The revenue and logistics costs of convenience store chains in Taiwan

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to demonstrate that the high-density 7-Eleven c-stores in Taiwan benefit from economies of scale in distribution and can, therefore, leverage the logistics costs; and to decide the proper locations for the future inauguration of c-stores. Design/methodology/approach: The study spatially analysed the c-stores located in Tainan, Taiwan and examines the influence of spatial configuration on c-store revenue. This study developed models to quantify the revenue and logistics costs that the 7-Eleven convenience store (c-store) chain encountered when adopting a high-density expansion strategy. The revenue models’ parameters were calibrated utilizing data collected from financial statements in 7-Eleven chains’ 2015 corporate annual reports and modelling was used to quantify the influence of agglomeration forces and the distance separating c-stores on revenue. Findings: Positive agglomeration forces increased 7-Eleven’s company-wide sales and the average daily revenue of its individual c-stores, and decreased those of competitors. The study findings demonstrate the high-density 7-Eleven c-stores in Tainan benefit from economies of scale in distribution and can, therefore, leverage their logistics costs. The spatial analysis concluded that higher-density and higher-revenue c-stores were spatially clustered. Originality/value: The study extends the use of analytical revenue and spatial models to decide the proper locations for the future inauguration of c-stores.