Black Friday 2024: Last Key E-commerce Statistics!

Black Friday has become a must-attend event for consumers and retailers in France. Every year, the event attracts increasing interest, with sales figures rising steadily and consumers ever more eager for bargains. This year, new data sheds light on the buying habits of the French. Find out more in this article about the key figures for Black Friday 2024!

Black Friday figures

French more optimistic about their purchasing power

• 49% of French people think their purchasing power will remain stable (11 points compared to 2023), and 13% even hope for an improvement (source: Ipsos for Rakuten France).

Average budget still high

• 388€: that's the average budget per consumer expected to be spent on Black Friday this year (source: Opinionway for Bonial).

A marked interest in bargains

• 59% of French people say they are actively looking for discounts (source: Ipsos for Rakuten France).
• 96% of consumers want to be informed of these offers, and 92% of them want to be informed by digital means: e-mail, banners on websites, online catalogs, etc. (Source: Opinionway).

Increase in online purchases

• Nearly 40% of spending takes place online during Black Friday (versus 21% the rest of the year) (Source: Kantar Worldpanel).
• 42% of French people plan to make their purchases exclusively on the Internet (source: Opinionway for Bonial).
• 53% of online purchases are made from a cell phone (source: Criteo)

Source: Etude - Les Français et le Black Friday, Opinionway for Bonial, 2024

Shopping in anticipation of the festive season

• More than 8 out of 10 French people plan to do their Christmas shopping on Black Friday. This is particularly the case for young people aged 16 to 34. 92% of them plan to buy on Black Friday, and 46% are already used to it. (Source: Rakuten and Ipsos).

Black Friday at Rakuten

Black Friday is a key event at Rakuten. It's the perfect opportunity for our sellers to boost their sales by reaching the many visitors to the marketplace. And for our customers, it's the perfect time to take advantage of great discounts while collecting maximum cashback.

Since 2018, sales on Rakuten during Black Friday have recorded average annual growth of 7 .3%. A number driven by ever-increasing numbers of customers and an ever-more varied offering. Today, over 200 million new and used products are sold on the marketplace by our 10,000 sellers. Our 15 million monthly visitors are delighted by this wide range of products.

The average shopping basket of our Rakuten customers during Black Friday is also growing, averaging 9 .3% per year. This trend is all the more marked among the 12 million members of our loyalty program, whose average basket is 40% higher than that of non-members.

Among our many categories, Electronics (computers, tablets, smartphones, etc.) was the best performer during the last Black Friday. The Books category (literature, manga, comics, e-books, e-readers...) is in second place.

Consumer expectations for Black Friday 2024

As with previous editions, this year the French are expecting great discounts, a wide choice of products and a smooth online shopping experience. They are particularly attentive to the following elements:

• Price : consumers are looking for the best prices and discounts.
• Product quality: Consumers are looking for quality products and reliable sellers. They pay particular attention to customer reviews.
• Additional offers: immediate promotions or cashback make your products even more attractive.
• Shopping path: a fluid, relatively short shopping path limits cart abandonment and guarantees maximum sales.
• Delivery options: consumers want to be delivered as quickly as possible, and pick up their purchases easily. Consider opting for express delivery to satisfy your most hurried customers. Offering click and collect or relay point delivery can also help you stand out from the competition.

The French compare prices on various online marketplaces, use price comparators and participate in bargain forums to make sure they don't miss out on the best deals.

At Rakuten, our sellers particularly stand out with two types of promotion:

• Discount coupons: for example, €15 free for every €100 purchase or more.
• Cashback with Rakuten Points: for example, 15% back into your kitty, to be used on Rakuten.

During Black Friday, these promotions can be combined to attract even more customers. If you're a Rakuten seller, talk to your E-Commerce Consultant! He'll help you set up the best promotions for your products and your strategy.

Five mistakes to avoid for a successful Black Friday

• Think sales only: keep your profits in mind. Big discounts can be a real asset, but not if they come at the expense of your margin.
• Not investing in visibility: competition is fierce during Black Friday, and it can be difficult to stand out on marketplaces. Consider investing in services that increase your visibility, such as Rakuten Ads.
• Not taking care of your ads: your product sheets are the first contact consumers have with your brand, and the reflection of the quality of your products. Make sure you take good care of them. Consult our checklist to find out more.
• Not knowing your consumers' expectations: your consumers have clear expectations for Black Friday (in terms of price, desired discounts, etc.). It's particularly important to know the specific expectations of your product category, so that you can position yourself in the best possible way.
• Poor stock anticipation: as you've seen, sales increase significantly during Black Friday. If you run out of stock prematurely, you'll miss out on many opportunities! Remember to check your stocks beforehand. Short on time? Outsource your logistics with a service like Rakuten Fulfillment Network!

by Haro Valentin

Tips for a successful e-commerce packaging

In e-commerce, product packaging plays a crucial role in the customer experience, especially on marketplaces. Find out in this article how successful packaging can help boost your sales.

Packaging, a decisive element in e-commerce

More than just a container, packaging represents the first point of physical contact between your brand and your customers. According to an Ipsos study, 72% of consumers say that packaging directly influences their purchasing decision (2023).

What's more, in a context where 52% of consumers say they have already switched brands because of disappointing packaging (Source: PackagingDigest, 2023), investment in good wrapping appears to be a necessity rather than an option.

Indeed, packaging that is attractive, functional and in line with your brand image can arouse the interest of your customers and win their loyalty. Conversely, poorly thought-out or poor-quality covering can damage brand perception and your conversion rate.

The keys to successful packaging

To design effective packaging, you need to define your target audience and persona. Do you really know your customers' expectations and preferences? This will enable you to orient your design and functionality choices to create wrapping that is both visually appealing and practical to use.

