Rakuten France shuts down after failed rescue acquisition talks collapse
Rakuten France marketplace closes after failed acquisition rescue attempts.
Event / Economy
Rakuten France Marketplace Closure
Rakuten France, the French and Spanish e-commerce subsidiary formerly known as PriceMinister, ceases operations on October 1, 2026, affecting approximately 180 employees. The closure follows a decade of operational decline with significant drops in customer base and traffic. A proposed acquisition offer from Pixmania was rejected despite claims it would preserve jobs.
1 reported locations
Daily activity
1 articles0 articles
2026-09-30 to 2026-11-01 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 30 Sept, 08:47 UTC
Follow the documented timeline or explore the related reporting.
What happened
Rakuten France cites failed acquisition talks as reason for closure
Rakuten France stated that despite efforts to find a buyer for the business, discussions with potential acquirers did not result in a viable solution. The company's search for a successor buyer was unsuccessful as no offer met three criteria: preservation of employment, acceptable financial conditions, and ability to ensure long-term business viability.
Rakuten's employee committee renders negative opinion on acquisition offers
The company's employee committee (CSE - Comité Social et Économique) issued a negative assessment of all acquisition proposals submitted for Rakuten France, supporting management's rejection of these offers.
French e-commerce company Pixmania's acquisition bid rejected
Pixmania, a French technology e-commerce specialist focused on smartphones and tablets, submitted an acquisition offer for Rakuten France in July 2026, which was rejected by Rakuten's management. Pixmania claimed its proposal aimed to save several dozen jobs and represented a financially sound offer backed by shareholders including Xavier Niel. The company subsequently denounced the rejection and expressed disappointment at not being able to preserve an activity representing over 2,500 vendors and more than 400 million euros in annual sales volume.
Rakuten France experienced decade-long decline in customers and traffic
The e-commerce platform faced sustained decline for approximately ten years preceding its closure. Customer numbers decreased by 33 percent over the ten-year period, while website traffic fell by 42 percent during the same timeframe. The platform struggled against competition from Asian e-commerce platforms.
Rakuten France e-commerce platform ceases operations on October 1, 2026
Rakuten France, formerly known as PriceMinister, will cease all operations on October 1, 2026. The online marketplace dedicated to third-party sellers will no longer accept new purchases or sales from that date. The closure affects approximately 180 employees and will also occur in Spain, where the two countries share the same operational structure.
Read the coverage
2 alternative perspectives