7-Eleven
marc
time watching the satellite TV Japan channel I had installed. Interesting
show tonight on 7-Eleven; which is apprently the #1 retailerof a) onigiri,
b) canned/bottled soft drinks, and c) magazines in the country (Japan, that
is). What I hadn't realized is that when you go up to the cash register, the
clerk not only punches in the amounts of your purchase, he/she also punches
in whether you are male or female, and your approximate age group. There are
a line of keys on the register especially for his. Anyone seen this?
With their real-time consumer surveying and marketing clout, 7-eleven has
carved out a new niche for itself; it tells various manufacturers what its
customers want and the manufacturers respond by producing the item, that now
gets co-marketed under the 7-Eleven trademark. So they replace the market
research and development function of the manufacturer. Apparently in-house
products now make up almost 50% of what 7-Eleven sells, so they have become
one of the largest (virtual) food/drink producers in Japan as well
Was 7-Eleven originally a Japanese company? I though it was American.....
-Marc
mr.sumo snr.
news:1_Mgb.703426$Ho3.154172@sccrnsc03...
Nice info. I wonder if there's a 'gaijin' key. I only ask 'coz I used to
have the distinct impression that anything I regularly bought - such as
'Snickers', 'Diet Coke' 'Funions' (spelling) would always soon disappear.
The most recent example of this was 'Canada Dry Tonic Water'. My G & T
drinking mates and me bought about 50 500 ml bottles they had on display at
100 yen each (discounted from 130 yen) in about two weeks. Then the item
just vanished. I even asked the manager if he could special order a whole
case - the distributor wouldn't supply it to him! So it's back to the
Suntory tonic in those 'chibi' cans at 90 yen each. Tell me - where else
can the tonic water actually cost more than the gin?
--
jonathan
--
"Never give a G&T without the lemon to ducks"
Michael Cash
belched the alphabet and kept on going with:
>My cable TV is out for like two weeks, and I find I am actually spending
>time watching the satellite TV Japan channel I had installed. Interesting
>show tonight on 7-Eleven; which is apprently the #1 retailerof a) onigiri,
>b) canned/bottled soft drinks, and c) magazines in the country (Japan, that
>is). What I hadn't realized is that when you go up to the cash register, the
>clerk not only punches in the amounts of your purchase, he/she also punches
>in whether you are male or female, and your approximate age group. There are
>a line of keys on the register especially for his. Anyone seen this?
Yes. There are two rows of keys, one pink, the other blue. I forget
the exact age ranges, but it is something like:
0-19
29
39
49
59
And the clerk just makes their best estimate regarding age. With all
too many of the guys in Japan, they probably end up just making their
best estimate on gender a lot of the time as well.
>
>With their real-time consumer surveying and marketing clout, 7-eleven has
>carved out a new niche for itself; it tells various manufacturers what its
>customers want and the manufacturers respond by producing the item, that now
>gets co-marketed under the 7-Eleven trademark. So they replace the market
>research and development function of the manufacturer. Apparently in-house
>products now make up almost 50% of what 7-Eleven sells, so they have become
>one of the largest (virtual) food/drink producers in Japan as well
Years ago they used to get their bread products from Yamazaki, a huge
commercial baking firm. But Yamazaki also operates the "Daily Store"
convenience chain and 7-11 didn't particularly care for supporting the
competition.
My understanding is that 7-11 operators don't even place orders for
replenishment. Information on every purchase is sent in real-time to
headquarters, where they micromanage what goes to the stores. Each
store receives shipments at least 3 times each day. 7-11 puts
tremendous effort into coming up with new bento items. I remember
seeing a TV special once where they showed the process of developing a
new one. They were trying to come up with one that was larger than
anything any other store offered, and which contained premium goodies,
all while keeping the cost under 1000 yen. They worked and worked and
worked on it. It was really impressive to see all that went into it.
Anyway, they finally came up with something that they thought would be
appealing, which came in under the target price, and which met with
the approval of the bigwigs. They had a go sign for putting it into
production. They had the plastic bento containers made up for it, the
kitchens geared up to produce it, and they rolled the first ones out
in the final form in which it would appear in stores. They took one,
in the package for the first time, to a board-o-bigwigs for a final
looksee and put it in the standard 7-11 microwave which they had in
the meeting room just for such occasions.
That was when they noticed the fucking thing was so big it wouldn't
fit in the microwave.
