TOKYO -- The likes of Rakuten and Yahoo Japan are rethinking their approach of having merchants on their marketplaces handle product shipping, worrying that rate increases by logistics companies could give Amazon.com an advantage.
Merchants on the Yahoo! Shopping platform have surged to nearly 500,000, with much of the growth coming after the company eliminated fees needed to open online stores in 2013. But recent moves by major logistics companies to raise rates and restrict volumes pose obstacles to further expansion.
