コンビニの誕生

1990年代における消費空間のCMC的構造転換

抄録

The purpose of this paper is to analyze convenience stores (CVS) as consumption spaces. CVS are the most spread form of retail store in Japan. Consumers enter CVS not only to buy commodities, but also to experience a kind of relief. This experience is called “Placeless relief” in this paper. Although many CVS initially sold perishable foods, most CVS now concentrate on selling packaged foods and providing services such as taking payments for utility goods and accepting parcels for delivery, etc. These services are possible only when CVS are part of a chain store network. Point of Sales (POS) systems enable CVS to link production-distribution-consumption circuits at extremely speed. These two networkings (chain store and POS systems) produce “Placeless relief” for consumption. This self-sufficient consumption substitutes for consumption as enactment.