A 7-Eleven Lab Store was opened up in Dallas to provide shoppers with a greater range of goods, and to allow the convenience store chain to see what launches prove most popular amongst them.
By testing out different products in the 7-Eleven Lab Store, the company is able to get a better idea of whether or not its organic Slurpee flavors, draft beers, wine, tacos, or makeup aisle are worth expanding to other locations. The Lab Store even has a soft serve ice cream station, which consumers can customize with a wide range of toppings.
As Chris Tanco, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of 7-Eleven explains, the Lab Store was built specifically "to test, learn and iterate new platforms and products to see what really resonates with customers and how we can use those learnings to influence future store designs."
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Testing New Products
- The 7-Eleven Lab Store allows the company to test and iterate new products and see what resonates with customers.
- Expanding Product Range
- By testing different goods, 7-Eleven can determine which products, such as organic Slurpee flavors, draft beers, wine, tacos, and makeup, are worth expanding to other locations.
- Customization and Personalization
- The Lab Store's soft-serve ice cream station, where consumers can customize with various toppings, taps into the trend of personalization in the convenience store industry.
Where This Applies
- Convenience Store
- Convenience stores like 7-Eleven can leverage the Lab Store concept to test new products and enhance customer experience.
- Food and Beverage
- The Lab Store offers opportunities for food and beverage companies to test innovative flavors and products in a real-world retail setting.
- Retail Design
- The Lab Store provides insights to inform future store designs and layout, making it relevant for the retail design industry.
