How to "transform" the convenience store how to embrace the electric dealer "tornado"

"The electric business wants to be the center of consumer Life, and the convenience store that is good at" distortion "has already occupied the entrance of community service, how they hug each other"/> electric business wants to become the center of consumer Life, and the convenience store that is good at "transformation" has occupied the entrance of community service,

When it comes to convenience stores, a lot of people think of outlets first, two numbers are meant to be open, and now 24 hours is a practice. Over the years, convenience stores are relying on the "convenience" of two words, to time (24 hours), location (near the community, office), as well as the rapid adjustment of goods than the big stores quickly adjust the mechanism to become a part of customer living space.

Small spaces have great charms, but good days don't seem to last forever. The two years on the "convenience store close the tide" of the report is frequently published in the newspaper, was swept among them outlets, the family, Rosen and other well-known convenience store brand. Even if you do not close the shop, the profit is more and more meager is indisputable fact. Fast-food Bento, although both make money and make a yell, but every family sell, also is not a secret weapon.

The bigger worry is now the reef. The logistics manager of a Shanghai chain company was embarrassed to tell reporters that he didn't even have time to buy toilet paper because of his long overtime, all of which were purchased from the Internet. Yes, there are 24-hour convenience stores, but he's working overtime in a warehouse in the suburbs of Shanghai, and finding a convenience store around is as hard as finding a café.

Now, from mobile phones, clothing, to fresh foods-even toilet paper, electric dealers, like an unexpected tornado, are inhaling all the visible merchandise sales into their own whirlpool. At present, although the fresh electricity business is flourishing, but still difficult, to food as the main commodity convenience stores temporarily feel the power of murderous. But in the long run, with the development of mobile Internet, people can go online anywhere, and then leave the page. The long tail effect of the electric quotient determines that it can display infinitely many goods theoretically.

"The convenience of goods and services is the only value of a convenience store," said Lin Yuetian, a general manager at outlets, the Hong Kong dairy group. "The general convenience store can only display 2000-3000 kinds of goods, so the goods themselves can not become the core competitiveness of convenience stores." As a result, convenience stores use the 24-hour operation as a normal location, as close as possible to consumers. But the former also brings the high operating costs, the latter due to the fierce competition between peers often can not be achieved.

No one will be without a fight. The concept of "virtual second floor" is being carried forward in the most developed area of this convenience store in Taiwan. Although there is no room to increase the display space, a wide variety of services, like Plug-ins, are placed in a long and narrow world of convenience stores, ranging from payment to collecting parcels. Jiangyongxiong, chairman of Crown Group, recently returned to Taiwan and found that outlets in some areas had even started collecting taxes on behalf of the Government. In addition, some convenience stores become cafes, and some set up their own electronic mall, including 100,000 kinds of goods, stores as their own points and display, the electrical business hard research on the line under the integration problem, in the convenience store here has come to the point.

Convenience stores are like a Rubik's Cube, in the hands of people who can play with this era of changes in a variety of new appearance. At the end of the literary masterpiece, the Book of Metamorphosis, Kafka for the protagonist's fate is deserted, but the convenience store "Metamorphosis", but is a reinterpretation of the outlets Japanese founder Suzuki-Wen's famous saying: "Everyone into the shop, see the existing goods, and the new demand is lurking in the shop outside." ”

Find "allies" to sell services

If you cannot refuse, learn to accept and integrate.

Lin is the head of the marketing department of the Shanghai Headquarter of Sheraton Convenience store. Every morning when the executive meeting, as Taobao fan he is always afraid of the phone rang, it will make him very embarrassed, "I hope that the courier do not call me before 9:30, early 9 o'clock is the express delivery peak, but not to pick him today will not send." As a consumer, I certainly want to go back and dismantle the parcel as soon as possible. ”

The inconvenient experience of receiving goods triggered the idea of the Taiwan Chao man collecting parcels by convenience stores. More importantly, he wants to introduce a new service for Xisto.

Lin to find the day cat, just days cat also want to solve the problem of user experience. The two sides agree with each other, the joy to become the Cat service station the first parcel from the point. March 2013, the business in Hangzhou 70 hi-many stores trial run. Consumers shopping on the day cat or Taobao, can choose nearby convenience store collection, if the package stranded in the store more than 4 days, will be returned to the cat. Xisto a certain commission according to the piece.

Almost at the same time, the family and Amazon (297.26,1.52,0.51%) also "hooking up" in Shanghai, or a continuation of the leading edge-in Japan, the family for the Amazon collection of parcels. Another electric business in Beijing East also in good neighbors, WOWO and other convenience stores set up a parcel from the point.

