Lawson's delivery service is going strong. As an initiative to promote last-mile delivery for convenience store products, Lawson became the first convenience store in Japan to introduce Uber Eats in August 2019. Now, customers can order through Wolt, menu, and Demae-can (Quick Mart) as well. Delivery service is available 24 hours a day, every day, and the fastest delivery takes as little as 15 minutes. To discover the secret to their success and future plans, we met with Tatsuya Yamaguchi of the Quick Commerce Division of Incubation Company, who is in charge of strategy planning, promotions, and product planning.

As of the end of July 2024, there were approximately 7,000 Lawson stores offering delivery services. Many orders are for fried foods prepared in-store, such as “KARAAGE-KUN Fried Chicken,” rice dishes and desserts that require no further preparation, and beverages, including alcoholic drinks. Some stores deliver over-the-counter (OTC) drugs (drugs that can be purchased without a prescription) and items from “ghost restaurants” (stores set up on the delivery platform under a brand name different from Lawson).

Yamaguchi explained the reasons why customers choose Lawson's delivery service.

"As a convenience store, a wide variety of items are available at our stores. In addition, we enjoy high customer support due to the brand power of our signature products, such as KARAAGE-KUN and MACHI café, and the reliability of our products."

It is reported that Uber Eats, the company’s primary platform, is most often used by young men, especially when they are sick or injured, too absorbed in work or gaming to prepare a meal, or getting together with family and friends.

“In some delivery areas, we often receive orders for large-volume products such as 2-liter bottles of mineral water. In addition to young users, we have received feedback from older customers and those living in apartments with no elevator service that quick delivery to their homes is very helpful. However, not everyone is aware of our delivery service, while some are aware of it but have never used it. We can develop and expand the service further if we get the word out about its convenience.”

In April 2024, Lawson launched an automatic linking function of store inventory data to the Uber Eats app. Up until then, store staff had to check the availability of products at the store and manually update the app using a dedicated tablet. This sometimes resulted in delays or omissions, preventing orders from being fulfilled. At some stores, the manual inventory checking process had burdened their operations.

"With the linking function, whether an item is in stock is automatically reflected in the app. It has increased delivery accuracy, and the time spent checking store stock has been reduced by 90%. We have heard from happy franchise owners telling us that it has been a great help, as the checking process takes almost no time at all now. With the burden removed, more owners are interested in introducing delivery service, and the number of such stores is increasing."

Before the automatic linking function, the products available for delivery had been limited to 700 to 1,000 best-selling items because of the difficulty of visually checking all store items in stock. The new linking function has enabled the company to expand the number of delivery items to over 3,000, covering almost all store products. In August, Lawson started handling MUJI products in response to customer requests.

In July, the company started advance sales of the “KARAAGE-KUN Red 3x Flavor BOX (15 pieces)” on Uber Eats. The product was developed exclusively for delivery to pique customer interest and increase the number of delivery users. The product has been available on all platforms since September. This is the first time Lawson has developed and launched a product exclusively for delivery.

“KARAAGE-KUN Red 3x Flavor BOX was very well received. Not only did it sell well, but it also had a significant promotional effect. We will develop products exclusively for delivery as well as products that will later become available for in-store purchase. We plan to move forward on two fronts in product development: put together existing store items exclusively for delivery; and develop completely new products, as we did this time.”

Lawson’s focus on delivery service is reflected in its business goals for 2024 to 2025, which emphasize strengthening the delivery business.

“Our stores, currently numbering approximately 14,000, function as inventory bases, enabling us to deliver products in as little as 15 minutes. This is a rare advantage that is difficult to find elsewhere. In addition, about 9,000 of the stores have kitchen facilities for preparing food in-store, and they can play the role of a restaurant while still being a retailer. We mean to leverage our strengths to the fullest and aim for even more convenience for our customers.”

In anticipation of increased demand for delivery during the holiday season with many opportunities for home parties celebrating Christmas, the end of the year, and New Year's Day with family and friends, Lawson is considering delivery of boxes of "Bone-in Golden Chicken" and cakes. Alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, main dishes, snacks, sweets, coffee, and even tissues are available for delivery from Lawson. Those who plan parties should take advantage of the variety of items that can be delivered to their doorstep.