Rakuten LinkShare reports strong third quarter fueled by mobile transactions

Rakuten LinkShare saw strong third quarter results in its global performance marketing network. Along with double-digit growth, the affiliate network reported a significant increase in the percentage of sales transacted on mobile devices.



The company reported an increase in same store sales in the U.S. of 22% year-over-year, and an increase in same store sales in the U.K. of 34% year-over-year.



New advertisers that joined the global affiliate network include Big Fish Games, Eastern Mountain Sports, Nike and Orvis in the U.S.; Birchbox in the U.K.; Forever 21 in Canada; and Forzieri and Design Crowd in Australia.



“We joined the Rakuten LinkShare network for its global reach as well as its commitment to supporting our campaigns across various platforms,” said Jeff Hoefer, marketing manager, Big Fish Games. “Working closely with our account managers, we’ve been able to grow our online presence, form closer ties to publishers, and drive additional sales through the affiliate channel.”



The company also reported mobile orders were up 146% in the quarter, year-over-year. More specifically, tablet orders increased 120% and mobile orders increased 230% year-over-year. The strongest growth categories for mobile were department stores with order share up 95% year-over-year, apparel with mobile order share up 54% year-over-year, and high-end luxury with mobile order share up 31% year-over-year.



“We’re proud of the accomplishments we’ve been able to achieve this quarter and will continue to grow our network and strengthen our portfolio of performance marketing technology tools and services,” said Yaz Iida, CEO, Rakuten LinkShare. “As we enter the busy holiday season, Rakuten LinkShare is well positioned to drive successful campaigns on laptops and mobile devices for our global community of advertisers and publishers.”



Rakuten LinkShare Corporation provides online retailers and other businesses with online marketing services and solutions. Its clients include J.C. Penney, 1-800-Flowers.com, American Express, Avon Products and the Body Shop. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in New York City, with offices in San Francisco, Chicago, Tampa, London, Tokyo, São Paulo, and Sydney.