Pay particular attention to the following elements:

• Visual identity and design must be consistent with your brand. In fact, 67% of consumers are influenced by packaging design when shopping in-store (Source: Nielsen Global Survey, 2023).
• The choice of materials also plays an essential role in the perception of product quality. Thick cardboard or glass wrapping may suggest a high-end product, while thin plastic may give a lower-end impression.
• What's more, practical, functional packaging significantly enhances the user experience. Think of things like ease of opening and portability.
• Finally, legible information on the packaging reassures consumers and reinforces their confidence. Make sure that essential details, such as ingredients, instructions for use and nutritional information, are clearly visible.

Make sure these elements also appear directly on your product sheets, to capture your customers' attention and convince them to buy.

Current packaging trends

Consumers increasingly prefer recyclable and biodegradable packaging. In fact, 60-70% of consumers say they are willing to pay more for environmental-friendly package (Source: McKinsey Sustainability, 2023).

Brands that integrate recyclable materials, biodegradable packages, or reduce the use of plastic can not only attract more customers, but also strengthen their brand image.

At the same time, minimalist packaging is gaining in popularity, with clean, simple designs that convey an image of sophistication and modernity. Offering customized wrapping options, such as unique labels or special messages, helps to create a more personal connection with the customer.

What's more, integrating technologies such as QR codes can enrich the customer experience by providing additional information. More and more brands are using their packaging to tell the story of the product, from the source of the raw materials to the manufacturing process.

How does packaging influence customer loyalty?

Well-designed packaging not only attracts consumers' attention, it also plays a crucial role in building loyalty. A positive unpacking experience, marked by details such as personalized messages or free samples, can turn a simple purchase into a memorable experience.

For example, brands such as Apple and Glossier are famous for their unboxing experiences, which increase the perception of the product's value and strengthen the emotional connection with the customer.

Encouraging customers to share their unboxing experience on social networks can also increase brand visibility and help create a community of loyal customers.

Indeed, 55% of consumers are more likely to repurchase a brand after a positive unboxing experience. The recommendation rate also increases by 30% thanks to premium packaging (Source: Dotcom Distribution, 2023). Successful packing thus generates a positive domino effect, increasing customer loyalty and satisfaction.

Mistakes to avoid

To ensure that packaging has a positive impact on the customer experience, the following mistakes should be avoided:

• Over-packaging is a major concern: 78% of consumers believe that some brands use too much wrapping (Environmental Research Letters, 2023). This concern is both practical (having to remove three layers of wrapping is frustrating) and ethical (over-packaging is far from consistent with sustainable development).
• Inconsistency with the brand image can create confusion. It's crucial to maintain visual consistency with colors, logos and styles that are faithful to your brand identity.
• Complexity is another mistake to avoid. A package that is difficult to open or handle can turn a positive buying experience into a frustrating one.
• Non-compliance with environmental and safety standards should also be avoided. Using non-recyclable or polluting materials, or failing to comply with compliance rules, can seriously damage your brand image. It can also expose you to legal risks. On Rakuten, for example, safety instructions must be indicated on your productwrapping (age requirements, instructions for use, etc.).

By avoiding these mistakes, you can ensure that your packaging attracts and retains customers, while reinforcing your brand image.

by Haro Valentin

Ads in E-Commerce: How to Boost Sales during Black Friday

Black Friday has become a must-attend event for e-tailers. It represents a unique opportunity to boost sales and revenues. However, in an increasingly competitive online environment, it can be difficult for e-tailers to stand out from the crowd.

Whether you have an e-commerce site or sell through a marketplace, find out how simple and effective Ads formats can help you capture your customers' attention and maximize your sales during this key period.

The importance of being visible during Black Friday

In 2023, 72% of consumers chose to shop online for Black Friday (Salesforce, 2024). As the number of e-buyers continues to grow, there's no shortage of choice when it comes to e-commerce sites and marketplaces to turn to. The Fevad lists 152,000 active e-commerce sites in France, and the number is growing by around 10% every year.

Online visibility is therefore a crucial factor in standing out from the crowd and boosting sales. Implementing innovative advertising strategies is an excellent way of achieving this.

Three types of Ads to boost sales during Black Friday

Discover below three types of advertising you can use to capture the attention of your potential customers and convert them.

Countdown banners: create urgency

There's nothing like a countdown to trigger action! By displaying the time remaining for your coupons and promotions, countdown banners create a sense of urgency that drives users to make quick decisions. These banners are particularly effective because they exploit a powerful psychological lever: the fear of missing an opportunity.

To maximize their impact, it's essential to opt for an attractive design and a clear message. Use bright colors and powerful phrases such as "Last chance!" or "Don't miss out!

Don't hesitate to use the countdown format on your various communication channels: banners on your e-commerce or e-shop site, social networks, e-mails..

And make sure your banners are optimized for mobile devices. Indeed, 62% of French e-buyers make their purchases via their smartphones (source: Fevad).

Behind-the-Scenes format: Connecting with your audience

The Behind-the-Scenes format gives an authentic insight into your business, building trust and engagement. Share content showing the preparations for your Black Friday, for example. Think in particular about using short videos or stories on your social networks, to maximize the impact of this ad format.

The objective? Make a lasting impression by revealing the behind-the-scenes aspects of your business and demonstrating your know-how. Don't hesitate to adopt a personal tone and add a touch of humor to make your videos captivating!

This "inside" content humanizes your brand and creates an emotional connection with your audience. A good thing for both your brand image and your conversions. A Social Media Today study showed that this type of publication generates a 50% higher rate of engagement than traditional content.

