7-Eleven to replace president as it considers changing 24-hour policy

Pay more money you will get staff, closing the store just annoys customers.

There has got to be something different with running a 7/11 than owning a Lawson or Family Mart.

It seems to me the trouble would not be only with 7/11's, but all convenience stores, yet all the news is about 7/11.

There are currently no 7/11's in Okinawa, but something like 250 stores here, starting in 2019! The first scheduled to open on July 11th!

https://okinawa.stripes.com/community-news/did-you-know-you-will-soon-see-7-elevens-okinawa

It is very interesting, yet a bit concerning, how they always try to attach something to foreign companies - Why can't it just be 7-11? what is with all of the 'holdings' and other stuff. And Is Lawson and Japan's other convenient stores having the same problem? I don't think so. I think its a strategy to undermine or hurt the American convenient store chain. Not fair competition. But that is how they roll.

The stores aren't that busy during the midnight shift (unless you're in a nightclub/love-hotel zone) so the 24hr model does not make sense everywhere. Individual Stores should have the right to decide their own operating hours based upon their location - forcing them to do otherwise is wrong, and damaging.

That said, 7-11 has got some things right -

The range & diversity of products is good, though they need to update their lunch products - especially now.

The quality of their meals is better than Lawson as too the cleanliness and layouts of their stores.

The 7-Bank's flexibility to partner with other local Banking institutions for free access is a plus.

John RichardsonToday  10:34 pm JST

It is very interesting, yet a bit concerning, how they always try to attach something to foreign companies - Why can't it just be 7-11? what is with all of the 'holdings' and other stuff. And Is Lawson and Japan's other convenient stores having the same problem? I don't think so. I think its a strategy to undermine or hurt the American convenient store chain. Not fair competition. But that is how they roll.

The 7/11 is a Japanese licensed company. It is owned by Japan. Not America.

If Lawson is going to self check out for night hours, 7-11 might want to reconsider closing entirely. They do need a fairly uniform policy though. If a significant number have limited hours and the rest don't it gets very confusing for customers (especially at 3 in the morning !:)

what is with all of the 'holdings' and other stuff.

John, It is 7&i because 7-11 merged with Itoyokado, thus the i.

The name of the company could be shortened to 7&i but not 7-11 as it would be incorrect.

"Pay more money..."

Japan's recent market reforms that everyone (like JT posters) is cheering about encourages companies to maximize their profits for the sake of their shareholders, and the most popular way of doing that is by minimizing labor costs. So good luck with that.

John RichardsonApr. 4 10:34 pm JST

...Why can't it just be 7-11? what is with all of the 'holdings' and other stuff. ... I think its a strategy to undermine or hurt the American convenient store chain. ...

FYI: 7-11 is wholly owned by 7&i Holdings, a JAPANESE corporation, and has been since 2005, just so you know.

I am tired of the repeated misinformation that japan is suffering from acute labour shortage. You don't expect people to work for 1100yen/hr at night while others are in dreamland.

Establishments having difficulty securing workers are because they are paying cheap. Jobs at 1500yen/hr will draw numerous applicants.

The law of demand and supply doesn't hold here. You would expect per hour pay to increase to entice workers when there is labour shortage but that is not the case.

I don't understand why companies don't bypass the job placement companies and recruit directly and paying the worker more but then they have to take care of the filing of taxes . Insurance etc they are paying the price of paying the price of entrusting recruitment to temp staff companies and the temp staff taking their cut, most don't pay transportation and when they do there is a cap which in most cases is far below the commuting cost.

The government allowed the temp staff companies to mushroom easily as a result there are so many resulting in the low pay. The j-economy will never improve.

Prepare yourself for tougher times.

Working at a convenient store isn't meant to provide a liveable wage - no different from a McDonalds. It was always meant for extra money, students, first jobs, retirees, etc.