>
>Was 7-Eleven originally a Japanese company? I though it was American.....
7-11 was originally a single mom-n-pop store in the US and got its
name from the hours the store was open. Seven in the morning until
eleven in the evening. The chain used to be owned by the Southland
Corporation but several years ago was purchased by Daiei. So while it
used to be appropriate to laugh at Japanese who reported they had
visited America and were surprised to find 7-11s there, such is no
longer the case. It now *is* a Japanese company.
A few years ago 7-11 gained the distinction of being the tail which
wagged the dog. It was the first time ever (at least in Japan) that a
subsidiary had sales greater than those of the parent company.
They are also some of the most vicious, cutthroat people on the planet
when expanding their territory. As you may have noticed, these days
Japan actually has convenience stores located right next door to other
convenience stores. They used to be good landmarks when drawing maps
for people, but now they're worthless, there being so damned many of
them. 7-11 will expand into areas sometimes strictly for the purpose
of trying to shut out the competition. Naturally, one of the ways they
expand is to convince existing mom-n-pop stores to turn their place
into a 7-11. Many of them do, and *former* 7-11s are a rather common
sight. I've seen them turned into video rental shops, keitai shops,
bookstores, daycare centers, coin laundries, etc. 7-11 puts the risk
on the people opening the store, and leaves them high and dry when
things don't pan out. Of course, risk is a natural part of doing
business, but the corporate folks will sell franchisees a
pie-in-the-sky picture of their prospects even when they actually
don't think there is much chance of a location succeeding. They just
want to hold a spot long enough to shut out the competition.
I live out in the boonies of Gunma, as you know, and we are by no
means as overrun with convenience stores as are places like Tokyo. But
on my 7 kilometer drive to work each day I encounter:
7-11
Save-On
Family Mart
Lawson's
Family Mart
7-11
And that's on a fairly rural road, on a drive that only takes about 15
minutes.
Kevin Wayne Williams
>
> Apparently in-house
> products now make up almost 50% of what 7-Eleven sells, so they have become
> one of the largest (virtual) food/drink producers in Japan as well
One of my language exchange pen-pals wrote something like "Finally! A
7-Eleven is being built in my town." I explained that the English she
had chosen was grammatically correct, but conveyed the impression that a
7-Eleven was a very exciting thing, and something that she had been
anxiously awaiting. I gave her several calmer examples.
She wrote back a very nice note explaining that a 7-Eleven *was* a very
exciting thing, and she *had* been anxiously awaiting its arrival.Until
7-Eleven came to town, she couldn't buy 7-Eleven brand products.
True Fact: in the American midwest, there used to be an 8-10 chain as well.
KWW
Eric Takabayashi
McDonald's and Starbucks are essentials for local Americans, who will travel 30
minutes by train from two cities away, for no other reason. Any place that
serves beer until past two or four a.m., including family restaurants, is also
an essential for most Westerners I have known locally. They will even sleep in
open fields and parking lots to be able to go there from out of town, then go to
work the next day in the same clothes.
Travers Naran
> 7-11 was originally a single mom-n-pop store in the US and got its
> name from the hours the store was open. Seven in the morning until
> eleven in the evening. The chain used to be owned by the Southland
> Corporation but several years ago was purchased by Daiei. So while it
> used to be appropriate to laugh at Japanese who reported they had
> visited America and were surprised to find 7-11s there, such is no
> longer the case. It now *is* a Japanese company.
I thought it used to be owned by the mafia in the 1970s? Well, its
parent company, Southland Corporation.
--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Travers Naran | Visit the SFTV Science Blunders
F/T Programmer,P/T Meddler In Time&Space | Hall of Infamy!
New Westminster, British Columbia, |
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"Stand Back! I'm a programmer!" |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bryce
> Corporation but several years ago was purchased by Daiei. So while it
> used to be appropriate to laugh at Japanese who reported they had
> visited America and were surprised to find 7-11s there, such is no
> longer the case. It now *is* a Japanese company.
>
Doesn't IYG Holding Company own Daiei and is owned by Ito-Yokado Co., Ltd.?
Which means Ito-Yokado owns all the 7-11's in Seattle?
On a side note: 7-11 opened it's 20,000th store in Tokyo in 2000.
