Rakuten · Tokyo, JapanPrepare for this interview
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Job Description: Business Overview Rakuten Group, headquartered in Japan, serves approximately 100 million users in Japan and over 1 billion globally. We offer more than 70 services across various fields, including e-commerce, payment services, financial services, telecommunications, media, and sports. The Commerce & Marketing Company primarily provides internet services related to shopping, lifestyle, and leisure, offering a wide array of services that make daily life more enjoyable and convenient. Department Overview Rakuten Mart, Rakuten's warehouse-based online supermarket business, is a new business model that boasts a market reach comparable to major retail chains while enabling agile merchandising (MD) akin to independent local stores. By leveraging the unique characteristics of this business model to develop an innovative product lineup, we aim to revolutionize the domestic food distribution market and realize a more value-added society for both users and producers. Mission of Merchandising (MD) We aim to improve sales and customer satisfaction by enhancing product assortment and quality, and by setting appropriate prices. Rakuten Mart: https://sm.rakuten.co.jp/ Position: Why We Hire We sell online a wide range of products typically found in supermarkets, such as fresh produce, daily essentials, frozen foods, beverages, alcoholic drinks, and non-food items. Additionally, we offer unique products not commonly found in other supermarkets, including items from Rakuten Ichiba stores and local specialty goods. Unlike physical stores, there are no limitations on selling space, allowing us to pursue highly flexible strategies unique to an online supermarket. - Product assortment and procurement (including developing new suppliers) - Inventory and waste loss control - Sales/gross profit management We are responsible for the above, and we are recruiting personnel to strengthen our product assortment and procurement across all product categories. About the Food Distribution Market Among the distribution markets for general consumers, the food distribution market is a sector where e-commerce and digitalization have been particularly slow. Rakuten aims to promote the e-commerce and digitalization of food distribution by advancing its online supermarket business, thereby empowering society through food distribution reform. This position offers the opportunity to participate in business expansion with the goal of establishing a leading position in Japan. Rakuten Mart's Service Area and Delivery Methods We cover 12 million target households in the Tokyo metropolitan area and ship from two automated warehouses. By establishing an efficient delivery network using a Hub & Spoke model, we achieve same-day delivery and precise temperature control for products. Furthermore, our state-of-the-art automated warehouses significantly reduce walking time during product retrieval and product verification tasks, enabling highly efficient operations. Position Details You will be responsible for the duties of a merchandiser and buyer. As a leader or manager candidate, you will be entrusted with tasks that allow for significant autonomy. - Confirming and improving product sales and profit performance - Conducting market research to understand user needs - Developing and executing assortment strategies for your assigned department - Gathering information on raw materials, products, and production lines - Negotiating with manufacturers, production regions, and producers - Product pricing (purchase price and selling price) - Analyzing customer data and managing inventory levels - Planning promotions, verifying results, and improving effectiveness - Designing the store layout (within the website) of the online supermarket We divide our team based on the products handled, such as chilled goods, groceries, daily necessities, and fresh foods. 1. Foods such as vegetables, meat, and seafood 2. Foods other than fresh produce and prepared dishes (deli items) 3. Products from Rakuten Ichiba stores and local specialty goods Work Environment Organizational Structure Our division comprises approximately 90 members in total (including indirect employment). The MD department is structured into the following teams: Mart MD Excellence Section: 2 members Mart Fresh Food Section: 7 members Mart Daily Foods Section: 6 members Mart Grocery & Nonfood Section: 5 members Mart Product Development Section: 8 members Mart MD Cross Functional Section: 10 members Background of Mid-Career Hires - Retail Buyer - Food Wholesaler Buyer Mandatory Qualifications: - Experience in merchandising (MD) and buying for fresh foods. - A person with negotiation skills and communication skills with internal and external parties.
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