Rakuten to launch membership program for designer shoppers
A shopping platform that offers cash back and rewards will target designer brand aficionados.
Starting in fall 2024, Rakuten will offer Rakuten+, an exclusive membership program that will connect designer brands with select, highly engaged Rakuten members. Members will earn at least 10% cash back year-round on participating brands and retailers.
"Rakuten+ offers a distinctive opportunity for designer brands to connect with some of Rakuten's most active and loyal members who consistently shop and spend more with each purchase," said Julie Van Ullen, chief revenue officer of Rakuten Rewards.
"By partnering with Rakuten+, these brands can tap into a unique value proposition within an exclusive luxury bubble,” said Van Ullen. “Rakuten+ offers a dedicated platform, built only for designer brands to showcase their offerings, enabling them to maintain their elevated brand perception while capitalizing on Rakuten's unique Cash Back service to drive loyalty."
Rakuten partners with New York Fashion Week
In other efforts to promote designer merchandise, in February 2024 Rakuten offered advance access to New York Fashion Week (NYFW) runway items. Designers Prabal Gurung, Sergio Hudson, Patricia Bonaldi (PatBO), and Rachel Scott (Diotima) selected items from their NYFW runway shows for exclusive pre-sale on Rakuten, giving members of the platform first access before they were made available at retailers.
Rakuten members could also shop the designers' entire current collection and receive 10% cash back on their purchases during NYFW. In addition, the platform partnered with celebrity stylist Erin Walsh to curate head-to-toe designer outfits inspired by the latest trends, and offered items from more than 40 designers and retailers, all with elevated 10% cash back, during its "Wear the Runway" shopping event in February.
Participating retailers and designers included Alice + Olivia, Bergdorf Goodman, COS, Moda Operandi, Neiman Marcus, Shopbop and Theory. As part of its ongoing partnership with the Black in Fashion Council (BIFC) to help Black designers grow and scale their businesses, Rakuten also sponsoring the Black in Fashion Council Discovery Showrooms at NYFW.