Japan’s Rakuten Ramps Up Globally

[bill]

http://techcrunch.com/2014/10/22/japans-rakuten-ramps-up-globally-lauches-rakuten-co-uk-marketplace-and-drops-play-com/ [techcrunch.com]

Japan’s Rakuten Ramps Up Globally, Lauches Rakuten.co.uk And Drops Play.com

Rakuten, Japan’s e-commerce powerhouse, is taking another step in its ambitions to be a global player on par with the likes of Amazon and Alibaba. Today, the company is launching Rakuten.co.uk, its first own-brand online marketplace in the UK, where it will bring together goods sold directly by itself as well as third-party retailers; its Kobo e-books store; and its Wuaki video streaming service.

[creeking]

first buy.com mothballed, and now play.com.