Rakuten France Shutdown: Online Giant to Close by Year’s End!

The End of an Era for Rakuten France

The journey is nearing its end for Rakuten France, a well-known French marketplace originally established in 2000 under the name PriceMinister. Acquired by the Japanese conglomerate Rakuten in 2010, the platform was rebranded in 2018. Facing financial struggles amid fierce competition, Rakuten has been on the lookout for a buyer since April. According to a report by Le Figaro, two potential offers from Pixmania and a foreign investment fund were considered but ultimately failed to persuade the company’s leadership and the Social and Economic Committee (CSE). The report also states that the platform is expected to shut down by the end of the year, and arrangements for the 180 employees are to be addressed through a social plan that will be submitted to the Drieets for approval within the next three weeks.

Rakuten France’s Longstanding Partnership with Consomac

Previously known as PriceMinister and later as Rakuten France, the platform has been a longstanding partner of Consomac. Known for its promotional codes and cashback program, it has frequently facilitated great deals on Apple products, whether through grey market importers or more traditional brick-and-mortar retailers. Although Rakuten operates distinctly as a marketplace, selling nothing directly itself, its impending closure will further contribute to the market consolidation phenomenon.