Seven & I to launch online store

1 min readUpdated Oct 1, 2015Oct 1, 20153:00 AM

Japan’s Seven & I Holdings says it will open a giant online store in November, offering products sourced from across its retail store brands.

By February 2019, Seven & I anticipates a range of 6 million SKUs will be available on the new store, including goods specifically created for the channel in partnership with name brands, including apparel chain Uniqlo.

It targets ¥1 trillion in annual turnover, or US$8.3 billion when fully operational.

Seven & I is the global parent of the 7-Eleven convenience store brand, owns the Ito-Yokado chain of hybrid supermarkets and general merchandise stores and the high end department stores Seibu and Sogo.

The new online store ‘Omni7’ will open on November 11 with a stock of 1.8 million items.

Shoppers will be able to request delivery to their home or two any Seven & I outlets for convenient collection – such as 7-Elevens.

Returns will be permitted over the counter at any group store.

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What this means

Seven & I's Omni7 launch is a potent move, using its extensive physical footprint and diverse brand portfolio to challenge established online retailers. By integrating 7-Eleven, Ito-Yokado, Seibu, and Sogo products onto a single platform, and offering store collection and returns, it creates a differentiated offering that rivals pure-play e-commerce players. The ambitious ¥1 trillion turnover target, supported by 6 million SKUs by February 2019 and partnerships like Uniqlo, indicates a serious intent to dominate. This pressures competitors reliant solely on home delivery and could redefine convenience. The main risk is execution, particularly maintaining inventory coherence across such a vast product range. Watch the store collection numbers closely in early 2019.

Minjun Park

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