Mail order site "Rakuten Ichiba" Openers seeking improvement of operation Established union on November 9, 20:02

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A mail order site operated by a huge IT company called "Platformer".

There are concerns about cases in which the company is forced to sign an unfair contract using a superior position in providing exclusive services.

Under these circumstances, the store owners of Rakuten Japan, one of the largest mail order sites in Japan operated by Rakuten, started an activity to form an union and request Rakuten to improve operations.

Last month, the Fair Trade Commission released a report on the fact-finding of mail-order websites that have expanded rapidly, and the operation side of the superior site unilaterally stipulated the terms of the huge IT company called “Platformer”. It points out that the act of changing and raising the fee may violate the Antimonopoly Act.

Under these circumstances, about 200 shopkeepers at Rakuten Ichiba, Japan's largest mail order site operated by Rakuten, established an union called “Rakuten Union” last month.

Rakuten has left the store owners to make their own judgment regarding the shipping cost of the products, but in August, if the purchase amount is 3980 yen or more, the shipping cost will be uniform and free except for Okinawa and remote islands. There were a number of complaints from the store owners saying that “the cost of shipping increased and management was under pressure”.

For this reason, “Rakuten Union” provides information on the website and signing activities to counter uniform free shipping, etc., and in the future an organization as a union based on the law to obtain the right to collective bargaining with Rakuten It aims to establish.

Yuki Katsumata, representative of “Rakuten Union” said, “Even if the terms were changed unilaterally, it was difficult to raise a voice for fear of being left out of Rakuten Ichiba. If you do, you will have to pass on the price of the product, which will eventually wrinkle customers. "

On the other hand, Rakuten says, “We are considering measures to implement from various viewpoints and are striving to comply with laws and regulations. We will continue to listen to the individual opinions of the store owners sincerely and make them more attractive. We will use it to manage the Rakuten market ”.

Store opening person "Changes to the rules are severe"

Men in the Kinki region who sell imported miscellaneous goods at mail order sites open stores in four sites such as “Rakuten Ichiba” and “Amazon”, but “Rakuten Ichiba” has many users, and half of the monthly sales. It means that it is an important branch office that depends on.

However, there are many cases where Rakuten changes the rules such as the payment system to provide new services, etc., and it is said that the burden on the store opening side is increasing, and if uniform free shipping is introduced, it will be added to the price of the product I have to complain that I have to.

The man said, “Rakuten changes the rules every month, so for stores that produce thousands of products, the amount of work required to deal with the change is large and expensive. The shop is proud of its strength, and it is the fact that the store is obliged to make a request.Rakuten's merchants who want to open a store even if they are somewhat dissatisfied with the changes in the rules are boiling from one to the next. “The shop is like a boufra, and it ’s a stance that you should quit if you do n’t like it.”

On top of that, `` Rakuten, which has been in a superior position, has not been able to speak up until now, but if the union can be negotiated with Rakuten, the store will also be able to secure profits and I think that there is a merit in terms of both price and service.It is necessary to be able to talk in an equal relationship, so the whole online shopping industry is heading in the right direction. ”

What are the requirements for "Rakuten Union"?

“Rakuten Union” is a voluntary organization that was established last month with the participation of about 200 shoppers from “Rakuten Ichiba”.

Rakuten has left the store owners to make their own judgment regarding the shipping cost of the products, but in August, if the purchase amount is 3980 yen or more, the shipping cost will be made uniform except for Okinawa and remote islands. Announced to start service.

About this, "Rakuten Union" is appealing to withdraw as the shipping cost will be borne by the store owners by changing the unilateral rules using the platformer's superior position.

In addition, we also have a monopoly on the introduction of a new payment system called “Rakuten Pay” introduced by Ototo, and a system in which fines are forcibly deducted from sales when the rules determined by Rakuten are violated and a certain number of violations is scored. They claim that the shopkeepers are disadvantaged by unilateral changes to the rules that violate the prohibition law, and that the Rakuten side is seeking improvements.

What violations did the FTC show?

Last month, the Fair Trade Commission released a report on a fact-finding survey for a huge IT company called a platformer, and it showed for the first time a specific example of an act that might violate the Antimonopoly Act on a mail-order site that it operates.

According to the report, the dominant site operator unilaterally changes the terms to increase fees, force the introduction of certain payment methods, and accept malicious returns and refunds. Forcing them to violate antitrust laws for actions such as forcing them to list their products at a lower price than other sites and restricting their use of other platforms.

The Fair Trade Commission interviewed 93 companies, including companies and store owners that operate mail order sites and app stores, but from the store owners, `` Sales commissions were raised by unilateral changes to the management side. It is that the opinion that "" was sent.

On the other hand, the site management countered that “an increase in fees is necessary to improve the service”.

In addition, in the questionnaire to the mail-order site store owners conducted by the Fair Trade Commission from February to March, “Rakuten Ichiba” was 93.2% “Amazon” accounted for 72.8% and “Yahoo shopping” accounted for 49.9%.

While it is pointed out that huge IT companies are gaining monopoly power, the government is considering the establishment of certain rules to ensure transparency in transactions in the increasingly competitive digital market. The policy is to submit the bill to the regular Diet next year.

The past problem cases

In the past, there have been many cases of imposing unreasonable contracts on business partners around a huge IT company called a platformer.

Three years ago, the "Fair Trade Commission" said that "Amazon Japan" had been asking merchants that opened stores on their mail-order sites not to increase the price of products and to provide a wider selection of products than other mail-order sites. After being inspected on suspicion of violating the Antimonopoly Act, the terms of the contract were abolished approximately one year later.

“Amazon Amazon” decided to make a plan to give users at least 1% of the purchase price, but it became a problem again to put the funds to the store owners, and it was pushed back.

Also, in April, “Rakuten” violated the Antimonopoly Act from the Fair Trade Commission for requesting a hotel, etc., that the travel reservation site “Rakuten Travel” operated by Rakuten would not be higher than other sites. The on-site inspection was suspected of and the contract clause that was allegedly violated was deleted.

In addition, the US “Air B & B”, which operates the world ’s largest “Private Stay” introduction site, has been surveyed by the Ototo Fair Trade Commission and posted information on other private homestay agents in other sites. We are reviewing the terms and conditions that we were asked not to do.

Rakuten "Listen to the truth"

“Rakuten” said that “the unilateral change in terms of regulations” regarding the establishment of unions and the introduction of free shipping, etc. We are studying the measures to be implemented from various viewpoints and working to comply with laws and regulations.When changing various rules and usage fees, etc. We have set a certain period of time so that we can respond to the above, and we are trying to make it known and explained. "

On top of that, he said, “We will continue to have dialogues with store owners in the future and listen to the opinions of a wide range of store owners sincerely and use it to operate the more attractive“ Rakuten Ichiba ”.”

Expert "Transparency of transactions"

Professor Kazuhiro Tsuchida of Waseda University School of Law, who is familiar with the Antimonopoly Act, said, “Rakuten Ichiba is an online mall that competes for 1st and 2nd place in Japan, and its dependence on stores is high. The increase in purchasers and sales can be expected by free shipping, but if the rules are unilaterally changed, the burden of shipping will increase for the store owner, so it is superior to violating the Antimonopoly Act. “There is a possibility of abuse of the position. Platformers should be proactive in dealing with transparency.”

On top of that, “I think that the fact that the dissatisfaction with the platformers has accumulated on the side of the store owners over the revisions of the rules and fees, the screening criteria for store openings and exhibits, etc. As the number of individual business owners, freelancers, and cloud workers increases, there will be an increase in the future to negotiate the terms of the transaction. "