Retargeting: boost your conversions

Retargeting involves targeting prospects who have already interacted with your store. Whether they've already added your products to their shopping cart or simply visited your e-commerce site, you can recontact them with personalized advertising and targeted offers. According to Google, it takes an average of 8 contact points to generate a conversion. A targeted, personalized follow-up is therefore essential to maximize your chances of converting these customers.

Using browsing data and purchase behavior data, you can deliver personalized ads to remind these visitors of the products they have viewed or added to their shopping cart.

At Rakuten, for example, our teams draw on their technical expertise to deliver retargeting actions that are as targeted and effective as possible. Our customers receive personalized reminder e-mails and push notifications when they have not finalized an order.

This strategy is particularly effective for customers who have abandoned their shopping carts. It keeps them interested, encourages them to return to your e-commerce site or e-shop and finalize their purchase.

Use eye-catching visuals and simple messages along the way. And don't forget to distribute these reminder ads across several channels: display, social networks, personalized e-mailing..

And on Rakuten? Our Ads to put your products in first position

Over 200 million products are sold on Rakuten by our 12,000 professional and numerous private sellers. So it can be hard to stand out from the crowd.

It was with this in mind that we developed our marketplace-integrated advertising solution, Rakuten Ads. This service enables your items to be positioned on certain keywords and thus to move up on search pages and product sheets.

Rakuten Ads are based on a cost-per-click system, meaning you only pay when a customer clicks on your ad. You can monitor the performance of your campaigns directly from your dashboard: impressions, clicks, conversions... all the indicators you need to adjust your strategy.

by Haro Valentin

Customer reviews and e-commerce: collecting, managing and distributing feedback

58% of French people say they consult customer reviews before making an e-commerce, marketplace or in-store purchase. Among 15-24 year-olds, 70% of buyers are even sensitive to online feedback (source: Toluna Harris Interactive for Fevad).

For Internet users, the presence of ratings and stars is now essential before making a purchasing decision. And for e-commerce sellers, these reviews have a considerable impact on product reliability, brand credibility and sales growth.

So how to best manage customer reviews in e-commerce? How can you collect, moderate and disseminate these reviews effectively, so as to benefit from positive spin-offs for your online store? Discover Rakuten's advice and the mistakes to avoid, to earn those (5) stars.

Customer reviews and e-commerce: how important are they?

How can you do without online reviews? Today, it's impossible. From star ratings to detailed comments, customer reviews are part of every buyer's shopping experience. Before making a purchasing decision, to compare several products or to ensure the reliability of an e-commerce site or marketplace seller, Internet users consult the feedback of their peers.

According to an IFOP study for Guest Suites (2023), 92% of French people no longer buy anything without consulting customer reviews. The priority for salespeople is therefore to collect, manage and disseminate these precious elements of customer satisfaction. And if you're still hesitating to do the same, here are the main benefits of customer reviews:

Increase buyer confidence

The presence of online reviews increases buyer confidence and reassurance. Even if the company or product you're looking for doesn't only have positive reviews. According to IFOP, 68% of customers don't trust an establishment with only positive reviews.

To win the trust of Internet users, it's essential to collect feedback. If some of them are negative, it doesn't have to be that way: respond to them publicly with kindness and empathy, apologize and get in direct contact with the buyer... So that they'll give you a "second chance to make a good first impression"!

Strengthen customer knowledge and continuous improvement

Whether it's product, brand or experience feedback (delivery, after-sales service, etc.), every customer feedback is a gold mine of information. By analyzing it, you can identify areas for improvement, complaint criteria and your own strengths. You improve customer knowledge, and take advantage of it to continuously improve your offers and the shopping experience.

Our advice? Create a ritual of analyzing customer reviews, at least once a month. Give priority to recurring remarks. For example, if delivery times are regularly criticized, take immediate action with your carrier. Conversely, if your product is regularly praised (for its comfort, ease of use, design, etc.), make sure you use these elements in your product sheets!

Improve sales and conversion rates

The presence of customer reviews on a product page (in e-commerce or marketplace) is a real growth driver: these ratings improve the sales and conversion rate of online stores. The presence of numerous positive customer reviews also helps reduce shopping cart abandonment.

Without these elements of social proof, it's difficult to attract consumers, reassure them and convince them. Conversely, the more reviews a brand and its products have, the greater the chances of a sale. All the more so if those reviews are positive!

According to McKinsey, online products with ratings between 3 and 4 stars (out of 5) achieve sales three times higher than products with only one star. The more positive the rating, the greater the impact on sales.

However, as we have seen, the collection of neutral or negative reviews is not fatal to growth. According to a Reevo study, the conversion rate increases by 67% in the presence of a negative review, if the seller responds and provides a solution.

Strengthen natural search engine optimization (SEO) and e-reputation

In addition to improving consumers' web experience, conversion rate, trust and customer knowledge, e-commerce reviews have a direct impact on SEO and e-reputation. Indeed, post-purchase reviews are natural referencing criteria taken into account by search engines such as Google.

These reviews are user-generated content that enhances the information and content already present on an e-commerce site or marketplace product sheet. They complement the "Rich Snippets" (link descriptions on search pages like Google), by directly displaying the rating and stars. The number of reviews, their recency and their positivity all contribute to increasing the visibility of e-tailers on search engines.

How do you collect, manage and distribute customer reviews?

Whether you run your own e-commerce site or sell through a marketplace, customer reviews are an essential metric. They showcase the quality of your services, and are an indispensable source of information for consumers. But before you can take advantage of their many positive impacts, you need to go through three stages: collecting, managing and distributing these online reviews.

