How to create an account on Rakuten Global Express (Forwarder)

 

Rakuten Global Express is a forwarder which receives what you purchase on Japanese e-commerce sites (not limited to Rakuten Ichiba) and delivers them to your home outside of Japan.

Rakuten Global Express makes it possible for those who live outside of Japan to enjoy shopping on Japanese e-commerce sites.

The good point of shopping on Japanese e-commerce sites even though you pay additional shipping fees is that you can purchase things at the right price for people live in Japan. Most of the shops in your countries that deal in Japanese products charge you additional fees so that they can make a profit.

In most cases, it is cheaper to pay additional shipping fees to delivery agencies as a one time-payment than paying the additional charges to the shops for every single item. Fortunately, there are many shops that provide free-shipping services (within Japan) on Rakuten Ichiba.

Check this page for information on the countries where Rakuten Global Express provides services: Delivery Agencies.

*There used to be an e-commerce site “Rakuten Global Market” where you could shop from your country and the items were delivered directly to your home without using delivery agencies, but “Rakuten Global Market” is no longer available. The market was closed in June 2020.

 

All you have to do to create account on and start using Rakuten Global Express is to:

① Create an account on Rakuten Ichiba
　⇨ refer to this page: How to open an account on Rakuten Ichiba
② Sign up for Rakuten Global Express and register your information (steps 1~10)
③ Verify your identity with your IDs (steps 11~14) 

Infographic vector created by Olga_spb – www.freepik.com

 

↓1. Access Rakuten Global Express and tap “Sign up for free” to create an account.
　*You can choose a language from the following: 日本語, English, 简体中文, 繁體中文, and 한국어

↓2. A notice will show up. It says type “0000000” as a postal code and select “Other (国外)” for prefecture when you register your personal information. And then tap “Sign up for free” again to move to the next page.

↓ 3. If you are already a member of Rakuten Ichiba, the website automatically moves to the login page for Rakuten Ichiba. I recommend you to create an account on Rakuten Ichiba first so that you can process the registration for Rakuten Global Express smoothly. (How to create an account on Rakuten Ichiba is described in this page.)

↓ 4. You see this page once you login with Rakuten Ichiba ID. Type the following required information:

– postal code (type “0000000” (7 zeros) following the notice in step2)
– prefecture (select “Other (国外)” following the notice in step2)
– city and ward (island)
– remaining part of the address
– phone number

And then tap “Agree to the Following Rules and Confirm Information to be Added.”

↓ 5. Double-check and confirm what you entered on the previous page, and enter the password for Rakuten Ichiba.

↓ 6. This is a page shown up when you are successfully registered. Then, tap “Continue using services” to register your home address where you will receive your packages.

↓ 7. You will move to this page, and you have to agree with the policy. Tap “Next” at the bottom if you agree with it.

To put it simply,
・some products cannot be shipped such as flammable products, fresh food products, and products including gas
・you have to be aware of obligation as an importer, for example custom import (custom) duty
・ID verification is required.

Please refer to the notice on your page for further information.

↓ 8. Then enter the required following information:

– birthday
– name
– occupation
– home address (=shipping address=final destination)
– phone number,
and place a check mark if you wish to receive newsletters from Rakuten Global Express.
(Though you typed your address in step 4, it seems like you have to do it again.)

After entering all the information, type “Submit”.

↓ 9. Finally you obtain your own address in Japan, which is the Rakuten Global Express’s warehouse address. The items you purchase will be delivered to the address first, and then Rakuten Global Express forwards it to the address you designated (outside of Japan).

↓ 10. If you tap “Add it now” in step 9, the address will be recorded as your shipping address on your Rakuten Ichiba account, and you will see this page which says the address was successfully added.

↓ 11. Move to “My page” for identity verification. You can move to your page by tapping the bottom “My page” on the top right corner.

↓ 12. You will see this page until you complete the identification verification. Tap “Identity verification is required” to move to the verification page.

↓ 13. To verify your name, date of birth and address you are currently residing in, prepare two types of your ID such as passport, ID card issued by your country, and driver’s license.

Double-check your personal information to be registered in this page first, and then tap “Go to the Upload Page” to upload the pictures of your ID.
(For further information and instruction, please refer to the message shown up on your page. )

↓14. Once you double-check your personal information, upload pictures of your ID. 

Verification will be completed once you upload the pictures of your IDs. 

All set! Now you can use Rakuten Global Express!

As the shipping address in Japan that you obtained was linked to your Rakuten Ichiba ID, all you have to do is to shop on Rakuten Ichiba :)☆

<Popular Categories on Rakuten Ichiba>
・Skincare items
・Makeup items
・Kitchen items
・Sweets
・Home appliances
・Clothes and fashion items for women