Rakuten Technology Intelligence

What is Rakuten?

Rakuten Advertising is a global affiliate marketing network connecting brands with publishers, influencers, and content creators who promote products for commission-based compensation. As one of the largest affiliate networks worldwide, Rakuten provides the infrastructure for performance-based partnerships where advertisers pay only when desired actions occur, typically sales or leads.

The platform connects two sides of the affiliate ecosystem. Advertisers (brands and retailers) list their affiliate programs with commission structures and promotional materials. Publishers (website owners, bloggers, influencers) join programs and promote products to their audiences using tracked links. When purchases occur through these links, publishers earn commissions and Rakuten facilitates the tracking and payment.

Rakuten's network includes major global brands across retail, travel, finance, and technology. The scale of the network means publishers can find relevant programs for their audiences. Premium publisher relationships provide advertisers access to quality traffic sources. Network effects benefit both sides through this marketplace model.

Advanced tracking and attribution ensure accurate crediting of conversions. Cross-device tracking follows consumers across phones, tablets, and computers. Cookieless tracking methods address privacy changes. Attribution windows can be customized per program. This tracking accuracy maintains trust between advertisers and publishers.

Detection of Rakuten on a website indicates participation in affiliate marketing either as advertiser or publisher. Organizations using Rakuten leverage performance-based partnerships for customer acquisition or monetization. The presence suggests mature affiliate marketing operations with professional network participation.

Rakuten Platform Features

Affiliate Network: Global marketplace connecting advertisers and publishers. Thousands of advertiser programs available. Quality publishers across verticals. Network effects provide scale and selection.

Tracking Technology: Accurate conversion attribution across devices. Server-to-server tracking for reliability. Cookieless tracking methods available. Custom attribution windows. Tracking integrity maintains network trust.

Commission Management: Flexible commission structures configurable. Product-level commission rates. Customer type-based commissions. Performance bonuses for top publishers. Commission management handles complexity.

Publisher Tools: Link generation and management. Product feeds for catalog integration. Creative assets from advertisers. Reporting dashboards for performance. Publisher tools enable effective promotion.

Advertiser Tools: Program management interfaces. Publisher recruitment and approval. Promotional asset distribution. Performance analytics and reporting. Fraud protection and compliance.

Payment Processing: Automated payment to publishers. Multiple payment methods supported. Currency handling for global publishers. Payment processing at scale.

Reporting and Analytics: Performance dashboards for both sides. Conversion funnel visibility. Publisher performance comparison. Program optimization insights.

Rakuten Use Cases

E-commerce Affiliate Programs: Online retailers acquire customers through affiliates. Publishers promote products for commissions. Performance-based model reduces acquisition risk. E-commerce brands scale through affiliate channel.

Content Monetization: Bloggers and publishers monetize audiences. Product recommendations earn commissions. Content aligns with audience interests. Monetization complements advertising revenue.

Influencer Partnerships: Influencers earn through affiliate relationships. Commission incentivizes authentic promotion. Performance tracking measures influencer value. Influencer marketing becomes performance-based.

Coupon and Deal Sites: Deal aggregators list promotional offers. Commissions earned on redeemed deals. High-intent traffic converts well. Deal sites provide volume for advertisers.

Loyalty Programs: Cashback and loyalty programs built on affiliate infrastructure. Members earn rewards on purchases. Rakuten's own cashback service operates this way. Loyalty mechanics drive repeat purchases.

Travel and Finance: High-value verticals with significant commissions. Travel bookings and credit card signups tracked. Lead generation for financial products. Premium categories justify network participation.

Rakuten Integration Examples

Publisher Link Integration

<!-- Basic affiliate link -->
<a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=PUBLISHER_ID&mid=MERCHANT_ID&murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.merchant.com%2Fproduct">
    Product Name
</a>

<!-- Link with sub-tracking -->
<a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=PUBLISHER_ID&mid=MERCHANT_ID&u1=article123&murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.merchant.com%2Fproduct">
    Product Name
</a>

Conversion Tracking (Advertiser)

<!-- Order confirmation page tracking pixel -->
<img src="https://track.linksynergy.com/order?merchantname=MERCHANT_NAME&mid=MERCHANT_ID&ord=ORDER_ID&cur=USD&skulist=SKU1|SKU2&qlist=1|2&amtlist=29.99|49.99&namelist=Product1|Product2"
     width="1" height="1" border="0" />

<!-- JavaScript tracking -->
<script>
    var sale = {
        mid: 'MERCHANT_ID',
        ord: 'ORDER_ID',
        tr: 'TRACKING_ID',
        currency: 'USD',
        skulist: 'SKU1|SKU2',
        qlist: '1|2',
        amtlist: '29.99|49.99'
    };
    // Rakuten tracking code processes sale object
</script>

Product Feed Integration

<!-- Rakuten product feed format -->
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<merchandiser>
    <product>
        <sku>SKU12345</sku>
        <name>Product Name</name>
        <description>Product description here</description>
        <price>99.99</price>
        <saleprice>79.99</saleprice>
        <currency>USD</currency>
        <category>Electronics > Headphones</category>
        <imageurl>https://merchant.com/images/product.jpg</imageurl>
        <producturl>https://merchant.com/product/12345</producturl>
        <instock>yes</instock>
    </product>
</merchandiser>

Publisher API Usage

const axios = require('axios');

// Rakuten Publisher API
const rakutenApi = axios.create({
    baseURL: 'https://api.rakutenmarketing.com',
    headers: {
        'Authorization': `Bearer ${ACCESS_TOKEN}`
    }
});

// Get available merchants
const getMerchants = async () => {
    const response = await rakutenApi.get('/advertisersearch/1.0', {
        params: {
            category: 'electronics',
            keyword: 'headphones'
        }
    });
    return response.data.result;
};

// Get product links
const getProductLinks = async (merchantId) => {
    const response = await rakutenApi.get('/productsearch/1.0', {
        params: {
            mid: merchantId,
            keyword: 'wireless headphones',
            max: 50
        }
    });
    return response.data.result;
};

Reporting API

// Get transaction report
const getTransactions = async (dateRange) => {
    const response = await rakutenApi.get('/events/1.0/transactions', {
        params: {
            process_date_start: dateRange.start,
            process_date_end: dateRange.end
        }
    });
    return response.data;
};

// Get performance summary
const getPerformanceSummary = async (dateRange) => {
    const response = await rakutenApi.get('/reporting/1.0/summary', {
        params: {
            start_date: dateRange.start,
            end_date: dateRange.end,
            network: 1
        }
    });
    return {
        clicks: response.data.clicks,
        orders: response.data.orders,
        sales: response.data.sales,
        commissions: response.data.commissions
    };
};

Why Teams Choose Rakuten

Network Scale: One of the largest affiliate networks globally. Major brands and retailers participate. Quality publisher relationships. Scale provides selection for both sides.

Premium Relationships: Established relationships with major publishers. Quality traffic sources available. Brand-safe publisher environment. Premium positioning justifies network costs.

Tracking Reliability: Advanced attribution technology. Cross-device tracking capabilities. Server-side tracking options. Tracking accuracy maintains trust.

Global Reach: International network presence. Multi-currency support. Regional publisher relationships. Global programs managed centrally.

Full Service: Managed services available for advertisers. Strategic program management. Publisher recruitment services. Full service reduces internal burden.

Compliance and Safety: Network compliance monitoring. Fraud detection systems. Brand safety measures. Compliance reduces program risk.

Publisher Tools: Comprehensive tools for content creators. Deep linking capabilities. Product feed access. Publisher experience drives quality.