Michael Cash
<fuk...@takethisout.hotmail.com> belched the alphabet and kept on
going with:
>> eleven in the evening. The chain used to be owned by the Southland
>> Corporation but several years ago was purchased by Daiei. So while it
>> used to be appropriate to laugh at Japanese who reported they had
>> visited America and were surprised to find 7-11s there, such is no
>> longer the case. It now *is* a Japanese company.
>>
>
>Doesn't IYG Holding Company own Daiei and is owned by Ito-Yokado Co., Ltd.?
>Which means Ito-Yokado owns all the 7-11's in Seattle?
That's them! I missed a level.
>
>On a side note: 7-11 opened it's 20,000th store in Tokyo in 2000.
Come on, now. I may be a rube but no way am I going to believe there
are 20,000 7-11s in Tokyo. It just seems that way.
Bryce
"Michael Cash" <mike...@sunfield.ne.jp> wrote in message
news:rbi8ov440d0ognnkm...@4ax.com...
No, I meant the 20,000th in the world.
>
>
Dick Muhfukkin Bagswing
> True Fact: in the American midwest, there used to be an 8-10 chain as
well.
>
> KWW
>
Where? I never saw any in IN.
Brian
Steve Sundberg
wrote:
>
>I thought it used to be owned by the mafia in the 1970s? Well, its
>parent company, Southland Corporation.
Never heard that one. Southland was, IIRC, headquartered in Texas ...
hardly Mafia territory, and was one of the largest independent
petroleum retailers in the US. Wherever 7-11's have gone hasn't always
turned to gold. Southland "invaded" Minnesota in the 1980's, going up
against our home-grown SuperAmerica chain of gas/convenience stores.
By the end of the decade, 7-11 had to admit defeat and sold most all
of their Minnesota properties to SA. It was a common occurance, for
awhile, to then see two SA's on opposite corners. Eventually, SA sold
off the extra properties. Two in Minneapolis were actually turned into
restaurants (sans gasoline dispensers, of course).
Kevin Wayne Williams
>>True Fact: in the American midwest, there used to be an 8-10 chain as
>
> well.
>
>
>
Nebraska and Missouri, at least.
KWW
Brett Robson
>
>"marc" <spam...@eatthis.com> wrote in message
>news:1_Mgb.703426$Ho3.154172@sccrnsc03...
>> My cable TV is out for like two weeks, and I find I am actually spending
>> time watching the satellite TV Japan channel I had installed.
You have satellite AND cable? bastard. I have to watch network TV and put up
with the Kanao sisters special.
>
>Nice info. I wonder if there's a 'gaijin' key. I only ask 'coz I used to
>have the distinct impression that anything I regularly bought - such as
>'Snickers', 'Diet Coke' 'Funions' (spelling) would always soon disappear.
This is known the the "gaijin tease". They introduced Enchaladas and then pulled
them. But they came back and I have eaten one every day since. There is a new
steak and vegtables meal I had today, very nice. I expect that to last a week.
>The most recent example of this was 'Canada Dry Tonic Water'. My G & T
>drinking mates and me bought about 50 500 ml bottles they had on display at
>100 yen each (discounted from 130 yen) in about two weeks. Then the item
>just vanished. I even asked the manager if he could special order a whole
>case - the distributor wouldn't supply it to him! So it's back to the
>Suntory tonic in those 'chibi' cans at 90 yen each. Tell me - where else
>can the tonic water actually cost more than the gin?
>
Do what I do, drink straight gin, or gin lime. Calms the nerves nicely.
When my new local supermarket opened they were selling Australian Berri dark
grape juice. But then they created a new alcohol section and it was one of the
items they had to cut to make room. Sorely pissed off I was. I can buy
beer/sake/wine anywhere but not Aussie grape juice. I asked the duty manager if
they could reorder it and after much apologizing and bowing he promised it "next
week", three weeks ago. Bottom.
.
----
"I went to Japan once, and was very dissapointed in what I saw."
quote from Japan Today forums.
mr.sumo snr.
news:bm30m...@drn.newsguy.com...
>
> Do what I do, drink straight gin, or gin lime. Calms the nerves nicely.
>
No can do - on the straight gin that is. Eighteen years old, working in a
tiny pub called the "Shoulder Of Mutton" in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, I
had a very bad 'experience' with straight gin and a prawn vindaloo. Or to be
precise, straight gin, my gaffer, his wife, her mates, and my A-level
results (or should I say 'lack of results').