1- Collecting user reviews

Collecting customer reviews is an essential step. To maximize your chances of obtaining post-purchase feedback, you can encourage customers to leave a web review. In fact, solicited reviews (as opposed to unsolicited reviews) are considered to be the best way to collect higher ratings: 4.34/5 on average for solicited reviews, compared with 3.89/5 for unsolicited reviews (source: ReviewTracker).

To solicit customer feedback on your e-commerce site or marketplace, you can :

• Integrate the review request directly into the shopping experience: for example, with a message displayed after checkout, to share feedback on the shopping experience.
• Send a request by e-mail or SMS just after the order has been delivered: ideal for obtaining feedback on the product(s) purchased.
• Send a satisfaction questionnaire 7 days after delivery, to gather overall feedback on the purchasing experience and product use.

To encourage consumers to leave a review (and boost the number of comments), you can also offer them a reward. At Rakuten, we offer cashback in the form of Rakuten Points to every customer who leaves a review on an order or a seller. The customer can then use this amount for future purchases on the platform. It's a simple way of boosting the number of reviews by offering buyers an attractive return. A win-win situation!

2- Manage, qualify and respond to customer reviews

After collecting customer reviews, the next step is to manage them. First of all, we would like to remind you that it is forbidden to delete reviews you don't like, unless they contain abusive or violent language, illegal content or are unreliable and linked to proof of purchase.

It's essential to analyze both positive and negative reviews: once collected, you'll be able to identify the main reasons for customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction, and better understand any glitches or nuggets.

For a low volume of comments, you can manage this analysis manually. For larger volumes, you can automate the qualification process, using Sentiment Analysis tools for example. These tools enable you to identify the intent of a review, by pinpointing recurring keywords, so you can continually improve the buying experience and the products offered for sale.

After this analysis and qualification phase, you must then respond to all the reviews you receive. Respond to them every day, so you can offer quick, responsive answers to web users. Keep your messages short, effective and friendly:

• Start by thanking the buyer for their review, whether positive or negative.
• In the case of positive feedback, create an additional positive interaction: for example, by openly telling them that their opinion means a lot to you, and that you hope they'll enjoy the products they've purchased.
• In the case of a negative review, offer a professional, solution-oriented response: for example, offer the buyer a refund, exchange or voucher. Always apologize for the unfortunate experience, and invite the consumer to continue the exchange live and in private.

To take customer relations even further, here's a bonus: activate the "Questions/Answers" feature on your Rakuten store. In addition to the reviews on a product page, Internet users can read questions from their peers, and the seller's answers. This tool provides valuable additional information, useful for boosting marketplace sales!

3- Optimize your distribution of customer reviews

Once collected and managed, the final step for your company is to distribute the reviews online. Obviously, product reviews have their place on the relevant product pages. But you can also relay the feedback you receive at different points on your e-commerce site (right from the home page).

And don't forget to highlight good reviews via your marketing and communication channels: e-mailing, social networks, SEA ads... Optimizing the distribution of these social proof elements will strengthen your credibility!

Customer reviews: 5 mistakes to avoid on your e-commerce site or marketplace

You now have all the tools you need to collect, manage and distribute customer reviews... But beware of these 5 mistakes, which can damage the shopping experience and your company's image:

1- Not soliciting reviews

As we saw in this article, solicited reviews are very popular, and provide better feedback than unsolicited reviews. 39% of French people even say they are encouraged to leave a post-purchase review when a brand sends them an e-mail (source: YouGov, 2022). Now you know what you have to do..

And remember, with Rakuten, your customers get cashback in exchange for their feedback!

2- Don't respond to reviews (or respond badly)

Failing to respond to reviews can damage your brand image and e-reputation. Internet users are sensitive to the commitment and consideration shown by sellers on e-commerce sites and platforms: so take the time to respond to all feedback received, whether positive or negative!

When drafting your responses, be sure to personalize your messages. Generic or automated responses should be avoided at all costs. Instead, write a unique response, mentioning the customer's name and thanking him or her personally.

3- Publish fake web reviews

The legal framework surrounding customer reviews is strict: be careful not to break the law! For example, you don't have the right to delete negative reviews that you don't like, in order to publish only positive reviews, and thus artificially boost your online reputation. You're not allowed to publish fake reviews either: that would lead to legal sanctions. Worse still, such actions destroy buyer confidence.

4- Failing to improve service after responding

Imagine a dissatisfied customer to whom you reply: "We're aware of the problem. We'll take care of everything" ... Without ever taking any action to actually deal with the problem.

The customer remains dissatisfied, and you lose any chance of making up for the bad experience. To avoid this scenario, here's our advice: with every review you receive, demonstrate continuous improvement, at every level of the buying journey (payment experience, delivery, product quality, customer service, etc.). Then provide concrete evidence to dissatisfied users, to show that you're taking their word into consideration.

5- Not valuing web reviews

Every positive review you receive is a golden opportunity to promote your brand and your products: when implementing your marketing strategy, always integrate the dissemination of user feedback across your various channels.

Newsletters and e-mails, SEO and SEA ads, publications on social networks... Your online reviews can also be useful for boosting your sales, during the major commercial holidays. To find out when to use brand and product reviews effectively, check out our calendar of e-commerce highlights.

by Haro Valentin

Self-Service in E-commerce: A Powerful Asset for Boosting Customer Relationships

94% of French people want to solve their own problems (source: Yext study, 2023). Today's e-buyers want to find accessible answers in just a few clicks, whatever the time of day or day. Traditional customer services are hardly capable of such responsiveness, but fortunately there is a solution: self-service. Find out in this article about the benefits of self-service tools, and how to set them up easily.

What is self-service?

Self-service refers to all the tools that enable your customers to find precise and immediate answers to their questions themselves . Self-care complements your customer service, giving it greater responsiveness and autonomy.

What are the advantages of self-service?

