Both new sites can be reached from the company's corporate website by selecting the "Franchising" tab at the top of www.7-Eleven.com, the company's home page, and then clicking either the "BCP" or "Traditional Franchise" link from the Franchise Opportunities page. Each site has information specific to that particular franchise program.
(Click here for CSP Daily News coverage of the franchising website.)
Unlike many U.S. companies looking to downsize, the convenience retailer is expanding its retail presence around the country. 7-Eleven has developed an alternative franchising model that complements its existing franchise model. It enables independent operators of c-stores, gas and service stations, delis and other small retail operations that are 2,000 to 3,000 square feet in size to convert to the 7-Eleven business system and continue to maintain control of their real estate.
The BCP site outlines the benefits, application process, cost and qualifications required of a potential candidate, as well as features testimonials from recent converts, video footage of an actual conversion and dramatic before-and-after photographs of newly remodeled 7-Eleven stores. An interactive map highlights growth areas in the U.S. and the respective BCP contact person.
"Our BCP business is gaining momentum, and we wanted to offer an online one-stop-shop that differentiates this offering from our traditional franchising program," said Randy Quinn, 7-Eleven manager of New Store Strategy. "It gives interested parties a convenient tool to determine if they might qualify as well as highlights the costs and benefits. Frankly, the feedback from participants has been strong after they have reviewed the potential of the 7-Eleven Business Conversion Program."
The new BCP website has many of the same features as the Franchise sitehistory of the company, strength of the 7-Eleven brand, business systems, franchise support and marketing campaigns. The company licenses its proprietary retail business system while maintaining all of the business standards and services of its traditional franchise system.
In other company news, a 7-Eleven store in Orlando is the 100th in the state of Florida to convert from corporate-owned to a franchised operation, reported The Orlando Business Journal. The 3,000-square-foot c-store and gas station will now be owned by franchisee Ermal Metollari, a former store manager for five years.
More than 40 7-Eleven stores in the Orlando market are now franchised, with about another 140 owned by the company. Between eight to 10 7-Eleven stores throughout the state are being converted into franchise operations each month and plans to have most of the conversions nationwide completed by 2012, said the report.
The company operates, franchises or licenses about 7,800 stores in North America and more than 36,100 stores in 15 countries. The company reported 2008 sales of more than $53.7 billion.
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