Rakuten says its LinkShare cost-per-action advertising network saw year-over-year same-store sales grow 31% in Q1, with strong sales in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Japan; company added more than 100 brands to network in quarter

Cindy Allen

NEW YORK , May 16, 2012 (press release) – Rakuten LinkShare today announced significant growth throughout its performance marketing networks around the world in the first quarter of 2012 with strong network sales in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan.

Specifically in the US, the Rakuten LinkShare network outperformed overall e-commerce by a wide margin. According to Forrester Research Inc., overall e-commerce is expected to grow by 12 percent in 2012 while same store sales in the Rakuten LinkShare Network increased 31 percent year-over-year in the first quarter. The company’s UK network also saw double-digit gains with overall same-store sales reaching 52 percent year-over-year.

In addition, the company continues its long established trend of signing well known and emerging brands while attracting thousands of new publishers to the cost-per-action advertising model every year.

Over 100 brands were signed among Rakuten LinkShare’s various networks in the first quarter of 2012.

US network signings include Steve Madden.
Canada network signings include Saks Fifth Avenue, Kiehl’s, Biotherm and eBeauty.ca.
United Kingdom Network signings include Saks Fifth Avenue.
Japan Network signings: Dyson Japan and Kurimo (a sub-brand for one of Japan’s top ten internet retailers).

The newly signed brands in the Rakuten LinkShare network represent a wide range of e-commerce driven product categories including apparel, luxury, beauty and other consumer goods and represent significant opportunities for publishers to earn commissions.

“The brands in the Rakuten LinkShare Network are of the highest quality” said Jess Lee, Founder and CEO, Polyvore "The breadth of the Rakuten LinkShare Network combined with Polyvore's reach creates a “win-win” for us and our advertisers looking to increase sales.”

As advertisers and publishers seek opportunities beyond the borders of their home country, Rakuten LinkShare is now making plans to take its service into new markets.

“Around the globe, we’re seeing online shopping evolve from a regional transaction oriented experience into a worldwide marketplace that goes beyond borders,” said Yaz Iida, chief executive officer of LinkShare. “The companies that recognize and address this transformation will play a pivotal role in the future of e-commerce, and there’s no doubt performance marketing will be at the center of it all.”

About LinkShare Corporation

RakutenLinkShare Corporation provides e-commerce businesses with a vast, high quality pay per action marketing network, along with expert consultative services and patented technology. Rakuten LinkShare's cost-efficient pay per action (PPA) affiliate network, search marketing and lead generation campaigns acquire new customers, increase revenue and drive results. Rakuten LinkShare clients are Fortune 500 and prominent companies doing business online, including J.C. Penney, 1-800-Flowers.com, American Express and Avon Products. LinkShare was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in New York City, with offices in San Francisco, Chicago, Tampa, London and Tokyo. For more information, please visit: www.linkshare.com.

About Rakuten

Rakuten, Inc. (JASDAQ:4755), is one of the world's leading Internet service companies, providing a variety of consumer- and business-focused services including e-commerce, e-reading, travel, banking, securities, credit card, e-money, portal and media, online marketing and professional sports. Rakuten is expanding globally and currently has operations throughout Asia, Western Europe, and the Americas. Founded in 1997, Rakuten is headquartered in Tokyo, with over 10,000 employees and partner staff worldwide. For more information, visit http://global.rakuten.com/group.

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