For your customers, an immediate response at any time

It's Saturday night, 10pm. One of your customers is trying to place an order on your e-commerce site. Unfortunately, his credit card is not recognized. Confused, he tries to find a solution, but it's impossible for him to reach your customer service department at this hour. The customer leaves his browser and abandons his shopping cart in frustration.

This situation could have been avoided with a self-service solution. By enabling your customers to find the answer to their questions at any time, you limit their frustration. In fact, 39% of customers consider it a priority to get an answer the first time they call (source: Qualimétrie, 2022).

Even if this response has to be supplemented by customer service support, the user at least has a way forward.

For your teams, time saved for other tasks

Self-service also relieves your teams of generic, repetitive questions. "How do I return an order?", "My card is not recognized" - these problems often lead to the same answer, wasting precious time.

The time your customer service department saves on these questions can be reinvested in dealing with more specific problems.

And as a salesperson, you know it: every time you save on ancillary tasks, you can focus on your core business: selling.

How do you implement a self-service solution?

There areseveral options for implementing a self-service solution:

Set up a FAQ

A Frequently Asked Question, or FAQ, is a section of your e-commerce site (or your e-shop on the marketplace of your choice) dedicated to recurring questions.

Here are a few points to bear in mind when setting up an effective FAQ:

• Easy access : include links to this FAQ on every page of your site.
• Short, pertinent answers: give the key to the problem in a few words. If your customers want to dig deeper into certain questions, you can always include a link to a more detailed page.
• Exhaustiveness: make sure you cover all your customers' recurring questions.

Create a customer forum

This more interactive solution enables your customers to ask their questions directly on your site. Other users can then respond and share their own experiences. When your customer service department is available, it can then take over and provide more precise answers.

The customer forum solution has the advantage of interactivity. However, it requires customers who are ready to interact on the forum. What's more, it requires technical resources for implementation and a team dedicated to forum moderation (to sort through posts, respond to comments, etc.). So it's not the best solution if you're working with a small team.

Implementing a chatbot

A chatbot is a virtual assistant that helps your customers find their answers. There are three types of chatbot:

• Simple chatbots: they operate according to predefined scripts, often based on keywords or suggested queries. These are the simplest and least expensive to set up, but lack flexibility.
• Intelligent chatbots: these are based on machine learning and natural language processing. They are capable of analyzing the intention behind messages and providing a highly personalized response to the interlocutor.
• Hybrid chatbots: these combine the functionalities of simple and hybrid chatbots. They first use AI to identify the query, before redirecting the interlocutor to a script or human customer service.

At Rakuten, our Yuki customer chatbot combines these three approaches and is evolving every day. Today, it relies on Large Language Models (LLM) to offer increasingly personalized responses to customers. The ultimate goal? To turn it into a complete virtual assistant, capable of complementing our human approach to provide the best answers, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

Self-service, a complementary approach to human relations

Self-care tools are an invaluable asset in your e-commerce strategy, but they must not replace human customer service. At Rakuten, we're convinced that the human relationship must remain at the heart of interactions between customer and salesperson.

That's why our marketplace offers complete, dedicated customer service support for our sellers. We provide them with specific tools for their online store. And as a seller on Rakuten, you benefit from significant support via our internal messaging system, to help you manage and optimize your after-sales service.

Your customers need to feel listened to, unique. They need to understand that their satisfaction is your team's priority. So always keep in mind the balance between human support and self-care.

For example, you can integrate into your FAQ or chatbot the possibility of making an appointment with a member of your customer service team.

by Haro Valentin

Rakuten Worldfirst partnership: Why a multi-currency account is the answer to your international payments

Selling on marketplaces sometimes means you can be dealing with buyers from different countries and getting paid in various currencies. When you’re juggling different overseas bank accounts, worrying about exchange rates and facing delays in accessing your funds, this can affect your business operations.

What if there was a simpler, more efficient way to handle it all?

The power of a multi-currency account

Imagine having a single account where you can receive, hold and manage payments in multiple currencies, without having to constantly convert funds or pay unnecessary fees. Whether you’re paid in euros, dollars or yen, you can keep your funds in the currency you receive them in, giving you flexibility and control over when to convert or withdraw your money.

This kind of multi-currency management provides a real advantage as a seller when it comes to improving your cash flow, reducing exchange rate risk and making easy, fast and secure payments to suppliers around the world.

The World Account, your all-in-one solution

That’s exactly what the World Account offers. It’s designed to meet the needs of marketplace sellers looking to expand globally. With a World Account, you can:

Open 20+ local currency accounts

Collect your earnings from your Ratuken sales in local currencies without worrying about conversion fees. Your money goes straight into your account, and you can see all your earnings in different currencies in one central dashboard. Plus, it takes just minutes to open an account in the currency you need, no overseas address needed.

Hold and convert funds when it suits you

Instead of converting your earnings immediately, you can hold them in their original currency and wait until the exchange rate is in your favour to either convert them between your currency accounts or withdraw them home.

Manage multiple currencies in one place

No more juggling different bank accounts in different countries. The World Account allows you to receive and hold multiple currencies and use your balance to pay suppliers globally or make transfers.

Faster payments, better cash flow

One of the biggest benefits of the World Account is how quickly you can access your marketplace earnings. Your local currency accounts rely on domestic networks, not international ones, meaning payments take minutes or hours, rather than days, to arrive.

In terms of business operations, this allows you to reinvest in your business more quickly, pay suppliers on time or simply have the funds accessible when you need them.

Save on fees and exchange rates

Traditional banks often charge high fees for international payments, not to mention receiving fees and a currency conversion margin. Often, these fees aren’t transparent so you may not even be aware how much you’re being charged. With a World Account, you not only save on these charges, but you also benefit from competitive exchange rates. This means you keep more of your hard-earned profits and avoid losing money to unnecessary fees.

