabilities, providing more valuable information to partner companies.
Furthermore, increasing the experiences possible through shopping is also one of the goals of “ONE Payment.”

Tom“We at Rakuten create touchpoints between partner companies and users, proposing initiatives that respond to changing marketing methods. Beyond promoting cashless, the significance of various value creations is demonstrated in each business development.”
Tessy“We want to further enhance the customer experience of ‘beneficial and fun’ and deliver new value related to payments through the ‘Rakuten Pay App.’”

Future Vision

The future vision the Strategy Department envisions is the redesign of money itself. Daiki says that to create new value in how people relate to money and shopping as a whole, synergy within the Rakuten Group is essential.

Daiki“Rakuten Points offer higher point returns during campaigns. This is rare globally, and Rakuten has created and transformed the value of points. Leveraging group synergy, we want to challenge the redesign of how money is.”