Japanese firm acts to stop 7-Eleven store staff scalping anime, game merchandise
Seven-Eleven Japan has warned franchisees against the unauthorized resale and hoarding of popular anime and game merchandise. The company is taking disciplinary action, including potential contract termination, to ensure fair access for consumers.
Why it matters
It addresses the growing issue of 'scalping' in the retail sector and the impact of secondary markets on brand reputation and consumer trust.
Japan’s largest convenience store operator has issued a warning to its 7-Eleven franchisees nationwide that unauthorised resale of merchandise featuring popular anime and game characters may be rampant, multiple sources close to the matter said on Thursday.
Some owners and employees have been caught setting aside merchandise before its release or buying up large quantities to sell on resale sites. Such activity is seen as a betrayal of consumer trust and likely to call into question the governance structure of store operations.
The company, Seven-Eleven, sells items such as Pokemon cards at the discretion of its franchisees and offers paid lotteries where customers are guaranteed to win merchandise featuring popular characters such as those from the hit manga One Piece. In some cases, it has been confirmed that products were hoarded upon delivery to stores.
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