Seven Eleven - its number of stores would exceed 2 million, the first time for a small domestic retailer

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

セブンーイレブン 店舗数が２万超へ 国内小売業で初

1月6日 12時48分

コンビニ最大手のセブンーイレブンの店舗数が、今月中に国内の小売業として初めて２万店を超える見通しになったことがわかりました。ネット通販の急速な普及など競争が厳しくなる中、きめ細かい店舗網が求められるとして、今後も新規出店を進める方針です。

セブン－イレブン・ジャパンによりますと、国内の店舗数は先月末現在で１万９９７９店となり、今後の開店予定から見て、今月中に２万店を超える見通しとなりました。業界団体によりますと、同一のブランドの小売店が２万店を超えるのは国内で初めてです。

コンビニ業界は、ほかの大手も含めた店舗数が合わせて５万５０００を超え飽和状態に近づいているという指摘に加えて、アマゾンなどのネット通販が急速に拡大し、競争がより厳しくなっています。

セブンーイレブンでは、ネット通販の普及に対しては、再配達の削減に向けてコンビニの店舗を利用者が２４時間いつでも荷物を受け取ることができる拠点にするとともに、高齢化が進む中で近くのお年寄り世帯にコンビニの商品を届けるなど、きめ細かい店舗網を生かしたサービスを強化するため、今後も積極的に新規出店を進める方針です。

ただ、コンビニ業界ではアルバイトなど従業員の確保が難しくなっていて、さらなる店舗網の拡大に向けては人手不足をどう乗り越えるかが課題となります。

My translation

The number of stores in Seven Eleven, the largest convenience store company had a perspective of going beyond 20,000 within this month as a domestic retail trader. Amidst the rapid spread of net catalog selling, it was assumed that a fine store network was needed to be pursued as competition became severe, and also the policy in future was to diligently open new stores.

According to Japan Seven-Eleven the number of its domestic stores was 19,979 as at the end of last month, and as it was set to open new stores, there was a prospect in going beyond 20,000 stores within this month. According to a group in the business, it was the first time for a retail store of the same brand to exceed 20,000 stores in the country.

It was point out that in the world of convenient stores the number of stores, including other major companies put together was over 55,000 and was nearing a saturation point; also as net catalog selling in Amazon as well as others were expanding rapidly, the competition had become severe.

Seven Eleven, in face of the spreading of the catalog selling, in working towards reducing the re- delivery, had made use of the store as a base where it was possible to receive the parcels 24 hours a day; in addition, while aging was developing, commodities delivery etc. were made to elderly households; for the purpose strengthening the service it would be their policy to open new stores aggressively in future.

Also, in the convenience store industry, to secure part-time job employee was difficult; how to get over the labor shortage in face of store network expansion would be a problem.

     It seems that convenience stores in Japan are changing while coping with the needs of the markets.