Major Convenience Stores Strengthen Delivery Services to Leverage Profit September 20 16:37
With the spread of the new coronavirus infection, there is a growing tendency to refrain from going out, and major convenience stores are strengthening services to deliver products ordered using smartphone apps to their homes.
Of these, Lawson has partnered with a company that operates the home delivery service "Uber Eats," to deliver approximately 300 types of groceries and daily necessities sold at stores to customers' homes and offices.
This service was offered at 14 stores in Tokyo in March, but demand has increased due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, and by the 15th of this month, it has expanded to more than 1,100 stores in 22 prefectures.
Mr. Souya Sugiki of Lawson's Public Relations Department said, "Due to the growing demand for'Nest Gomori', not only daily necessities but also sake and snacks are selling, and we would like to further expand the target stores."
FamilyMart, a major convenience store, is also experimenting with delivery by Uber Eats, and Seven-Eleven Japan is offering a service delivered by a logistics company that has contracted for products ordered online from July in Tokyo. We have started at some stores and plan to expand to 1000 stores nationwide from next year.
Due to the spread of infection, the convenience store industry has been in a difficult situation where sales have fallen below the same month last year for five consecutive months until July, and we would like to leverage profits by strengthening delivery services.
“Customer unit price” exceeds last year's level to capture demand by strengthening home delivery
According to the summary of the Japan Franchise Association, the convenience store industry has been in a difficult situation since March because the number of customers visiting the store has decreased due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection.
Sales on an all-store basis, including existing stores and new store openings, fell 5.5% in March compared to the same month last year, the first negative figure in six months, and fell to -10.7% in the following month and April. ..
In July, sales were minus 8%, falling below the same month last year for the fifth straight month.
However, as the number of meals at home has increased, the demand for cut vegetables and frozen foods has increased, and hygiene products such as masks have also been strong, so sales per shopper, the so-called "customer unit price," exceeds last year. The level continues.
For this reason, convenience store companies want to leverage their profits by strengthening home delivery services and capturing the demand of people who are refraining from shopping.