Top 5 Online Shopping Sites in Japan

Japan's e-commerce website market is diverse and vibrant, with many consumers using online shopping on a daily basis. In particular, the demand for online shopping has been growing ever more with the development of digitalization in recent years. Against this background, here is a ranking of the major online shopping sites in Japan based on turnover. Below are the major online shopping sites in Japan, ranked in order of turnover. Let's look at the reasons for their success, along with the characteristics of each site.

Top E-Commerce Sites (In Order of Sales)

1. Rakuten Ichiba
2. Amazon.com
3. Yahoo! Shopping
4. ZOZOTOWN
5. AU PAY Market

1. Rakuten Ichiba

Image Source: https://www.rakuten.co.jp/?l-id=pc_header_logo

Rakuten Market is one of Japan's largest online shopping malls, offering a wide variety of products. The Rakuten Super Points system is a major attraction for consumers and a factor in increasing repeat business. The wide selection of products and the variety of stalls increase competitiveness and provide consumers with many choices. In addition, the linkage with services such as Rakuten Card and Rakuten Bank enhances user convenience.

2. Amazon Japan

Image Source: https://www.amazon.co.jp/ref=nav_logo

Amazon is a global online shopping giant and has established itself in the Japanese market. Its strengths lie in its extensive product range and fast delivery service. In particular, the benefits for Amazon Prime members (free shipping, Prime Video, Prime Music, etc.) attract many consumers. Furthermore, the user reviews and rating system are an important source of information for evaluating products before purchase.

3. Yahoo! Shopping

Image Source: https://shopping.yahoo.co.jp/

Yahoo! Shopping is an e-commerce site under the Softbank Group and is characterized by its linkage with T Points.

Consumers can earn and spend T Points through purchases on Yahoo! Shopping, which is a factor in increasing repeat customers. In addition, active promotions, such as cash-back campaigns in conjunction with PayPay, increase consumers' willingness to buy.

4. ZOZOTOWN

Image Source: https://zozo.jp/

ZOZOTOWN is an online shopping website specializing in fashion, and is particularly popular among younger consumers. It features a diverse product line-up reflecting the latest trends and the ZOZOARIGATO try-on service. In addition, the unique size measurement tool ZOZOSUIT makes it easy for users to find products in their perfect size. This increases consumer satisfaction and supports sales.

5. AU PAY Market

Image Source: https://wowma.jp/

AU PAY Market (formerly Wowma!) is an online shopping site operated by the KDDI Group. It is characterized by its high convenience for AU users and its many benefits, such as point redemption and cash-back offers, thanks to its cooperation with mobile phone companies. Furthermore, its extensive product line-up and easy-to-use interface are favored by many consumers.

Conclusion

Each of these e-commerce sites has its own unique features and strengths and has been successful in meeting the needs of consumers. Rakuten has a points system, Amazon offers fast delivery, Yahoo! Shopping offers T Points, ZOZOTOWN specializes in fashion, and AU PAY Market is linked to mobile carriers. The Japanese e-commerce market is expected to continue to grow, and further evolution and competition is expected from each site.