The pub cellar stank of my mates 'Ralph and Hughie' for several weeks. Ever
been awoken by the sound of a beer siphon popping out of the barrel? I
don't recommend it for anyone other than the stone deaf or dead.
Even now I over-dilute my G&T's to girlie-like proportions.
--
jonathan
--
"Never give gin to A-level failures"
Michael Cash
>
>"Michael Cash" <mike...@sunfield.ne.jp> wrote in message
>news:rbi8ov440d0ognnkm...@4ax.com...
>> On Wed, 8 Oct 2003 09:48:55 -0700, "Bryce"
>> <fuk...@takethisout.hotmail.com> belched the alphabet and kept on
>> going with:
>>
>> >> eleven in the evening. The chain used to be owned by the Southland
>> >> Corporation but several years ago was purchased by Daiei. So while it
>> >> used to be appropriate to laugh at Japanese who reported they had
>> >> visited America and were surprised to find 7-11s there, such is no
>> >> longer the case. It now *is* a Japanese company.
>> >>
>> >
>> >Doesn't IYG Holding Company own Daiei and is owned by Ito-Yokado Co.,
>Ltd.?
>> >Which means Ito-Yokado owns all the 7-11's in Seattle?
>>
>> That's them! I missed a level.
>> >
>> >On a side note: 7-11 opened it's 20,000th store in Tokyo in 2000.
>>
>> Come on, now. I may be a rube but no way am I going to believe there
>> are 20,000 7-11s in Tokyo. It just seems that way.
>>
>>
>
>No, I meant the 20,000th in the world.
That makes more sense. But 19,000 of them are in Tokyo.
Brett Robson
>
>"Brett Robson" <jet...@deja.com> wrote in message
>news:bm30m...@drn.newsguy.com...
>>
>> Do what I do, drink straight gin, or gin lime. Calms the nerves nicely.
>>
>
>No can do - on the straight gin that is. Eighteen years old, working in a
>tiny pub called the "Shoulder Of Mutton" in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, I
>had a very bad 'experience' with straight gin and a prawn vindaloo. Or to be
>precise, straight gin, my gaffer, his wife, her mates, and my A-level
>results (or should I say 'lack of results').
My story was Jim Beam. I think the borbourn had 20 years later was at Bryan's
place, probably Jack Daniels. Tasted quite nice but I don't think I could drink
a whole bottle.
>
>Even now I over-dilute my G&T's to girlie-like proportions.
Try using vodka to dilute it, that's an Okazaki Martini. (Don't waste good gin)
another fool
Snip
> 7-11 was originally a single mom-n-pop store in the US and got its
> name from the hours the store was open. Seven in the morning until
> eleven in the evening. The chain used to be owned by the Southland
Snip
7 days a week we open up at 7
7 days a week we close down at 11
7 to 11
7 to 11
god am I the only one here old enough to remember that advertising jingle?
Chris Kern
<la...@my.nuts.wouldja?> posted the following:
In Iowa we just have "Kum 'n Go" -- who picked that name?
-Chris
Chris Kern
<mike...@sunfield.ne.jp> posted the following:
>7-11 puts
>tremendous effort into coming up with new bento items.
No discounts, though. If I go to my local grocery store after 8 or 9,
I can get discounted (up to 75% off sometimes) bentos and such that
were made earlier that day. Nothing like eating a full meal for 90
yen.
-Chris
Kevin Wayne Williams
>
> In Iowa we just have "Kum 'n Go" -- who picked that name?
Don't you like "Casey's General Store" or "Quik Shop"? That's where I go
for semen-free snacking goodness when I am in Iowa.
KWW
Eric Takabayashi
Local residents from Commonwealth countries loved the "Fresh Fanny"
supermarket chain we had here. Too bad they went bankrupt and were partly
bought out by Fresta.
Bryce
http://64.45.4.179/temp/nojobs.jpg
NOTE - IF YOU LOOK AT THIS PHOTO, THE RULES ARE THAT
YOU HAVE TO SIT THERE FOR MINIMUM 60 SECONDS AND STARE
AT THE PHOTO THE WHOLE TIME, AND PONDER WHAT ITS LIKE
TO NOT EVEN GET A JOB AT THAT IRANIAN-OWNED 7-11
CONVENIENCE STORE DOWN THE STREET
Brett Robson
>
>Chris Kern wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 9 Oct 2003 09:52:09 +0900, "Dick Muhfukkin Bagswing"
>> <la...@my.nuts.wouldja?> posted the following:
>>
>> >
>> >> True Fact: in the American midwest, there used to be an 8-10 chain as
>> >well.
