GMO MakeShop
GMO MakeShop (GMOメイクショップ株式会社) is a Japan-based e-commerce SaaS provider and subsidiary of GMO Internet Group, offering SMB and enterprise merchants end-to-end EC platform, marketing automation, and outsourced operations services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What GMO MakeShop does
GMO MakeShop (GMOメイクショップ株式会社) is a Japan-based e-commerce platform provider and a consolidated subsidiary of GMO Internet Group (TSE Prime, ticker 9449), founded in 2004 and headquartered in Cerulian Tower, Shibuya, Tokyo. The company operates three integrated service lines: EC construction support via makeshop byGMO (SMB self-serve) and GMOクラウドEC (enterprise-grade, with PCI DSS-compliant option); EC marketing support through MakeRepeater (email), ItemPost (product discovery), IpoClick (behavioral marketing), and makeappli (mobile apps); and EC operations outsourcing covering daily store management, consulting, and site production. Cross-border EC is operated through consolidated subsidiary GMO Global EC via the Japan Finds byGMO platform, giving Japanese merchants access to 30+ overseas marketplaces.
The platform's next-generation architecture is built on Vue.js, Golang, GraphQL, and gRPC, and processes ¥3,804 billion in annual transaction volume — a figure that has held the No.1 position among domestic EC construction SaaS providers for 14 consecutive years. GMO MakeShop holds ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification (since 2017) and PCI DSS v4.0.1 compliance (achieved September 2025), and in May 2026 released an MCP Server for Backoffice that exposes the platform's backoffice to third-party AI agents — a first-of-kind move in the Japan EC SaaS segment.
The business model combines subscription-style platform fees (makeshop byGMO, GMOクラウドEC, MakeRepeater, marketing tools) with professional services revenue from EC運営代行, consulting, and production outsourcing. Distribution is hybrid: self-serve SMB acquisition online, field sales for enterprise contracts, designated sales partners for mid-market, and government-channel partnerships (Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Kawasaki City, Wakayama Prefecture, JETRO) for cross-border and digital-marketing initiatives. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is sales-quoted.
GMO MakeShop firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GMO MakeShop
- Legal name
- GMOメイクショップ株式会社
- Website
- https://makeshop.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- GMO MakeShop (GMOメイクショップ株式会社) is a Japan-based e-commerce SaaS provider and subsidiary of GMO Internet Group, offering SMB and enterprise merchants end-to-end EC platform, marketing automation, and outsourced operations services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where GMO MakeShop is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
GMO MakeShop business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- EC Platform Subscriptions: Monthly/annual subscription fees for access to makeshop and GMOクラウドEC online store building platforms
- EC Operations Outsourcing: Fee-based services for outsourced EC store management, consulting, and site production
- Marketing Tools: Customer nurturing and marketing tools including MakeRepeater and other marketing services
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
GMO MakeShop product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GMO MakeShop provides an integrated e-commerce (EC) platform ecosystem that enables Japanese businesses to build, market, and operate online stores. The core offerings include the makeshop byGMO EC site building platform and GMOクラウドEC enterprise solution for store construction, marketing tools (MakeRepeater email marketing, ItemPost product discovery, IpoClick behavioral marketing, makeappli mobile apps), and outsourced EC operations, consulting, and production services. The platform also extends to cross-border EC through its GMO Global EC subsidiary, giving merchants access to 30+ overseas marketplaces.
Product overview
GMO MakeShop provides a comprehensive EC (e-commerce) platform ecosystem with three main service categories: EC Construction Support (makeshop byGMO and GMO Cloud EC as core platforms), EC Marketing Support (MakeRepeater for email marketing, ItemPost for product discovery, IpoClick for behavioral marketing, and makeappli for mobile apps), and EC Operations Outsourcing (full service operations, consulting, and production services). The platform achieved 14 consecutive years as Japan's No.1 EC construction SaaS by transaction volume, and the company also offers cross-border EC services through its subsidiary GMO Global EC via Japan Finds byGMO, enabling Japanese businesses to sell on global marketplaces. The architecture combines multiple integrated services for building, marketing, and operating online stores.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- makeshop byGMO: E-commerce site building service for launching online shops
- GMOクラウドEC
- MakeRepeater byGMO
- EC運営代行 byGMO
- アイテムポスト
- アイポクリック
Products and services
- makeshop byGMO Primary EC site building SaaS platform that enables Japanese merchants and SMEs to launch and operate online stores with comprehensive e-commerce functionality.
- GMOクラウドEC (GMO Cloud EC) Enterprise-grade EC site construction solution offering scalable e-commerce infrastructure with three plan tiers (makeshop enterprise, package EC, cloud EC) for larger businesses requiring higher customization and PCI DSS-compliant payment processing.
- MakeRepeater byGMO Customer retention-focused email marketing automation tool that automates targeted email campaigns to nurture customer relationships and drive repeat purchases for EC merchants.
- アイテムポスト (ItemPost) Product discovery and listing service that increases store traffic by listing merchant products on external product search platforms.
- アイポクリック (IpoClick) Marketing automation tool that uses behavioral data to trigger targeted promotions and ads aimed at increasing conversion rates for EC merchants.
- EC運営代行 byGMO (EC Operations Outsourcing) Full-service EC operations outsourcing covering store setup, daily operations, marketing execution, and continuous improvement support for merchants.
- コンサルティングサービス (Consulting Services) Strategic consulting services to identify EC business challenges and develop customized solutions for sales growth and operational efficiency.