In the eyes of the electric business, the convenience store is undoubtedly a rare good partner. First, there are overlapping customer groups. Second, "community service is a big chunk of the service structure, and the so-called community service is to find the person closest to the consumer." For convenience stores, consumers feel more about that kind of humanistic care and proximity. "Tian Cat Logistics Division general manager Gongtao said." In fact, collecting parcels is also the need of convenience store differentiated competition.

Electricity is like the Air Force, retail industry, like the Army, two different forms of integration is not easy, this is a complex system engineering.

In the stage of water test, almost every convenience store has encountered the ironic thing. Once, a store received a plant from the cat. "We're stupid, afraid the plants will die." I called the cat and said, "Come on, let's talk about it. Lin said, vomiting his tongue as if the troublesome plant was still there.

The running-in of both sides is far more complicated than looking after a plant. Disagreements are inevitable. "Because when the consumer is standing in front of you, the person facing is not the cat, is my colleague, the person who is suffering from trouble is him, so we should consider for him." "Lin said.

Take the first part of the problem. According to the past, the day the cat shipped over, the recipient phone call. Lin that there is a risk, in case of staff identification problems, resulting in parcels stolen, mistakenly taken? He insisted on asking the customer to take the goods by the password.

The family also encountered similar problems. It wants consumers to pick up the phone number at the end of four digits, because the mobile phone number than the order number easier to remember and identify. But Amazon will need time to update the system. At present, the whole family still rely on the consumer name and order number to authenticate the pickup.

Cat Logistics Division general manager Gongtao Most worried about is the responsibility to define. Days before the process is a merchant-Courier-consumers, now more than a convenience store links, consumers take packages when things are bad, is the issue of delivery, or damage in the transport process, or custody of the problem? All this needs to be clarified.

The thinking conflict between the entity shop and the net trader is also everywhere. For example, to do reverse logistics, "Amazon pay attention to fast, I hope we quickly on-line, rapid testing, failed to change." But as a convenience store, I can shop 1000, can not be a problem. Therefore, we will be prepared for a longer time to ensure that it is foolproof. "The whole family network commodity class Jin Jofan said. Another problem is the data, "the previous data uploaded once a day is enough, and the electric business system is real-time, once the next single to track: What Time Out of the library, a few points to the station, the time to send." We must give the information back to Amazon the first time. "This is a promotion for the convenience store," Jin Jofan said.

At least for the time being the electricity dealer is the beneficiary. Fan, executive deputy general manager of the Amazon China Transportation and distribution division, told Chinese entrepreneurs that since the launch of their own services, their own orders have increased speed, and the site has also seen a significant increase in the number of customer visits to help center. Many customers have emailed suggestions to offer their own points in other cities across the country.

As of May 2013, the day Cat service station in the country a total of more than 6,000 sites, has been in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Jiaxing, Ningbo, Wuhan, Shenzhen and other 22 cities more than 4,100 convenience stores, community properties to establish outlets.

Benefits are not enough for a few convenience stores. Take the family as an example, at present each shop parcel day quantity less than 10 pieces. However, they are optimistic about the future. At the end of July, Xisto will be in the East China nearly 400 stores all online parcels from the service, the family also plans to expand the business in Shanghai.

Many employees said that, although the electrical business developed rapidly, "we do not have their own network mall, our goal is very clear, is to do convenience stores, the main axis is convenient, but if today's electronic business is willing to combine with our physical stores to maximize service, this future can be discussed together." ”

In the future, with the volume of parcels increased, space for convenience stores is not a small challenge. The idea is, "Go to Heaven"-they use three of degrees of space, using the ceiling above the counter to make a very low hanging cabinet to store the package, and has a moving pull to facilitate the pickup. Another constraint is the cost of labor. In the retail expert Shanyin All view, the collection parcel and many value-added services are different, need to receive goods, keep, confirm, the workload increases many, if does not increase the wages or the manpower, will cause the staff many contradictions.

But the consensus is that cooperation will become the norm. CIC Consultant researcher Du Yan macro points out: Convenience store is a real "small but beautiful" business, with the express industry, E-commerce cooperation, express items will inevitably occupy its business area, but with the benefits of passenger flow, which is relatively small price. He thought that the convenience store, The courier company, the electricity merchant will have the perfect cooperation. Gongtao told "Chinese entrepreneur", the future of the cat and convenience store cooperation is not limited to collecting parcels, goods to payment, experience test wear, integral consumption can be extended to, will also expand the reverse logistics, fresh electricity and other services.

Selling individuality with "weapon"

Although the electric power of each road is not small, but not all convenience stores are tempted. Chengdu Red Flag chain convenience store is not very buying this business.

According to the introduction, red Flag chain with the cat had several talks, but did not reach cooperation. Red Flag chain Deputy Vice-President Xiangjian bluntly, the main reason is too little commission, "I help you solve the landing problem, you only give me the manpower cost can not reach the money, then why should I do?" Everything has to be balanced. "But he does not rule out future cooperation with the cat."

