We’ve been following Rakuten Buy.com this year, as the company’s “merchant-centric” approach offers an interesting counterpoint to other large online retailers.
The retailer predicts that 2013 will bring with it:
- A rise in curated commerce
- A growing interest in specialist retailers
- More mobile payment options and increased mobile integration
- Increased video use on e-commerce sites
All of those seem like pretty safe bets. We’ll be most interested to see if Rakuten’s “shopping mall” vision for e-commerce catches on in 2013. If you’re interested in learning more about the company, be sure to check out our recent series, which includes a company overview and an interview with COO/CMO Bernard Luthi. Below, you’ll find Rakuten’s holiday infographic.