- 制作代行サービス (Production Outsourcing)
Quantifiable outcome
- Self-owned EC average purchase unit price is 4x higher than EC malls
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use GMO MakeShop
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
GMO MakeShop technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
AI capability5 records
Feature4 records
GMO MakeShop partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- 株式会社JTBcoreIn the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Cross-border EC Support Project, GMO Global EC (consolidated subsidiary of GMO MakeShop) partners with JTB as the overall project coordinator and promoter, while GMO Global EC handles the practical and operational aspects of cross-border EC support for small and medium enterprises in Tokyo.
- GMOグローバルEC株式会社coreA consolidated subsidiary of GMO MakeShop that operates the Japan Finds byGMO cross-border EC platform, providing support for Japanese companies to sell on overseas marketplaces including eBay, Walmart, Amazon, and 30+ other international platforms.
- 公益財団法人東京都中小企業振興公社coreThe Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion Agency (公社) implements the cross-border EC sales support project, with GMO Global EC contracted to handle practical operations. This public-private partnership aims to support Tokyo-based SMEs in developing overseas sales channels.
- 川崎市majorKawasaki City has selected GMO Global EC as contractor for cross-border EC support services to help local businesses develop overseas sales channels.
- ジェトロ (日本貿易振興機構)majorJETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) collaborates with GMO Global EC on expert support and hands-on assistance for cross-border EC initiatives.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
GMO MakeShop competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Squarespace: Broader website builder with embedded commerce functionality, serving creators and SMBs across multiple geographies. Overlaps with makeshop byGMO's SMB use case but is not Japan-specialized and lacks the depth of the marketing/ops ecosystem.
- Adobe Commerce (Magento): Enterprise-grade commerce platform (formerly Magento) for large retailers and brands requiring deep customization and integrations. Comparable to the enterprise end of GMO クラウドEC but typically requires more technical investment and is not Japan-verticalized.
- Wix: Global website builder with commerce, bookings, and marketing features targeting SMBs and creators worldwide. Comparable to makeshop byGMO at the SMB layer but operates across many verticals and lacks Japanese-market specialization or PCI/ISMS depth.
Direct peers
- Ebisumart: Japan-focused enterprise ecommerce platform with deep customization, system integration, and B2B features, used by larger Japanese retailers and brand manufacturers. Directly comparable to GMO クラウドEC in the enterprise tier and relevant to MakeRepeater/marketing ecosystem.
- BigCommerce: Global enterprise and mid-market ecommerce SaaS with headless commerce, multi-channel, and B2B capabilities. Closest analog to GMO クラウドEC for larger Japanese merchants needing advanced customization and security, with comparable enterprise GTM.
- futureshop: Japanese ecommerce platform provider targeting SMB and mid-market merchants with subscription plans, marketing features, and agency-style support. Comparable to GMO クラウドEC in positioning and to makeshop byGMO in SMB/enterprise crossover.
- カラーミーショップ (ColorMe by GMO Pepabo): Long-established Japanese EC site-building SaaS operated by GMO Pepabo, targeting SMB and individual merchants with tiered plans. Overlaps directly with makeshop byGMO in product and customer; notable that both are within the broader GMO group but operated by separate subsidiaries.
- BASE (BASE, Inc.): Japanese ecommerce platform focused on individual creators and SMBs, now part of the STORES group, offering free/low-cost store-building with payments and shipping integrations. Closest head-to-head Japanese competitor to makeshop byGMO in the SMB merchant segment, with comparable target customer and freemium-like pricing.
- STORES (STORES Co., Ltd.): Japanese SMB-focused EC platform operator (parent of BASE), providing online store builder, payments, and reservation tools to Japanese merchants. Competes directly with makeshop byGMO in the SMB cohort and frequently cited as a top alternative in Japan.
- Shopify: Global leader in ecommerce SaaS, offering merchants a subscription-based platform to build and operate online stores with marketing and payments tooling. Direct competitor to makeshop byGMO across SMB and mid-market segments, though Shopify has broader global reach while GMO MakeShop is Japan-focused.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
GMO MakeShop social profiles
Digital presenceGMO MakeShop compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
GMO MakeShop financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GMO MakeShop leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
GMO MakeShop subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
GMO MakeShop funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GMO MakeShop M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about GMO MakeShop
What does GMO MakeShop do?
GMO MakeShop provides an integrated e-commerce (EC) platform ecosystem that enables Japanese businesses to build, market, and operate online stores. The core offerings include the makeshop byGMO EC site building platform and GMOクラウドEC enterprise solution for store construction, marketing tools (MakeRepeater email marketing, ItemPost product discovery, IpoClick behavioral marketing, makeappli mobile apps), and outsourced EC operations, consulting, and production services. The platform also extends to cross-border EC through its GMO Global EC subsidiary, giving merchants access to 30+ overseas marketplaces.
Is GMO MakeShop a public or private company?
GMO MakeShop is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was GMO MakeShop founded?
GMO MakeShop was founded in 2004.
Where is GMO MakeShop based?
GMO MakeShop is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does GMO MakeShop make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. EC Platform Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are EC Operations Outsourcing and marketing Tools.
Who are GMO MakeShop's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Squarespace, Adobe Commerce (Magento) and Wix. Direct peers are Ebisumart, BigCommerce, futureshop, カラーミーショップ (ColorMe by GMO Pepabo), BASE (BASE, Inc.), STORES (STORES Co., Ltd.) and Shopify.
Does GMO MakeShop have an API?
Yes. GMO MakeShop utilizes GraphQL and gRPC for its backend architecture. The platform supports AI agent integration through its MCP Server for Backoffice (MCPサーバー対応), released in May 2026, which enables AI agents to connect with makeshop byGMO. Developer documentation is at www.makeshop.jp.