Rakuten Violation Point System: Complete List and Countermeasures

WRITTEN BY

Risa Watanabe

Senior Consultant

Meets Consulting Inc.

When operating on Rakuten Market, the "violation point system" is unavoidable. This system maintains platform integrity, but if you don't accurately understand the details,unintentional violations can cause search rankings to plummet or, in the worst case, result in store removalthere is a risk of being driven into that situation. In this article, we classify Rakuten's violation point system using MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive) analysis and thoroughly explain specific measures to protect store operations.

1. Overview and Mechanism of Rakuten's Violation Point System

Rakuten's violation point system adds points based on the severity of violations against store regulations and guidelines. Points accumulate from January 1 to December 31, and increasingly severe sanctions are imposed when exceeding certain thresholds. This governance-focused system applies equally to all stores.

Particularly noteworthy is that "I didn't know" is not an acceptable excuse. Missing RMS notifications and leaving them unaddressed can accumulate points until it's too late. Regular regulation checks and risk hedging are essential.

2. MECE Classification List of Violation Items

Penalty severity escalates with accumulated points: minor violations (1-3 points) result in warnings and temporary search ranking reduction; moderate accumulation (4-7 points) triggers mandatory training sessions and extended ranking penalties; severe accumulation (8+ points) can result in store suspension or permanent removal from the platform.

• Legal Compliance: Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act violations, Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations violations (unfair dual pricing), and copyright/trademark infringement.
• Transaction Safety: Sale of counterfeit products, handling prohibited items, improper personal information management (data leak risk).
• Store Operation Integrity: Unfair cancellations, review manipulation (fake reviews), and excessive point multiplier fraud.
• System Terms of Use: Inappropriate redirection to external sites (direct links), unauthorized RMS access, and terms of use violations.

3. Penalties by Accumulated Points (Sanctions)

Proactive risk management involves: (1) Regular compliance audits — reviewing all listings monthly against current Rakuten guidelines; (2) Staff training — ensuring all team members understand violation categories and consequences; (3) Automated monitoring — using tools to flag potential violations before they are reported; and (4) Rapid response protocols — addressing any flagged issues within 24 hours.

4. Risk Management to Prevent Violations Proactively

To prevent violations proactively, establishing internal guidelines and conducting regular training for all staff involved in store operations is essential. Common violation triggers include product descriptions that don't match actual products, unauthorized use of brand logos, and failure to display required legal disclaimers.

Implementing a "pre-publication checklist" system—where product pages are reviewed against Rakuten's guidelines before going live—can dramatically reduce violation risks. Additionally, maintaining a log of past violations and their resolutions serves as a valuable training resource for new team members and helps prevent recurring offenses.