difference from those of other countries

America

In America, many stores with gas stations, and stores sell engine oil, goods for car washing and goods for car which Japanese convenience stores don't sell. Moreover, some stores supply us car service. This is the reason that America has vast area, so people who move a long distance can get stuck in the area which has no houses. This will be connected with life and death directly. The minimum daily necessities, light meal, drinks and many kinds of goods are prepared. America has AMPM, Mini-mart, Seven Eleven, etc...

In New York and Shicago which are city central part, stores have mainly groceries, miscellaneous goods for daily use and perishable foods(specially fruits). American stores don't chain stores which are often seen in Japan and independent store, so each store has business hours, commodities and scale respectively. For example, small stores which sell drink, snack, general merchandise and magazine, and large ones which sell meat, vegetables, cooked foods, seasoning, flower and beer.

Seven Eleven in Singapore

Asia

In Taiwan, the first convenience store opened in the end of 1970s. Now, there are 9,000 stores(August, 2007) and density for population is said to be No.1 in the world. The number of Seven Eleven stores was 2,000 in 2000, and was 4,500 in 2006, and new 400 stores open every year now. In city areas, there are more than 10 convenience stores within 1km.



In Asia, Japanese convenience stores have opened since 2000. In China, convenience stores have been burgeoning industry yet, but in Shanghai, more than 1,000 stores have opened for 10 years.

SevenEleven in Copenhagen

Europe
In Europe, because of religion and culture, stores don't open on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, and at night and in the early morning, so it is difficult to open convenience stores. Especially in Dutch, because of low, stores can't open for a long time, so only shops with gas station can open in the early morning and at night, and holydays. However, in cities, we can find stores as Japanese Kiyosuku at station and busy streets. And there are Seven Eleven in Norway, Sweden and Denmark.





How to use convenience store

How much money people pay to convenience store for one use? A pole show that many people pay for under 1000 yen.

1.500~1000 yen(39.9%)

2.300~500 yen(33.5%)

3.~300 yen(13.5%)

Some people go to convenience store for no reason. The whole ratio of not to go to convenience store is 49.9%, but more than 70% teenagers go to convenience store if they don't have something to need.

A faborite convenience store is different among every area, and No.1 is Seven Eleven except Hokuriku and Shikoku. In Hokuriku and Shikoku, faborite convenience store is Lawson, and the ratio of Seven Eleven is under 10%. And in Hokkaido, Seico Mart is No.1 and Seven Eleven is No.2. In Tokai, No.1 is Seven Eleven and No.2 is Cirkle K, but the ratio is about same. In Kinki, Seven Eleven is No.1,but more people selected Lawson and FamilyMart than that of Kanto. Moreover, the reason of people often use convenience stores is that convenience stores are near to home, company and school. The following is that they used to going the store and that they have point card and electronic money of the store. It is important that stores are near to our environment.

Convenience stores rely heavily on the point of sale. Customers' ages and gender, as well as tomorrow's weather forecast, are important data. Stores place all orders on-line. As the store floor sizes are limited, they have to be very careful in choosing what brands to sell. In many cases, several stores from the same chain do business in neighboring areas. This strategy makes distribution to each store cheaper, as well as making multiple deliveries per day possible. Generally, food goods are delivered to each store two to five times a day from factories. Since products are delivered as needed, stores do not need large stock areas.

popular items

I think the most popular item of convenience stores in this season is oden.Oden is a dish in which a variety of ingredients such as tofu, eggs, white radish, fried fish paste, and potatoes are boiled together in a large pot of seasoned fish broth. Hot mustard and miso is served as a condiment.

Popular Ingredient Ranking(2010.11.24)
1.white radish
2.hard-boiled egg
3.whitish strings of konnyaku(devil's tongue)
4.beef gristle

5.a block of deep-fried bean curd

chibita's oden

Others, several exceptional type of oden are sold by some convenience stores. Lawson sells japanese omelette and udon. FamilyMart sells sausage and cheese in mochikinchaku which is pounded rice cake wrapped in a tofu pouch. And CircleK sunkus sells chibita's oden which is composed by konnnyaku(triangle), quail egg in boiled fish paste(round) and tubular roll of boiled [grilled] fish paste(square). The oden materializes ◁○□-(triangle-round-square). (This is representative of oden.)
Seven Eleven has 47 kinds, Lawson has 54 kinds and FamilyMart has 51 kinds oden.

By the way, there are other popular items in each convenience store. Mini Stop is popular because of soft ice cream and topvalu. Lawson is popular because of karaagekun and sweets. FamilyMart is popular because of sweets, famichiki and article sold without a brand name. Seven Eleven is popular because of sevenpremium.