>> >>
>> >> KWW
>> >>
>> >
>> >Where? I never saw any in IN.
>>
>> In Iowa we just have "Kum 'n Go" -- who picked that name?
>>
>> -Chris
>
>Local residents from Commonwealth countries loved the "Fresh Fanny"
>supermarket chain we had here.
Can't get enough Fresh F***y.
marc
> >
> >"marc" <spam...@eatthis.com> wrote in message
> >news:1_Mgb.703426$Ho3.154172@sccrnsc03...
> >> My cable TV is out for like two weeks, and I find I am actually
spending
> >> time watching the satellite TV Japan channel I had installed.
>
> You have satellite AND cable? bastard.
well to be precise, I steal the cable and pay for the satellite. What does
that make me?
>I have to watch network TV and put up
> with the Kanao sisters special.
I left Japan so I would not have to watch the Kanao sisters on TV. Now I
spend my days trying to avoid Jerry Springer and Chris Matthews. TV Japan is
the only satellite channel I have, but fortunately only about half of it is
unwatchable.
Brett Robson
>
>
>"Brett Robson" <jet...@deja.com> wrote in message
>news:bm30m...@drn.newsguy.com...
>> On Wed, 8 Oct 2003 14:52:45 +0900, mr.sumo snr. ...
>> >
>> >"marc" <spam...@eatthis.com> wrote in message
>> >news:1_Mgb.703426$Ho3.154172@sccrnsc03...
>> >> My cable TV is out for like two weeks, and I find I am actually
>spending
>> >> time watching the satellite TV Japan channel I had installed.
>>
>> You have satellite AND cable? bastard.
>
>well to be precise, I steal the cable and pay for the satellite. What does
>that make me?
A thieving bastard?
>
>>I have to watch network TV and put up
>> with the Kanao sisters special.
>
>I left Japan so I would not have to watch the Kanao sisters on TV. Now I
>spend my days trying to avoid Jerry Springer and Chris Matthews. TV Japan is
>the only satellite channel I have, but fortunately only about half of it is
>unwatchable.
>
Jerry Springer was introduced to Australia about 4 years ago and got record
ratings, for about 2 weeks. It got taken off the air after about 6 weeks. I love
the little moral lesson at the end "You see folks, when you marry the daugther
of your sister of your divorced cousins first child then things get complicated
and people end of with ugly babies."
marc
> On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 03:44:44 GMT, marc ...
> >
> >
> >"Brett Robson" <jet...@deja.com> wrote in message
> >news:bm30m...@drn.newsguy.com...
> >> On Wed, 8 Oct 2003 14:52:45 +0900, mr.sumo snr. ...
> >> >
> >> >"marc" <spam...@eatthis.com> wrote in message
> >> >news:1_Mgb.703426$Ho3.154172@sccrnsc03...
> >> >> My cable TV is out for like two weeks, and I find I am actually
> >spending
> >> >> time watching the satellite TV Japan channel I had installed.
> >>
> >> You have satellite AND cable? bastard.
> >
> >well to be precise, I steal the cable and pay for the satellite. What
does
> >that make me?
>
> A thieving bastard?
>
That's more like it.
> >
> >>I have to watch network TV and put up
> >> with the Kanao sisters special.
> >
> >I left Japan so I would not have to watch the Kanao sisters on TV. Now I
> >spend my days trying to avoid Jerry Springer and Chris Matthews. TV Japan
is
> >the only satellite channel I have, but fortunately only about half of it
is
> >unwatchable.
> >
>
>
> Jerry Springer was introduced to Australia about 4 years ago and got
record
> ratings, for about 2 weeks. It got taken off the air after about 6 weeks.
I love
> the little moral lesson at the end "You see folks, when you marry the
daugther
> of your sister of your divorced cousins first child then things get
complicated
> and people end of with ugly babies."
It is hard to tell if Springer takes himself seriously or not. half the time
I think it is tongue in cheek (.... bad choice of words ... this was
probably the episode that got him kicked off the air) and the other half is
like ... well everyone is applauding, it must be worth something.
I did enjoy his cameo in the second Austin Powers movie (episode "sons with
evil fathers")