The Importance of Being Convenient

I was reading the Weekender (an English language magazine in Tokyo) and came accross an interesting articles about convenience stores in Japan. Here are some of my favorite quotes:

A joint venture between the large securities firm Nikko Cordial Securities and Lawson in July 2004 saw the convenience store operator open a branch inside
Nikko’s brokerage office. The branch distinguishes itself by featuring an impressive 13m2 screen shared by both businesses. The giant screen tracks investment programs and lists various stock and financial information, thus encouraging possibly risk-shy middle-aged and mature investors to seek financial advice in the non-threatening sales environment of the friendly combini.

...This also reflects a wider shift in Japan, with consumers reexamining
their personal definition of what’s valuable and worth their money. This new trend would find it logical to drive to a combini in a brand new European sports car to buy a 500yen ($5) bento lunch.

The peculiar mix of factors that is modern Japan may be the perfect environment for convenience stores to grow. The shortage of physical space, the lack of concern over customer satisfaction with government agencies such as the national post office (where you can’t even buy envelopes people, envelopes!), and the loneliness of a workaholic nation attracted to the warm, midnight glow of the combini make these stores the most highly tuned, rapidly evolving stores, possibly on the planet.

Kirsten