7-Eleven begins selling Nico& clothing… Exploring service expansion in the saturated convenience store industry

‘Nico&’ sold at 7-Eleven… Saturated convenience store industry seeks to expand services

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Byeong-gyu = The Tokyo Shimbun reported on the 30th that major convenience store chains in Japan are making efforts to sell clothing, including expanding the clothing items sold in stores.

The Tokyo Shimbun reported that clothing items sold at convenience stores were originally targeted at "urgent needs" such as socks and underwear, but convenience store chains have been focusing on clothing sales in recent years.

7-Eleven announced earlier this month that it would collaborate with clothing company Nico ST and sell products from the company's clothing brand 'Nico&'.

The convenience store's goal is to double clothing sales by increasing the number of clothing items sold in convenience store stores.

A 7-Eleven official explained, "Convenience stores' main customer base is brands in their 40s and 50s, but (popular clothing brands) are aimed at young female customers," adding, "It can lead to the purchase of other products, so it is a means of increasing the value of customers visiting convenience stores."

7-Eleven's 'transformation' is actually late compared to other convenience store chains such as Family Mart and Lawson.

In 2021, Family Mart began selling self-designed T-shirts, sportswear, and socks matching the store's colors under the name 'Convenience Store Wear.'

As positive responses continued across the country, a store with a changing room for people to try on clothes was opened in downtown Tokyo last July.

In the case of Lawson, it has been selling ‘Muji’ products nationwide since 2022.

Convenience store chains' efforts to sell clothing are one of the self-rescue measures taken as the convenience store market in Japan is reaching saturation point and competition is intensifying.

As the number of convenience stores across Japan remains stagnant at around 50,000, the convenience store industry is expanding its services to include utility bill collection and baggage services.