日本では当たり前(04) - コンビニ

Difference between Japanese and Western Cultures

4. Convenience Stores

Typically known as corner shops in the UK, almost every city and town in Japan has a convenience store, known as ‘KONBINI’, operating 24/7. According to Japan Franchise Association, there were 235,686 convenience stores in 2007 (http://jfa.jfa-fc.or.jp/pdf/2007.pdf). So what’s the secret to their success and what are the differences from outside Japan?

Firstly, it’s the sheer number of products available. A typical store stocks between 3500-5000 products. In addition, usually, there is a 24-hour ATM, touchpad screen to order concert tickets, pay for online goods, and bills, special cash card (which can be integrated within your mobile phone) to pay for goods without needing to flop out your wallet, and so on.

Since Japan is relatively safe compared to other countries, robbery is infrequent and alcoholics do not gather around the store to enjoy continuous ‘binging’. Thus, you can enter the store late at night (i.e. you don’t have to purchase items over a bulletproof window and a lock system for cash tending). As a crime deterrent, CCTV surveillance is in place. Unlike the US, there is no special subsidy for local police officers or shotgun behind counters (If anyone has stats on this, I would love to hear from you). Also, the store is brightly lit up so that any crime can be spotted from a mile away which brings me to the next point – what is the coolest thing about convenience stores from an animal behaviourist’s point of view.

Lights used in convenience stores do not attract insects at night. This is because these ‘special’ lights do not emit ultra-violet (UV) wavelengths. Many insects are sensitive to UV wavelengths as many flower petals are UV reflecting and also play a part in choosing partners. For more information, go to this website (http://www.bio.bris.ac.uk/research/vision/4d.htm).

Apart from noise pollution in the vicinity, there are mainly two concerns regarding this type of store. One is their intrusive data collection scheme: When you are at the cashier register, the cashier must enter gender and age group of the buyer before starting to read the bar code. You may notice new staff in training staring at you for no apparent reason, trying to work out your age group (not gender hopefully!).

The other problem is the loss of traditional small shops in residential communities. Less than 20 years ago, each community had a small shop to buy tobacco, buy ‘sweeties’ after school, and send parcels which is often run by an elderly. It provided a place for local news and gossip for adults, and an important developmental tool to learn how to manage your savings, or allowance, for children. For me, it was and still is a part of what makes a tight-knit community.