News Forum - Goodbye Family Mart, hello Tops: Thailand’s retail favorite gets a fresh aisle

[Thaiger]

The well-known Family Mart stores, a cornerstone of the local retail landscape for over 30 years, are set to be rebranded as Tops Daily in the heart of Thailand. The decision made by the Central Retail Corporation PLC (CRC) projected completion by the end of this year will bring an end to an era as … …

The story Goodbye Family Mart, hello Tops: Thailand’s retail favorite gets a fresh aisle as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Ramanathan.P]

Persoally I feel that 7-eleven are going a very good job when compared to Family Mart in many places around Thailand. I would rather go to 7-eleven instead of Family Mart as the service makes lots of difference between the two. Further there is also slight price difference and product varietes and choices between the two. In my view 7 -eleven stands above Family Mart in all those aspects. 

[Karolyn]

All these marts sell the same brands and products, at the same prices. I prefer to use Family Mart, but usually, 7-11 is more convenient. 

[Marc26]

7-11 Thailand Ham and Cheese Toastie is one of the world's Greatest Inventions......

 

 

 

[Lowseasonlover]

I always found the staff around where I live miserable and not interested even though I can speak Thai to them, here 7/11 staff much better and helpful, 

[HolyCowCm]

47 minutes ago, Ramanathan.P said:

Persoally I feel that 7-eleven are going a very good job when compared to Family Mart in many places around Thailand. I would rather go to 7-eleven instead of Family Mart as the service makes lots of difference between the two. Further there is also slight price difference and product varietes and choices between the two. In my view 7 -eleven stands above Family Mart in all those aspects. 

Family Mart to me has always fallen short up against 7-11 in Thailand. Yes it is about feeling and products when you enter the store, but there has never ever been a lot around to visit here, and the one that comes to mind in CM from before not appealing, but in Vietnam they are great!

I would love to see Circle K enter the scene here. Loved it in the USA growing up and love it in Vietnam. In Vietnam 7-11 entered alter and if have a 7-11 or Circle K side by side then I am in the Circle K. If in Vietnam then Circle-K, then Family Mart then 7-1 if no choice. I would do the same here if had Circle-K around as just prefer them over-all, and with the added bonus to be happy that I am not fillling C-P's pockets every corner as they hold the monopoly. Not a CP fan of the family and the owners one bit. Dahnin is a great business man though, but he is too close to the CCP communist party. Not sure if hs is an actual member of it or an honorary or something behind the scenes, but he certainly needs to be watched because of his supposed allegiance, and I do not like monopolies that make it hard to have a choice.

TOPS Daily are actually really ok and occasionaly I do venture into one, but they are really not around me and unfortunately 5 minutes from my home by bike is 7-11 as the easiest, then 10 minute away is a small Lotus Fresh that I fo to and like the people. It is all about convenience, service and liking the people who work there, and my priicples will unfortutanely fall in second place due to this. I would love to have a TOPS daily near me. I used to know some of the category buyers and some VP's years and year ago.

[HolyCowCm]

26 minutes ago, Lowseasonlover said:

I always found the staff around where I live miserable and not interested even though I can speak Thai to them, here 7/11 staff much better and helpful, 

Staff at 7-11 any store in CM and Bangkok are happy and pleasant for sure. 

[Guest1]

26 minutes ago, Lowseasonlover said:

I always found the staff around where I live miserable and not interested even though I can speak Thai to them, here 7/11 staff much better and helpful, 

That is simple a misunderstanding.

They work in a convenient store.

Just no one told the staff, that this does not mean it has to be  convenient for them but that is meant to be convenient for the customers.

Aside, I am certain, all staff will have to sign new contracts. So the 6 month periodes start again.

It is time to fire the extra staff from the closed shops  in covid times, which they did nit reopen.

Win win, savings in  frenchising license and in staff salaries. The rebranding becomes cheaper and cheaper.

 

[HolyCowCm]

8 minutes ago, Guest1 said:

Win win, savings in  frenchising license and in staff salaries. The rebranding becomes cheaper and cheaper.

But this could put a lot of people out of business who franchised out, as not sure because TOPS Daily I am not sure if is under the same program. Might be but seems it might just fall under their retail store structure. This would like to know..

[Guest1]

13 minutes ago, HolyCowCm said:

is a small Lotus Fresh

It is a lotus's fresh, now. And that is also CP.

But they have fine fresh things, in case you need  veggies in the middle of the night or such. ;-)

I have found in all brands good and not good stuff/staff.

