1. How has the convenience-store concept evolved in the United States?

The convenience store concept was brought in by 7-Eleven when the store started providing daily consumption groceries to its consumers under one roof and that too between 7am to 11pm which was convenient for many consumers who used to work in shifts. After looking at the needs of people, 7-Eleven launched a 24 hour service of its stores to its consumers. The consumers found this very convenient because they did not have to worry for the timings as they can get in the store which is open 24 hours and on all days. This 24/7 service of 7-Eleven became a hit because more than 10 million people in the United States were awake till 3am and about 7 million people who were involved in some work. The store adapted to the changing work style and routines of the Americans. Late night or early mornings, the schedules were getting common and the factories stared running three full shifts. This work style needed a convenient store where people can go and shop most of the items at one place and that too at a convenient time. Hence, 7-Eleven inculcated the habit in Americans to buy groceries I the convenient stores which met most of the requirements of the consumer.

2. Is the concept universal across all countries, including Taiwan? Yes, the concept of convenience stores was more or less on the similar lines outside the United States. 7-Eleven was making progress wherever they opened a store despite of the presence and proliferation of the domestic players in every country. The consistency in the color separation of its signage, the presentation of its logo and the arrangement of the store interiors were similar except for the location which was left on the franchisee. But in Taiwan, the concept was not an exact replica since Taiwan had a vertical zoning of property. Adding to this there was a unique trait of Taiwanese consumer who had an obsession with immediacy and wanted less waiting time. The localization of the stores in order to keep local food products was also made in order to increase the footfalls. 3. How do 7-Eleven stores in Taiwan compare with their counterparts in the United States? The main difference was made in the floor size of the store. The stores in US were big and were generally in the suburban areas so that people have a drive way and ample parking facility. It was due to the horizontal zoning of the property in the US but in Taiwan, the zoning of property was vertical due to which the store size were very small and were generally in the basement or a floor of the high rises. Hence, the distances between the 7-Eleven stores were also less as compared to that in the US. Apart from the core services, certain supplementary services were also introduced in 7-Eleven stores in Taiwan like I-Bon, pre-ordering, delivery and pick up, telecom related products, taxi services, seating areas and laundry services. Hence, the 7-Eleven stores in Taiwan were different from its US counterparts. 4. Has localization of 7-Eleven in Taiwan strengthened - or weakened - the concept of convenience stores? Localization helped 7-Eleven strengthening the concept of convenience stores in Taiwan. This was mainly because it helped the convenience stores to become like retail nomads. This helped the company in reducing its capital outflow and managerial time spent in monitoring the

operation. It offered greater flexibility in the choice of stores and location and facilitate rapid growth of the store by entering the burgeoning market place. The new franchises were put up in the high density locations. Investment was made in advertising in the local media. Though the set up and the model of the 7-Eleven stores in Taiwan were those of the US, but the PSCS had taken steps to provide localization by adding local flavors which were more preferred by the Taiwanese consumers. They started selling hot microwaved packaged food which a consumer could grab at any time of the day. Hence, localization strengthened the concept of convenience store in Taiwan. 5. Does the service differentiation offered by 7-Eleven in Taiwan deliver competitive advantages to the Store chain? If so, how? Yes, the services offered by 7-Eleven stores in Taiwan did add on to the competitive advantage of the store chain because it was perceived as one stop shop where people can purchase their daily necessities and can also use many of its stated supplementary services. The basic notion behind adding these services were to ensure that the footfall in the store increases which the store can capitalize on and use it to increase its sales. Hence, a consumer who wants to renew his license can use the I-Bon service of 7-Eleven and can also purchase some necessary good for himself. This increases the sales of the 7-Eleven stores and works as a competitive advantage to the store since this was first of its kind experience for the Taiwanese consumer who had a unique trait of obsession with immediacy.

6. Can the operational format of 7-Eleven in Taiwan be expanded to other countries? Why or why not? Yes, the operational format of 7-Eleven can be expanded to other countries. With the advent of IT and cloud servers, a consumer gets access to a range of whole new experience. This model can be a hit since; consumers now want the service to be quick and a one stop solution. The concept of localization will also add to the increment in the sales since a consumer of a particular region will have more liking towards his traditional products.