[Must-See for Beginners] What are Rakuten Ichiba Opening Fees and Costs? Thorough Explanation from Initial Costs to Monthly Fixed Costs

When considering opening a store on Rakuten Ichiba, the biggest concern is the cost structure of "how much will it cost in total". Rakuten Ichiba's fee system is a complex combination of not only fixed costs but also variable costs linked to sales, and accurately grasping these is the first step to EC business success. In this article, we will thoroughly explain from initial costs to monthly fixed costs, and system usage fees that are often overlooked, from a professional perspective.

1. Rakuten Ichiba Opening Cost: 3 Basic Structures

Rakuten Ichiba's costs are broadly divided into a 3-layer structure of 'Initial Cost', 'Monthly Fixed Cost', and 'System Usage Fee (Variable Cost)'. Many beginners tend to focus only on the monthly opening fee, but in reality, costs that vary according to sales scale have a major impact on profit margins.

• Initial Registration Fee: 60,000 yen (excluding tax) is required for all plans.
• Monthly Store Fee: Varies depending on the selected plan (Ganbare!, Standard, Mega Shop).
• System Usage Fee: A few percent (about 2.0% - 7.0%) is charged against monthly sales.

2. By Plan: Comparison of Monthly Fixed Costs

Rakuten Ichiba has multiple plans tailored to the business phase. The most common 'Standard Plan' is 50,000 yen per month, but the 'Ganbare! Plan' for test marketing can start from 19,500 yen per month. However, caution is required regarding the trade-off relationship where plans with lower fixed costs have higher system usage fees (sales commission).

3. Breakdown of 'System Usage Fee' Linked to Sales

This is the most complex point. In Rakuten Ichiba, the following costs occur as 'System Usage Fee' in addition to the monthly store opening fee.

1. System Usage Fee: 2.0% - 7.0% of sales (depending on plan and sales amount)
2. Rakuten Point Fund: 1.0% of sales (principle)
3. Safety Improvement Fund in Mall: 0.1% of sales
4. Settlement Fee (Rakuten Pay): About 2.5% - 3.5% of sales

Adding these up, it is calculated that about 10% to 15% of sales are deducted as expenses. When handling products with low profit margins, pricing that takes this variable cost into consideration is essential.

4. Cost Simulation Conscious of Break-even Point

Success in Rakuten Ichiba lies not just in increasing sales but in 'retaining operating profit'. Before investing in advertising costs (RPP ads, etc.), first organize fixed costs and variable costs in a MECE (mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive) manner and calculate your company's break-even point (BEP). In particular, the timing for switching to the Standard Plan is said to be around 1.3 million yen in monthly sales.