On its differentiation strategy, Rakuten positioned itself as a virtual shopping mall, based on a business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) model.

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In the field of strategy, we always make a big thing out of differentiation: we tell firms that they have to do something different in the market place, and offer customers a unique value proposition.

FORBES: Let's Face It: In Most Industries, Firms Pretty Much Do the Same Thing