The people
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Working at Rakuten.ca
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On the TechTO stage
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About
Rakuten.ca is the Canadian cash-back rewards business that started as Ebates.ca. Ebates expanded internationally into Canada in 2012, building a Canada-specific site to handle currency, duties, shipping and local brands, and Jennifer LaForge joined as one of the first hires before that launch. Rakuten, founded in Japan in 1997, acquired Ebates in 2014 for about US$1 billion and later rebranded the cash-back business globally as Rakuten. The model is affiliate-based: retailers pay a commission for referred customers and Rakuten splits it with members, paying out every few months by cheque or PayPal. Membership is free. As of the 2020 TechTO Retail talk the Canadian site carried over 750 retailers.
Backers
Rakuten.ca is not independently venture-funded. It is the Canadian business of Rakuten Group (Tokyo), the Japanese e-commerce and fintech conglomerate, which acquired the Ebates cash-back business in 2014.
Quick answers
What is Rakuten.ca?
The Canadian cash-back shopping site, formerly Ebates.ca. Members earn cash back when they shop through it to partner retailers. It is run out of Toronto as the Canadian arm of Japan's Rakuten Group.
How does Rakuten.ca make money?
It works in the affiliate space. Retailers pay a commission to be sent customers, and Rakuten splits that commission with members as cash. Membership is free.
Is Rakuten.ca the same as Ebates?
Yes. It launched as Ebates.ca in 2012 and was rebranded Rakuten after Rakuten acquired Ebates in 2014 for about US$1 billion.