It's free to receive payments with a World Account, and all fees are clearly stated so you know exactly what you’re paying when you’re transferring funds to suppliers.

Financial stability and flexibility

A multi-currency account can also help protect your business from sudden changes in exchange rate. When you can hold funds in different currencies, you won’t need to worry about losing money when currencies fluctuate, giving you more stability and control over your profits.

Additionally, being able to use local currencies in key markets can give you an advantage over competitors. Customers appreciate the option to pay in their own currency, while you can strengthen relationships with suppliers by paying them in their preferred currency.

Ultimately, a multi-currency account empowers businesses to operate more efficiently on a global scale and stay competitive in the marketplace.

Ratuken has partnered with WorldFirst to offer Ratuken sellers a €49 monthly credit towards the Ratuken Expert Package for up to six months, when you open a World Account. Find out more here.

by Haro Valentin

Customer Satisfaction: How to Maximize It in E-Commerce

Customer satisfaction measures a consumer's satisfaction with a product, a service or, in a broader sense, a shopping experience. This metric is crucial for e-commerce. Find out why this is the case and how you can maximize it!

Why should you pay attention to customer satisfaction?

Customer satisfaction as a performance indicator

Customer satisfaction is a key performance indicator (KPI) in e-commerce. It directly reflects the quality of your products, but also of your entire interaction with customers (purchase path, customer service, etc.).

Measuring customer satisfaction allows you to understand your current performance or that of the near past, but also to anticipate it. This indicator can provide you with information about your customers' future actions: purchase intentions, word-of-mouth, etc

It is also an excellent way to differentiate yourself from the competition.

Maximize customer satisfaction to retain customers

If you also provide a satisfying user experience, you encourage your customers to buy from you again. A strategy that pays off for several reasons:

• The cost of retaining a customer to your business is estimated to be five times lower than the cost of acquiring the same customer.
• Your loyal customers are more likely to increase their average shopping cart. At Rakuten, our loyalty program members spend on average 40% more than non-members.
• A shopper who is already familiar with your products and shopping journey is more likely to complete their order, reducing cart abandonment.

Even if you sell products where the average purchase frequency is lower (e.g. large household appliances), you should maximize your customer satisfaction. If your customers are happy with their experience, they can spread positive word of mouth and attract new buyers.

How can you measure customer satisfaction in e-commerce?

Measure customer satisfaction with the CSAT

The CSAT, an acronym for Customer SATisfaction, is a score calculated from questionnaires sent to your customers. These are usually questionnaires with only one question and a limited range of answers. An example of a questionnaire could be:

"Are you satisfied with your purchase?" where the possible answers include the following:

• " Yes " or " No "
• A rating scale (e.g. from 1 to 5 or from 0 to 10)
• A satisfaction scale ("Very satisfied", "Satisfied", "Neutral", "Not satisfied", "Not at all satisfied").

To calculate the CSAT score, the number of positive responses is then compared with the total number of responses:

CSAT = (number of positive responses/number of total responses) x 100

The advantage of this indicator is its simplicity. With just one question, you increase the likelihood that your customers will answer your questionnaire. It is also easy to apply to different types of products.

On the other hand, the CSAT lacks detail : you know the percentage of dissatisfied customers, but you don't know why. Fortunately, there are other tools that can provide you with this information.

Measuring customer satisfaction with the Net Promotor Score

The Net Promotor Score measures the likelihood that a customer will recommend your products to others. It is based on a score from 0 (not at all likely) to 10 (very likely) that the customer gives in response to the question "Would you recommend our product to a relative?"

A distinction is then made between three categories:

• Critics (score between 0 and 6): dissatisfied customers who could damage your image
• Passives (score 7 or 8): satisfied but unenthusiastic customers
• Promoters (score 9 or 10): very satisfied and loyal customers who are involved in the development of your company

Calculation of the Net Promotor Score

The NPS score is then calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. Example:

Out of 18 customers surveyed, 3 gave a score between 0 and 6, 10 gave a score of 7 or 8 and 5 gave a score of 9 or 10, so there are :

• 3/18 = 17% Critics ;
• 10/18 = 55% passives ;
• 5/18 = 28% supporters.

Your NPS is then 28 - 17 = 11

Interpretation of the Net Promotor Score

An NPS of over 0 is considered a correct promoter score. The number of customers who are willing to recommend your products to others exceeds the number of customers who spread negative word of mouth. However, be sure to take these critics into account, as they can severely damage your reputation.

An NPS of over 50 is a very good score, indicating a strong bond with your brand and a high level of loyalty. You are on the right track!

To obtain a more representative result, you can add further data to your calculation of the Net Promotor Score. Do you count more critics among certain groups of buyers? Are there an unusually high number of promoters for certain products? The possibilities are endless.

Measure customer satisfaction based on user reviews

The reviews that your customers leave on your website are a valuable source of information. Take the time to analyze these opinions and understand possible points of friction that emerge from the comments. Pay particular attention to recurring comments, as they often indicate an underlying problem.

However, be careful not to rely on this indicator alone. The majority are often silent and will not leave a review even if their experience is negative. Conversely, some comments written in the heat of the moment may exaggerate the actual problems. So be sure to maintain a critical approach and always supplement your analysis with other indicators.

Also remember to respond to your customer reviews! They are important signals that are sent to your other customers. 58% of French people and 70% of 15-24 year olds say they consult a customer review before making a purchase (source: Fevad 2024). A negative comment that remains unanswered is a bad signal for your potential buyers.

How to maximize customer satisfaction in e-commerce?

