Response to Chelsea Choi’s 7-Eleven Post

Where’s the best place to pick up some organic trail mix or veggie chips? Whole foods?

Guess again. It’s 7-Eleven!

7-Eleven

Chelsea Choi, recently wrote an interesting post on 7-Eleven expanding its customer segment. She believes this shift towards healthy eating will only further 7-Eleven. However, I believe it is simply too risky and difficult to undertake this radical change.

New Healthy 7-Eleven

7-Eleven has already chose to position themselves as the most convenient corner store in the world, but their decision to try to position themselves in a polar opposite market will be far too difficult. As discussed in Paul Cubbon’s video on Position and Value, it is difficult to change a consumer’s perception of a company. Through Professor Cubbon’s analogy of a ladder on positioning, 7-Eleven will spend enormous amounts of resources trying to become the top of health foods only to fall back down the ladder. I believe it would be wiser if 7-Eleven chose to innovate elsewhere, perhaps a market where convenient stores have yet to fully occupy. Additionally, 7-Eleven does not have the point of difference of credibility as consumers will always have the perception of fast unhealthy food.

Although, 7-Elevens attempts of innovation is admirable and adding more variety can attract more diverse customers, 7-Eleven should not assert too many of their resources in attempting to change their core business. I still believe 7-Eleven  should expand, but in another emerging market.

 

Bibliography

Web. 11 Nov. 2014. <http://c.fastcompany.net/multisite_files/fastcompany/imagecache/inline-large/inline/2013/10/3020110-inline-cs7eleven04.jpg>.

Web. 11 Nov. 2014. <http://outskirtnoise.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/2211865279_e6ff170995_o.jpg>.

“7-Eleven Teams With P90X Creator To Offer Healthy Food Options.” International Business Times. Web. 11 Nov. 2014. <http://www.ibtimes.com/7-eleven-teams-p90x-creator-offer-healthy-food-options-1697849>.

 

 

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