Open the network map to search the convenience store in Chengdu, densely red dot enough to let the dense phobia patients fall goose bumps. Now, Chengdu also has the local red flag chain, dance Dongfeng, Wowo, reciprocity, as well as foreign alligator family, outlets and many other convenience store brand, but the Overlord here is a little "dirt" red flag chain. The "cheats" are value-added services.

As the first to carry out value-added services in Sichuan convenience stores, red flag chain of services are numerous: In addition to the most embodies the "convenience" of various fees, but also the sale of car tickets, train tickets, air tickets, concert tickets, film tickets ... And new projects are launched almost every month. "If you had asked me last month, I would have told you that the train ticket is open for sale, and this month is the integral consumption of Sichuan airlines." "Xiangjian said.

Value-added services are not a red flag chain proprietary, but the key is that there are many public services, not only to facilitate consumers, but also for the government's public service "white" solution.

Red Flag chain Deputy vice-president Shing told "Chinese entrepreneur", Chengdu City uses the Tianfu pass bus card, the price is very attractive, but automatically clear zero at the end of every month. This rule led to the common people to recharge at least 2-3 times a month, and the red flag chain is the bus company signed the recharge points. The bus company values the huge red flag dot, and the red flag looks at the huge stream of people and the cash flow that fixed each month, both hit.

These value-added services based on public utilities have made many people feel "dependent" on red flags. Li Yibin, who lives in Wuhou District, is a teacher, who has just got married, said she has been to pay all the expenses of red flag. She asked with a vague question: is there any other place to pay?

With the feeling of human kindness will unknowingly take root. Chengdu Youth Lei and red flag attached to a charge experience. Last night, the home electric card ran out, and the daughter is preparing for the final exam. Lei anxiously everywhere to inquire about the charge of the place, finally in the red flag chain 24 hours convenience store for the electric card filled the value, this let him to the red flag favor doubled.

Red flag also intentionally or unintentionally through self-service terminals to extend the customer stay in the store time. Because the terminal only provides the choice and the small ticket, the customer needs to wait for 1-3 minutes when paying the counter. Some guests take advantage of this piecemeal time to go to the shop and buy bags of melon seeds or a bottle of vinegar.

Many service projects bring seemingly casual linkage behavior, resulting in a considerable cumulative benefit. 2010 and 2011, the total number of convenience services to the red flag brought more than 50 million passengers. Red Flag Annual report shows that the annual turnover of value-added services in the past three years has multiplied and reached 4.293 billion yuan.

Shing revealed that the current value-added revenue for red flag cash flow can be basically the same as the operating income of red flag. In the red Flag China Garden Shop, the current monthly revenue of more than 2 million yuan, on behalf of the charge can reach about 3 million yuan.

In some cities, collecting electricity and water, bus recharge service has become the standard of convenience stores, but also gather popularity and customer stickiness of the killer. According to the public statistics show that from 2008 to 2013 May, Suguo convenience store on behalf of the Electricity and Wisdom card (bus IC card) Recharge items accumulated 8040781 people and 14083484 people, equivalent to the number of Nanjing floating population twice times. Suguo from 2007 to 2013 May accumulated three-party consumption amount of 257 million yuan, realize cash flow 4.437 billion yuan.

However, because of different local policies, not all convenience stores receive satisfactory returns from value-added services. In Shanghai, the collection of utilities such as coal and electricity to become a lot of convenience stores "love and hate" business.

"You know what?" They are a little bit of a fee. "Lin Shanghai Headquarters Marketing department director of the tip of the nail gestures, in the rush hour, met with the water and electricity coal customers, greatly increased the store pressure." Staff have to settle and run the bank every day.

The family's deputy director of commodity services, Wu Lingling, also poured bitterness on reporters. She has been working here since the family entered Shanghai for 2004 years. 10, the Shanghai human cost increased by three or four times times, service fees but not how much. More let her tangle is the bus card recharge, in Shanghai need advance to the bus company, only a recharge limit. "The money I put in the bank, even if the regular interest rate at least 3%-4%." Light from the flow of money to see, this business is not profit, even lose money. ”

Red flag chain can benefit from it is a "weapon", they and each generation of payment companies signed an exclusive agreement. "Our tap water, gas generation is exclusive agreement, although the electricity is not, but at present, only the red flag can be charged." There are long-distance tickets for sale, but also our unique. "Xiangjian said.

In Suguo chairman and general Manager Jiaxi, the Inland convenience store if achieves like Japan or Taiwan outlets, many suppliers cannot leave it, the service charge standard will naturally raise. "Now a lot of times is our initiative to find cooperation units to talk about, there is no right to speak, charging high and impossible, and so our service is perfect, powerful, bargaining power may be higher." "Data show that Japan's convenience stores from the payment, booking and other value-added services to obtain a commission of 1%, Taiwan can reach 0.6%, and the mainland convenience stores may receive only 0.1% of the Commission."

