Dive Brief:
- 7-Eleven has deployed its mobile checkout system to more than 2,500 additional locations in 32 states, bringing the number of the convenience store chain's U.S. locations that offer the frictionless shopping service to more than 3,000, according to a press release.
- The app-based service, which is connected with 7-Eleven's loyalty program, lets shoppers avoid the checkout counter by using a mobile device to scan and pay for products.
- 7-Eleven is expanding its mobile checkout operations as retailers step up their efforts to make it easier for shoppers to make purchases.
Dive Insight:
As businesses reopen following months of pandemic-driven restrictions, 7-Eleven has seized the opportunity to double down on its reputation as an operator of stores known for speed and convenience.
The company plans to roll out the mobile checkout service, which is now available at its stores in cities including New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C., to all of its stores in the U.S. by the end of 2022, according to the press release. The system, which the company launched in New York City in 2019, can handle most items that have a bar code, although customers still must stop at a checkout counter for financial services and to buy age-verified products like alcohol, tobacco and lottery tickets.
To encourage shoppers to try the mobile checkout system, 7-Eleven plans to offer shoppers for a limited time 10 times as many rewards points for every purchase made with the cashierless service than they would otherwise receive.
Beyond emphasizing contactless checkout, 7-Eleven has in recent months also stepped up its delivery options, which include its own 7Now service in addition to partnerships with e-commerce providers like Uber Eats, Grubhub, DoorDash and Instacart.
"After over a year of living through the pandemic, Americans have a new perception of what convenience looks like. For many, it's a contactless shopping experience without waiting in line," 7-Eleven Digital Senior Vice President Raghu Mahadevan said in a statement.
7-Eleven faces sharp competition from delivery-only companies that are bent on offering consumers quick access to products without having to visit stores. Those retailers include fast-growing Gopuff, which offers deliveries in 30 minutes from hundreds of micro-fulfillment centers, as well as smaller startups like Fridge No More, a Brooklyn, New York-based service that provides delivery of a full grocery assortment in 15 minutes. In May, German startup Gorillas launched a 10-minute delivery service in New York City and, according to The Spoon, recently posted jobs in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
