CPA model outperforms market retail growth as Rakuten LinkShare reveals strong global network growth figures in the UK, the US, Canada and Japan
Rakuten LinkShare announced that its UK network has achieved growth of 52% year-over-year in Q1, surpassing UK e-commerce growth predictions from Forrester Research, Inc, which forecast annual growth for 2012 of 11%1.
Rakuten LinkShare also saw significant growth across its performance marketing networks around the world in the first quarter of 2012 with strong network sales in the United States, Canada and Japan.
In the US, the Rakuten LinkShare network outperformed overall e-commerce forecasts by a wide margin. According to Forrester, overall e-commerce is expected to grow by 12% in 20122 while same store sales in the Rakuten LinkShare Network increased 31% year-over-year in the first quarter.
Mark Haviland, Rakuten LinkShare UK Managing Director commented on the network performance: “In the current economic climate brands need their digital marketing programs to work harder than ever before. The uplift in sales through our UK network, comparative to forecasts for the wider UK e-commerce marketplace, demonstrates the growing importance of performance marketing for brands seeking to drive sales online.”
Over 100 brands joined Rakuten LinkShare’s networks in the first quarter of 2012 alone and the network continues to attract thousands of new publishers to the cost-per-action advertising model every year. Leading brands signed across the network globally in Q1 include:
- UK network signings include Interflora and Saks Fifth Avenue.
- US network signings include Steve Madden.
- Canada network signings include Saks Fifth Avenue, Kiehl’s, Biotherm and eBeauty.ca.
- Japan Network signings: Dyson Japan and Kurimo (a sub-brand for one of Japan’s top ten internet retailers).
The range of high quality brands signed to Rakuten LinkShare’s UK network means unique and ever growing commission opportunities for publishers looking to work with brands in product categories ranging from apparel, luxury and beauty to consumer electronics and travel.
“The brands in the Rakuten LinkShare Network are of the highest quality” said Jess Lee, Founder and CEO of 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 and president 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 centre of it all.”
1 Forrester Research, Inc: European Online Retail Forecast: 2011 to 2016
2 Forrester Research Inc.: U.S. Online Retail Forecast: 2011 to 2016