Risk of a decline in Gurunavi user numbers

「To encourage Rakuten ID-linked members to use the company's site more actively and thereby improve its reservation-based customer-referral capabilities over the medium to long term, the company decided to begin collaborating with Rakuten Card, Inc. in October. The collaboration links the Rakuten Card Premium Program with the Organizer Ranking Program, a loyalty program for Rakuten Gurunavi users and members, and the company also conducted a points campaign to commemorate the collaboration.」

「The number of Rakuten ID-linked members expanded to 10.07 million as of 31 March 2025, compared with 8.74 million as of 31 March 2024.」

「The number of Rakuten ID-linked members, which represents the user base, expanded to 8.74 million as of 31 March 2024, an increase of 1.67 million from the end of the previous fiscal year.」

「Following the name change, the number of members linked to Rakuten IDs, our user base, expanded steadily to 8.33 million as of the end of December, up 1.66 million year on year, partly because new ID linkages increased among members in the Diamond rank, the Rakuten member category that uses Rakuten Points most actively.」

「The company aims to make its online reservation platform the most convenient and rewarding option for Rakuten's more than 100 million members. It will further expand integration with its own membership base, implement payment functions using Rakuten ID, including Rakuten Points, and strengthen initiatives such as integration with external services to expand the information掲載 on the platform. Through these measures, it will maintain and expand the user base, improve customer-referral capabilities and cost-effectiveness, and increase the number of paying participating restaurants and the contract value per restaurant.」

「In response, the Group will further expand the integration between the Rakuten ID, which has more than 100 million members, and its own membership base, and will maintain and expand the user base by creating an environment in which Rakuten Points can be earned and used at participating restaurants. It will also increase the number of paying participating restaurants and the contract value per restaurant by improving its customer-referral capabilities and cost-effectiveness.」

「As a result of these initiatives, the number of Rakuten ID-linked members, which represents the user base, expanded 79.3% from the end of the previous fiscal year to 4.55 million.」

「As a result of these initiatives, the customer bases of both restaurants and consumers continued to expand. At the end of the third quarter, the total number of paying participating restaurants was 56,805, a net increase of 7,336 from the end of the second quarter. The number of Rakuten ID-linked members, which represents the user base, increased 99% year on year to 4.34 million.」

「Through these measures, withdrawals by participating restaurants and reductions in contract amounts bottomed out. In addition, the number of members linked to Rakuten IDs, which form the user base, increased by approximately 80% from the end of the same period of the previous year, and signs of recovery were seen in usage of the company's services by both restaurants and consumers.」

「Sales showed signs of recovery as online reservations increased, helped by participating restaurants beginning to return from suspended status in June, the resumption of growth in the number of members linked to Rakuten IDs, and an improved conversion rate through website enhancements, among other factors.」

「If the number of “Gurunavi” users declines in the future due to competitors' actions or the emergence of new business models from other industries, performance may be affected by a decline in the value of “Gurunavi” as a restaurant sales-promotion tool, sluggish growth in the number of customer referrals and a resulting decline in participating restaurants.」

「As a result of these initiatives, the number of Gurunavi members and online reservations continued to grow, and signs of a recovery in our ability to refer customers became visible.」

「In cooperation with Rakuten, Inc., with which we have entered into a capital and business alliance agreement, we conducted online reservation-promotion initiatives centered on Rakuten Super Points, including campaigns and special features. We also expanded the inventory of seats available for online reservations and encouraged participating restaurants to offer points and support instant reservations, which are highly sought after by consumers. As a result, the pace of growth in online reservations accelerated in the second quarter of the current fiscal year, and the increase in online reservation commission revenue drove growth in spot-service revenue.」

「The company ran campaigns and special features to promote online reservations using Rakuten Super Points as an incentive. As a result, the growth rate of online reservations remained in the 140% range year on year, and the increase in online reservation fee revenue drove growth in spot-based sales.」

「As a result of the initiatives described above, growth in the number of Gurunavi members and online reservations accelerated from the third quarter onward, and spot-service revenue exceeded the previous year due to higher commission revenue accompanying the increase in online reservations.」

「If the number of “Gurunavi” users declines in the future due to competitors' actions or the emergence of new business models, the value of “Gurunavi” as a restaurant sales-promotion tool may decline, preventing growth in the number of participating restaurants and affecting performance.」

「If the number of “Gurunavi” users declines in the future due to competitors' actions or the emergence of new business models, the value of “Gurunavi” as a restaurant sales-promotion tool may decline, preventing growth in the number of participating restaurants and affecting performance.」