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News Seven-Eleven to test partial night closure

thomas

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14 Mar 2002
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The shortage in labour force drives Seven-Eleven Japan to test a partial night closure at 10 of their outlets which will be closed between 11p.m. and 7a.m. The trial will only be conducted at stores directly controlled by 7-11 and not at franchise stores which are affected most.

But from mid-March, the 10 outlets in Tokyo and seven prefectures will open only from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m., during which time the effects of shorter hours on sales and product delivery will be checked. An official with Seven & i Holdings Co., the parent company of Seven-Eleven Japan, said the company's move is aimed at preparing "for social structural changes such as a graying and declining population." About 98 percent of the 20,000 or so Seven-Eleven Japan outlets are operated by franchise owners. Those outlets will not be part of the trial run, leading one owner in his 60s who manages an outlet in the Kansai region to rant: "Why is this being done at directly-operated outlets? The figures can be fiddled with in any number of ways. I think it is nothing but a publicity stunt that serves as a precondition to the eventual announcement that 'the experiment showed no effects.'"

Source: Seven-Eleven Japan to test partial closing of outlets at night
 
Actually I think most 7-11's should be closed after 1 am. One problem maybe is that on one street here within 1.5 miles we have 4 convenient stores and the population after 1 am to support the labor cost verses the income just isn't there. Although I would agree that stores opening up at 6 am is not a bad idea.
Yes, there is a labor shortage. I see many Chinese students working in the stores today.
 
They could go back to their roots and stay open from 7am to 11pm. But I'm sure that would be damaging from a business standpoint.
 
I guess that would depend on how many customers come in at night.

I agree. Unfortunately, Seven-Eleven Japan's franchise owners are not allowed to change the opening hours.

Mitoshi Matsumoto, 57, gained national prominence after he closed his Higashi-Osaka outlet for a few hours at night because he couldn't find staff for his store. Seven-Eleven Japan threatened to fine him 17 million yen ($150,000) for violating the franchise contract.
 
I agree. Unfortunately, Seven-Eleven Japan's franchise owners are not allowed to change the opening hours.


Wow! So the franchise owners are slaves it looks like. And yes, finding help is very difficult these days. Hope the change their contract agreement with the franchises. My friend owns 2 stores with the land and she now is about 58 years old I think. If she gets sick, I wonder what will happen. She has no kids and never married.
 
Wow! So the franchise owners are slaves it looks like. And yes, finding help is very difficult these days. Hope the change their contract agreement with the franchises. My friend owns 2 stores with the land and she now is about 58 years old I think. If she gets sick, I wonder what will happen. She has no kids and never married.
That's an 大げさ. :)
It's a contractual obligation and it's directly linked to the brand. If they are known to be open 24 hours it wouldn't make sense to allow 7-11s to close. Maybe she can move to another brand. Become a Circle K or Lawsons or something. Or try to join with other inaka franchisees to get a change of terms.
 
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