世論 What Japan Thinks

This very comprehensive study by DIMSDRIVE Research into convenience store usage found out many interesting facts, such as almost two-thirds of those living alone frequent them quite frequently.

Demographics

Between the 2nd and 17th of September 2009 8,317 members of the DIMSDRIVE monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.4% of the sample were female, 0.8% in their teens, 12.0% in their twenties, 33.2% in their thirties, 31.6% in their forties, 15.8% in their fifties, and 6.6% aged sixty or older.

I pop into a convenience store about two or three times a week, usually ones inside stations run by the railway company, although I don’t know if they were in scope of this survey or not. The other times I use convenience stores it’s mostly to pay bills or to use the photocopier or occasionally to pick up tickets.

Research results

Q1: About how often do you use convenience stores? (Sample size=8,317)

Every day	7.1%
Four to six times a week	15.1%
Two or three times a week	24.6%
Once a week	20.7%
Two or three times a month	14.6%
Once a month	8.3%
Less than once a month	7.6%
Don’t use convenience stores	2.0%

From the above, 46.8% of the sample used convenience stores more than once a week. However, looking at the figures for single person households versus multiple person households, 12.2% of single person households used convenience stores daily, 24.0% four to six times a week, and 27.9% two or three times a week, making a grand total of 64.1% of single people using them more than once a week. For multiple person households the figures were 6.3%, 13.5% and 24.0%, for a total of 43.8% shopping more than once per week.

Q2: About how much on average do you spend on shopping per visit? (Sample size=8,147)

Under 300 yen	13.5%
300 to 499 yen	33.5%
500 to 999 yen	39.9%
1,000 to 2,999 yen	9.9%
3,000 to 4,999 yen	1.1%
5,000 to 9,999 yen	0.3%
10,000 yen or more	0.1%
Don’t buy anything	1.7%

Note that a popular activity with the youth is tachi-yomi, stand-up reading, which as the name suggests is standing in front of the magazine rack and reading, which explains probably most of the 1.7% who don’t spend anything.

Q3: For every ten visits to a convenience store, about how many times do you end up just going for no particular reason? (Sample size=8,147)

Never	49.9%
Once	22.1%
Twice	11.4%
Thrice	6.4%
Four times	1.4%
Five times	4.1%
Six times	0.9%
Seven times	1.1%
Eight times	1.4%
Nine times	0.5%
Just about every time	0.8%

Q4: Which convenience store chain do you use the most, and which do you like the most? (Sample size=8,147 and 8,057)

	Most used N=8,147	Most liked N=8,057
7/11	40.8%	39.1%
Lawson	22.1%	17.9%
Family Mart	17.5%	14.1%
Circle K	4.9%	2.8%
Sunkus	3.5%	1.3%
Mini Stop	3.1%	6.0%
am/pm	2.5%	1.7%
Seiko Mart	1.2%	0.8%
SHOP99	1.0%	1.1%
Three F	0.9%	0.3%
Daily Yamazaki	0.8%	0.2%
NEWSDAYS	0.4%	0.1%
Save On	0.3%	0.2%
Popular	0.3%	0.2%
Yamazaki Daily Store	0.2%	0.1%
Community Store	0.1%	0.1%
Hot Spar	0.0%	0.0%
Other	0.4%	0.3%

By region, almost everywhere the most favourite chain was 7/11 with between 33% and 49% preferring it, except for the Hokuriku and Shikoku areas, where just 9.2% and 7.6% liked it. Instead, Lawson and Family Mart were both about twice as popular there compared to the rest of the country. I have no clue as to why there is such a variation, except that perhaps 7/11 have few stores in these areas?

Q5: Why do you use the convenience store you use the most from Q4? (Sample size=8,057, multiple answer)

Close to home, work, school	71.9%
In the habit of going to it	30.5%
Have their point card, electronic money, etc	22.9%
Easy to drive to	20.0%
Lunch boxes, rice balls, bread, desserts, etc are delicious	18.0%
Has an ATM	14.2%
Good atmosphere	11.2%
Wide selection of lunch boxes, rice balls, bread, desserts, etc	10.7%
Sells booze’n'fags	8.8%
Has a good overall range of products	7.1%
Good customer service	7.1%
Has a particularly favourite product	6.9%
Shop is lovely	6.6%
Lunch boxes, rice balls, bread, desserts, etc are cheap	3.8%
Has a wide range of drinks	3.5%
Has a wide range of magazines, books, newspapers, etc	2.6%
Can get promotional campaign items	2.0%
Has a wide range of new, topical products	1.8%
Offers cleaning, home delivery, other services	1.4%
Has a wide range of fresh items	0.9%
Other	3.9%
No particular reason	2.5%

Family Mart was most popular for point cards, 7/11 for delicious food and ATMs.

Q6: If a convenience store had close to their sell-by time discounted lunch boxes, etc would you like to buy? (Sample size=8,317)

Want to buy	44.3%
Perhaps want to buy	36.8%
Can’t say, don’t know	14.7%
Perhaps don’t want to buy	2.6%
Don’t want to buy	1.6%

Younger people were more keen than older people to buy.

Q7: What would you like convenience stores to do about close to their sell-by time lunch boxes, etc? (Sample size=8,317)

Want them to sell at a discount	86.8%
Want them to just throw away	1.4%
Can’t say, don’t know	11.8%