To guarantee your customers the best experience, you should pay attention to a few key points:

High quality products at the right price

This is the first parameter you should consider. Make sure you offer quality products with a good value proposition. Your products must meet the needs of your customers. To do this, it is necessary to address the right target groups. Define your target customers and develop an effective pricing strategy that will help you stand out from the crowd.

Pay attention to all aspects of your products (ease of use, durability, packaging...), nothing should be left to chance.

An intuitive customer journey

Nothing is more frustrating for a shopper than having to go through many tedious steps before they can finalize their order. A smooth customer journey is a key element to your success in e-commerce.

Whether you're selling on e-commerce or through a marketplace, make sure to make the purchase path as clear as possible. Add visual cues, reduce the number of redundant steps.

The quality of your product sheets is particularly important for this. Is all product information accurate and up to date? Are the call-to-actions easily recognizable? Does your index card contain customer reviews?

Efficient deliveries

Once your buyers have ordered their product, they can hardly wait to receive it. Excessively long delivery times, incorrect deliveries or lost parcels have a major impact on your customers' experience. With a fast and efficient logistics service, you can keep this friction to a minimum.

Also pay attention to your shipping costs ! 62% of e-shoppers abandon their order if the shipping costs are too high (source: Sendcloud study, 2023). So make sure that you offer reasonable costs that still allow you a sufficient profit margin.

Good customer service

Even with the best store and the best delivery service, mistakes happen and your customers may encounter problems. 5 out of 10 French shoppers contact customer service if they have a question or an update on their order or delivery (source: Essendex, 2023). So you need to make sure you have effective customer service to stand out from the crowd.

Pay particular attention to the following points:

• Responsiveness: this is the priority for 39% of e-commerce shoppers (source: Qualimetrie, 2022). Your support must respond quickly and accurately to your customers' requests.
• Personalization: No one wants to be seen as a mere number. Your customers need to feel listened to, recognized and, above all, unique! Make sure you always mention their name and offer them personalized services in return. Retrieving accurate data about your customers (purchase history, preferences, etc.) allows you to respond precisely to their needs.
• Customer autonomy tools : Most of the time, your customers will want to find the answers to their problems themselves. Make sure you offer a comprehensive FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) listing recurring requests. Your customers will save time and your teams can focus on more complex problems. A win-win situation for everyone!

Apart from solving problems, your customer service is the direct link to your customers. It is therefore the reflection of your company to them. Returns management, collecting customer opinions, creating exclusive offers and promotions... each of these steps can help you stand out from the crowd and increase your customer satisfaction!

Rakuten France, a platform at the service of customer satisfaction

As you will have understood, customer satisfaction in e-commerce must be at the top of your list of priorities. At Rakuten, this is one of our core commitments and we strive every day to improve shoppers' experiences. Learn how Rakuten can help you maximize your customer satisfaction:

An intuitive and well-rehearsed shopping journey

Rakuten offers its buyers a seamless shopping journey. On our Marketplace, each product card contains all of our sellers' listings for a specific item. An efficient way for a buyer to compare prices without having to leave the product card. The customer can then add the items of their choice to their shopping cart and submit their order with just a few clicks.

Our platform benefits from the many years of expertise of our teams. What is our goal? To deliver an optimal user experience. And our 13 million loyal shoppers have understood that.

As a seller, you have the opportunity to create your own e-shop on our platform to keep control of your brand image and personalize your customer journey.

Support from your customer service

Rakuten offers its sellers comprehensive and dedicated customer service support. If you are a seller on our platform, we provide you with a range of dedicatedtools for your online store.

You also receive first-class support thanks to the internal messaging service, which helps you manage and optimize your customer service.

Rakuten Fulfillment Network, for efficient omnichannel logistics

Finally, our Rakuten Fulfillment Network service allows e-commerce merchants to outsource all their logistics tasks: packing orders, managing returns, monitoring stock levels... we take care of everything!

With this service, you benefit from :

• Lower logistics costs thanks to our fixed price. Our customers save an average of 25% on their logistics costs;
• A flexible service for customized logistics;
• A centralized area to manage all your logistics with just a few clicks;
• A high-quality service for your customers through fast deliveries and efficient returns management. 99.8% of orders received before 2pm are delivered within 24 hours.

by Haro Valentin

Barcodes: Why They Matter in E-Commerce

Whether you're buying or selling a book, a telephone case or a vacuum cleaner... All these products have one thing in common: the presence of a barcode. Also known as barcodes, these symbols are made up of lines, spaces, characters and numbers. Ubiquitous in our daily lives, they are also indispensable in e-commerce, particularly for selling your products online on a marketplace like Rakuten.

In this article, we explore the crucial importance of barcodes, how they work and how to use them. Do you want to sell your products online? Then this article is for you!

What is a barcode?

Barcode definition

Bar codes are printed on product packaging. It consists of thin parallel bars that allow data to be identified and displayed using an optical scanner. This data is used for information and marketing purposes, to track the traceability of a product throughout the supply chain (procurement, inventory management, in-store or online purchase tracking, etc.).

The code is materialized by a series of 13 digits and is known as the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN). In other words, this code is a product's identity card. Thanks to this unique codification, all product information can be identified: composition, country of manufacture, manufacturer's identity..

For the record, the barcode turns 70 in 2022! The first patent was filed in 1952 by two American engineers seeking to automate the registration of manufacturers' products. Twenty years later, the technology was developed for a first development in supermarkets. The first deployment was in supermarkets. And today, the barcode is also indispensable in e-commerce and virtual marketplaces like Rakuten. But you still need to know how it works..

How a barcode works

Let's start by deciphering the composition of a GTIN/EAN (European Article Numbering) barcode: this is the most common type of barcode, used for products sold internationally.

