50 yrs on, Japan convenience stores keep evolving to stay competitive

In the nearly half century since Japan got its first convenience store near Tokyo Bay, such outlets have become ubiquitous, with customers dropping by not only for groceries but also for financial services, package delivery, and much more.But in recent years, the domestic convenience store market has become saturated and competition has heated up, prompting operators to seek more attractive products. A labor shortage has also become a serious problem, leading some stores to give up 24-hour operations and introduce unmanned cash registers to keep up with the changing times.What is now Seven-…READ FULL ARTICLE