Seven-Eleven Japan introduces self-service shipping machines

Seven-Eleven Japan has announced the phased rollout of self-service shipping machines to meet the rising demand for parcel deliveries from flea market applications and online payment services. Developed in collaboration with Yamato Transport, the machines allow customers to complete the shipping process in three steps: scanning a barcode, attaching a printed label to the package, and dropping it into the machine, all without interacting with a cashier.

As of 2024, flea market-related shipments account for approximately 80% of all parcel acceptance at Seven-Eleven stores. The transition to self-service aims to address challenges such as increased workload for store staff and long wait times for customers during peak hours. Test implementations in parts of Tokyo, Saitama, and Chiba have shown that the machines reduce register processing time and, in some cases, have led to an overall increase in the number of shipments processed at those locations.

The service currently supports various platforms, including Mercari (Rakuraku Mercari Bin), Yahoo! Auctions, Yahoo! Flea Market, Rakuma, pixiv, MECHAKARI, airCloset, Nissen, and Rentio. The machines are specifically designed for shipments where the user selects Seven-Eleven as the drop-off point via an app; handwritten slips cannot be processed through this system.