Lin Yuetian to "Chinese entrepreneur" said that the convenience store service is not too much, afraid not enough. "Let the consumer find every reason and excuse to come to you." When customers think of convenience stores as their own refrigerators, bookstores and banks, it is hard to make money. Foreigners like to refer to convenience stores as: This is my store. ”

Compared with Taiwan's outlets of up to 600 value-added services, mainland convenience stores still have a lot of room, in addition to public utilities, they continue to try new ways. In the red flag chain of Chinese garden Shop has a "wine inspection machine", can be inspected Wu ye of true and false. The red flag even carefully studied the possibility of charging the battery, the conclusion is not very realistic at present. But the Suguo convenience store has launched a charging service for electric vehicles.

Suguo also plans to follow the Taiwanese outlets, integrating all services into one platform, working with Lakara to create a convenient brand, standardize service standards and reduce human costs. Jiaxi believes that future profit points will certainly increase.

"Convenience stores are a collection of many fragmented services, and the value of any one fragmentation service is not sufficient to support its operations, but it is profitable to have a long tail effect when many related services are aggregated." This is a process of quantitative change to qualitative change. Gongtao concluded.

Learn the café "selling relationships"

Zhong A funny story last year when the head of the Taiwan outlets Public Relations office walked into a outlets in Taipei and found a mainland visitor sitting in an anxious seat in the seating area. She ran over to ask, and the man asked her, "Why don't you get the menu?" "It turned out that he took the convenience store as a restaurant.

In fact, this change is not surprising. In the past two years, in order to facilitate customers to eat, Taiwan's 7-eleven90% stores set up a seating area, very popular.

In the history of convenience stores, the "eat" products and services has been the most important innovation. Convenience stores want to learn from Starbucks ' third space, from selling goods to selling services to selling relationships. And the best way to contact people is to eat and drink while exchanging, which is the internet can never replace. Taiwan convenience store practitioners have spoken bluntly, "We are to become the center of consumer life." "Isn't this the ultimate dream of the electric dealers?"

Outlets in Taiwan, there has been "a tea egg sold 700 million" story. In recent years, domestic-funded convenience stores are also learning foreign investment, Taiwan-funded convenience stores. Suguo two years ago began selling tea eggs, one months to sell hundreds of thousands of yuan, is also selling lunch box, next prepare to do cooked food, fruit salad and so on.

"The convenience store still has to build the fresh food management ability, this ability establishes the convenience store to be truly successful." Fresh food and value-added services are the two high barriers to convenience stores. Jiaxi said. Fresh food attracts him for another important reason--the high margin.

The development and innovation of fresh food is the favorite thing in convenience stores. Take the family as an example, it has to open every day about fresh food, employees will personally taste a variety of flavors, until found the most satisfying taste. In order to keep fresh, the family recently imported a value of more than 40,000 yuan of the island Ark, not only in the temperature zone more clearly (easy to store different cold), and compared to the usual vertical freezer, in height, width is more convenient for customers to take goods.

As the seasons change, the fresh food in the convenience store is constantly refurbished. Hot summer, many convenience store's cool skin, noodles sell very well. In late June, a day at noon, the reporter in Hangzhou College on the road to see many stores, a time of dozens of of cool skin, noodles by the office of the white-collar workers in the vicinity of a grab and light, the shrewd shop assistants don't forget to catch a cup of ice soy milk or cola.

In addition to the product itself, the dining environment is also very important. Chen-Yeon, a biotech company in Hangzhou, is more willing to dine in clean, standard, and secure convenience stores than a roadside store.

In Shanghai Putuo District Zhongshan North Road, the family convenience store, will find that the shop area has more than 100 square meters, color shelf, floor, with potted plants, murals, warm fashion. Two girls in the window seat were chatting with coffee, as if the convenience store were a warm-toned Starbucks.

"This is our next flagship store type. "A comfortable environment will give customers a pleasant shopping experience so they can stay in the store longer and the potential purchase rate will increase, not as if they had bought something in less than three minutes," Wu Lingling said.

In essence, convenience stores and Starbucks have the same advantages, the pursuit of a kind of VIP culture. Through affinity to customer stickiness into consumption power. Chengdu Red Flag chain region manager Yu Tianpeng said that in the Chinese garden shop more than 2000 people a day of traffic, at least half of the old customers. He can even name a lot of people exactly. How to increase interaction with consumers is also the core issue of future convenience store development.

Gongtao also pointed out: "What can be done in the traditional community now, convenience stores are much clearer than we are, and this is what I want them to tell us, what consumers are doing in the community, how they serve, and why they can do well; they also hope that we can give them some inspiration, the direction of the whole Internet in the future, Electric business development direction, there is no new opportunity. ”