Buy.com Launches 'Rakuten Super Points' Customer Loyalty Program

ALISO VIEJO, Calif., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Buy.com, The Internet Superstore™, today announced it is enhancing its free shipping offers on millions of products by introducing the "Rakuten Super Points" program to reward loyal shoppers with points redeemable as payment toward future purchases. All items (with the exception of gift certificates) purchased by credit card via a Buy.com account will earn customers Super Points.

As a special incentive for early holiday shoppers, Buy.com will award 20 times the points for all Toy & Baby Store purchases until Wednesday, Nov. 24 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST), and triple points on all other items sitewide through Friday, Nov. 19 at 11:59 p.m. PST.  

This offers marks the first time the hugely successful Rakuten Super Points program, which is Japan's No. 1 preferred rewards program, will be available outside Asia. Buy.com owner Rakuten has also introduced this points program in China, Taiwan and Thailand. The program includes partnerships with major airlines and brick-and-mortar retailers.

The U.S. Super Points program builds upon Buy.com's recent customer service initiatives, which includes the industry-best 45-day product return policy with no restocking fees, along with free shipping on millions of products throughout Buy.com.

"Over the last year, we've continued to focus on finding new ways to help customers shop smarter and save money," said Neel Grover, CEO and president of Buy.com. "We've aggressively expanded our product categories and Marketplace partnerships, launched a new mobile site, and introduced the industry's most consumer-friendly return policy. Following in the footsteps of our new owner Rakuten, which has been the Asian e-commerce leader for years, our Super Points program adds yet another way to delight the customer as we move into the full swing of the holiday shopping season."

Standard points, which do not expire if another Buy.com purchase is made within 180 days, will automatically display upon checkout.

For more details on the Super Points program and restrictions, visit http://www.buy.com/rakutensuperpoints. Shoppers also can see Buy.com's latest holiday promotions at http://www.buy.com/loc/holiday-superstore/16125.html.

Rakuten Ichiba, which sells to more than 80 countries worldwide, also offers international shipping service from Japan to U.S. customers. To learn more, visit http://en.rakuten.co.jp/.

About Buy.com

With more than 18 million customers, Buy.com is a leading retail marketplace, focused on providing its customers with a great shopping experience and a broad selection of retail goods at everyday low prices. Buy.com offers millions of products in a range of categories, including consumer electronics, computer hardware and software, cell phones, books, music, DVDs, games, toys, bags, fragrance, home and outdoor, baby, jewelry, shoes, apparel and sporting goods. Founded in June 1997, Buy.com is headquartered in Aliso Viejo, Calif.  Buy.com is owned by Rakuten, Japan's leading Internet Company.  Together, Rakuten and Buy.com represent one of the world's largest online retail marketplaces, offering consumers more than 70 million products from nearly 35,000 merchants around the globe.

Buy.com® and The Internet Superstore™ are trademarks of Buy.com Inc.  

About Rakuten

Rakuten, Inc. has approximately 64 million registered members in Japan and sales in 2009 totaled US$3.2 billion. Its core business "Rakuten Ichiba" is Japan's largest Internet shopping mall and offers approximately 70 million products by about 35,000 merchants, some of whom have turnover of more than US$1 million per month. In addition to its Internet shopping mall, Rakuten, which has more than 10,000 employees, is engaged in other Internet businesses such as travel agency and financial services.

(1) According to a Dec. 15, 2009 survey conducted by Nikkei Trendy, the Rakuten Super Points program was voted the most convenient and rewarding program in Japan, beating out other loyalty programs such as ANA Mileage Club, T-Point, JAL Mileage Bank and others.

SOURCE Buy.com