7-Eleven delivers in 2 hours in Japan

A two-hour delivery service for smartphone orders is about to be launched by 7-Eleven Japan, the country’s biggest convenience-store chain.

“Net Konbini” (using the commonly shortened form of “convenience store” in Japanese) plans to cover 7-Eleven’s entire Japanese network of around 20,000 stores, following a soft launch at 25 stores in Hokkaido in October. It plans to expand the network to 1000 stores in Hokkaido by August next year.

Users will be able to place orders 24 hours a day, nominating a delivery address and store. A range of 2800 products will be available including Japanese convenience-store staples such as rice balls and bento lunch boxes.

“Using 20,000 stores to immediately deliver any of 2800 products is a service only 7-Eleven can provide,” says company president Kazuki Furuya.

Delivery trucks en route through 7-Eleven outlet areas will pick up orders and drop off purchases to customers, in a tie-up between 7-Eleven and a subsidiary of logistics company Seino Holdings finalised last year.