The first digits generally indicate the product's country of manufacture (or, in some cases, the country where the company's head office is located). The 3rd to 7th digits indicate the manufacturer number. The 8th to 12th digits indicate the item number. Then the last digit represents the check digit confirming the barcode.

Among the best-known barcodes are :

• UPC barcodes: mainly used in North America.
• 128 barcodes: used for logistics and internal tracking, they include silence sections, a start character, an FNC1 function code, a control character and an end character.
• 39 barcodes: used for marking medicines and certain industrial products. These codes can be up to 43 characters long, with symbols at the beginning and end.

Scanners read and interpret these number sequences, to track the traceability of an item. But do you know why this data is important, especially for e-tailers?

The importance of barcodes in e-commerce

Here are the advantages of barcodes:

• Precise, rapid stock tracking : thanks to these symbols on products, you can improve your inventory management. This helps reduce human error and improve internal efficiency.
• Better management of shipments: by facilitating product traceability (from the warehouse to the end consumer), barcodes enable better management of returns or complaints.
• Speeding up the logistics process: using a barcode is particularly useful for limiting data-entry errors and speeding up the sales process (and time-to-market!), especially on a marketplace like Rakuten. Barcodes provide information almost instantaneously, without the need for research. It also makes restocking easier.
• Enhanced compliance: barcodes are a lever in the fight against fraud, as the system prevents embezzlement. E-merchants who buy their products from suppliers can have better control over what they buy.
• Improved natural referencing: Google considers the GTIN/EAN to be a unique key for verifying product identification. By adding this barcode to the product data sheets on your e-commerce site or marketplace, Google enhances the referencing of your products. Internet users will find them more easily. Practical for boosting your online sales!
• Increased customer loyalty: this barcode system has enabled the development of loyalty cards, initially in physical stores, but now also online. Thanks to barcode data tracking, online stores can keep track of shoppers' preferences, and offer them personalized loyalty operations (such as promotional codes).

Let's find out how to use this coded system to sell your products in the marketplace.

Using barcodes on marketplaces

Would you like to sell your products on a marketplace like Rakuten, targeting 13 million regular buyers? The presence of a barcode on your items is essential. In terms of standards and requirements, marketplaces like Rakuten France require a unique GTIN/EAN barcode for each product. This is a security feature, to guarantee the precise identification of products and verify their authenticity. In this way, we can protect buyers from counterfeit products and guarantee the quality of their purchases.

What's more, the use of barcodes can improve the SEO and visibility of your products on the platform: ideal for increasing sales and boosting your growth!

They can also improve product catalog management, by grouping similar offers from different sellers on the same product sheet. Internet users benefit from a better user experience: they can compare prices and purchase options, before making their decision.

So, are you ready to take action? Here are a few tips for getting started on a marketplace like Rakuten:

Tips to add barcodes on a marketplace

• When creating your product listing, you'll need to enter a product code such as EAN/UPC/ISBN (GTIN), depending on the type of product concerned.
  
• If your item doesn't have a barcode, it's possible that the database of products available on Rakuten contains an identical item. Use the "Search" function to find it. If you find this item in the results, open the file, check that it's exactly the same product you're selling, then click on "Sell yours". Be sure to comment on any differences with the description in the listing.
• If your barcode is not recognized when you enter it, try entering all the digits without spaces or dashes. For CDs, DVDs and video games, the code is a unique number, often with 13 digits. If there are only 12, add a 0 at the beginning. For books, an ISBN number and an EAN13 code can be found on the back or inside the book. Rakuten is able to recognize both: enter one or the other, without spaces or hyphens.

To create product sheets that convert, filling in the barcode is the first step. Now discover the next steps. Here are the 17 criteria for creating high-performance product sheets:

How do I create a barcode?

Step 1: become a GS1 member

To create a barcode for one of your products, you must first become a member of GS1 France. This non-profit organization is responsible for allocating barcodes in France. Once on the GS1 website, fill in the form with your details (business e-mail, company details, etc.).

Depending on your turnover, you'll then have to pay a registration fee to be able to register your barcodes. These fees include:

• An entry fee, paid on registration.
• An annual fee, paid each year. Membership is renewed by tacit agreement. If you no longer wish to use barcodes, you can

The membership fee depends on your company's sales. For example, it is :

• 99 € for annual sales of less than €50,000 (then €99 each year) ;
• 177 for annual sales between €500,000 and €1 million (then €177 each year)

Good news: this fee is fixed, regardless of the number of barcodes generated. Even if your catalog is very extensive, you'll pay the same price.

Step 2: Use a barcode generator

Once you've finalized your membership, all that's left to do is generate your barcode. First, choose the type of barcode that best suits your needs. For sales in Europe, the most common format is EAN-13.

Then go to one of the many barcode generators available online. You'll then need to enter a GTIN code created by GS1. You can generate these codes from your customer area on this platform. Once the code has been generated, you can download it and use it on the e-commerce site or marketplace of your choice. And that's it!

Good to know: GS1 France offers its own barcode generator. Handy for retrieving the information you need directly!

Use barcodes to sell on Rakuten

Now you know the definition, operation and use of a barcode in e-commerce or marketplace. A veritable identity card for an item, this type of code is essential for efficient management of your e-shop. Not only does it ensure product traceability and authentication, it also enables you to better manage your product inventory,improve your online natural referencing and optimize the user experience.

On a platform like Rakuten, the presence of a barcode on your items is mandatory. Far from being a constraint, this system is actually beneficial for our 7,000 professional sellers: once the barcode of their products has been entered on their e-shop, they can sell their products to Rakuten's 13 million loyal and regular buyers.

Would you like to increase your sales easily? Join our marketplace today:

by Haro Valentin