Pro tip: When you travel Japan and want to save money, don't buy stuff at 7-11s (except its 100-yen coffee which is a good deal, IMO). I'm always fascinated by

Pro tip: When you travel Japan and want to save money, don't buy stuff at 7-11s (except its 100-yen coffee which is a good deal, IMO). I'm always fascinated by the logistics side of a convenience store. They micromanage everything to its maximum efficiency/profitability. In the case of 7-11, there are almost 20,000 stores throughout Japan, and each store gets delivery three times a day. I read they predict demands each day based on its weather/holidays, and change its supplies accordingly. They also keep curating their product lines (typically, about 3000) including perishables. The whole system is amazingly massive and complex. They cram stuff in such a small space without violating the fire regulations and whatnot, yet they know how to display them in a visually appearing and approachable way. It truly feels like an art. cf. http://www.sej.co.jp/company/tenpo.html http://www.sej.co.jp/company/tenpo.html On the other hand, they have a greedy corporate side, of course. I read they always have backup staffs so even when a store manager dies (each store is a franchise business run by a family) they can keep the store running.