Lucky, on Phukets west coast you have lots of all of them, so you can roam freely, if you dont like the "service" 

(10+ customers wanna pay, they have 3 cash registers, 4 visible staff in the shop, 3 of them behind the counter, but just one is cashing in, dealing with a simcard buyer, for example. And the others, picking their noses, are looking as if you would be the crazy one, asking for another register to be opened.)

The problem with the staff is, it get chosen by the frenchise shop owners. Yes, 7 or family or ....  are teaching them, but often the shop owners are hiring in the family and friends, neighbor area.

Difficult to deal with. After firing them.

[23RD]

It's one thing I've marvelled at over the last 11 years living in Pattaya you'll always find a Family Mart or 7/11 a Pharmacy,  a Laundry and a Lady of the night within 100 metres of your location. 

 

 

[HolyCowCm]

23 minutes ago, Guest1 said:

It is a lotus's fresh, now. And that is also CP.

Excuse the apostrophe and added s left out. My bad. Yes, I know it is also CP as well as Siam Makro is too. I used to and probably still know some main category buyers in both of theses stores from years back when they weren't bought out. 7-11 you will notice does what looks like to be an employee rotation from other stores. So did you ever notice the employees change almost like seems quarterly? Lotus's apears to do the same. I think this generally is a mix up not allowing the workers to get too familiar and comfortable in one setting which keeps them on their toes. Only one I know of now that has kept the same one staff member is in a Lotus's store near me. She is a local older woman who I believe is manager or assistant manager. Great old Thai gal.

[HolyCowCm]

14 minutes ago, 23RD said:

It's one thing I've marvelled at over the last 11 years living in Pattaya you'll always find a Family Mart or 7/11 a Pharmacy,  a Laundry and a Lady of the night within 100 metres of your location. 

What do you call in Pattay a Family Mart/7-11, laundromat and lady of the night always in 100 meters of each other?

What's the punch line?

[Marc26]

39 minutes ago, Guest1 said:

It is a lotus's fresh, now. And that is also CP.

But they have fine fresh things, in case you need  veggies in the middle of the night or such. ;-)

I have found in all brands good and not good stuff/staff.

Lucky, on Phukets west coast you have lots of all of them, so you can roam freely, if you dont like the "service" 

(10+ customers wanna pay, they have 3 cash registers, 4 visible staff in the shop, 3 of them behind the counter, but just one is cashing in, dealing with a simcard buyer, for example. And the others, picking their noses, are looking as if you would be the crazy one, asking for another register to be opened.)

The problem with the staff is, it get chosen by the frenchise shop owners. Yes, 7 or family or ....  are teaching them, but often the shop owners are hiring in the family and friends, neighbor area.

Difficult to deal with. After firing them.

7-11's all around the world seem to be notoriously short staffed at the register

 

Because it's basically a stocking and ordering business 

 

So 80% of the staff are stocking and ordering and the 20% left are at the register 

[Marc26]

41 minutes ago, Guest1 said:

It is a lotus's fresh, now. And that is also CP.

But they have fine fresh things, in case you need  veggies in the middle of the night or such. ;-)

I have found in all brands good and not good stuff/staff.

Lucky, on Phukets west coast you have lots of all of them, so you can roam freely, if you dont like the "service" 

(10+ customers wanna pay, they have 3 cash registers, 4 visible staff in the shop, 3 of them behind the counter, but just one is cashing in, dealing with a simcard buyer, for example. And the others, picking their noses, are looking as if you would be the crazy one, asking for another register to be opened.)

The problem with the staff is, it get chosen by the frenchise shop owners. Yes, 7 or family or ....  are teaching them, but often the shop owners are hiring in the family and friends, neighbor area.

Difficult to deal with. After firing them.

Lotus Fresh sort of skeeve me out

Could be a prejudice that a small shop shouldn't sell fresh goods like that

 

Or that I went to one that was off

 

But it smells like some of fresh stuff is past its expiry 

[TWS60]

The Thais sure do seem to prefer 7-11s.  Wife has said a few times over the years that people trust the products will be "fresh" at 7, maybe a combo of corporate standards and that 7s are often busy, stock moves through quickly.  I quite often dodge the 7-11 gaggle trying to pay a fist full of utility bills, waiting for microwave/toasted fast food and pop across the road into Family Mart for the 1 or 2 small items I need.   In and out, easy peasy.  I'll miss the convenience of that option.

[Guest1]

1 hour ago, HolyCowCm said:

Excuse the apostrophe and added s left out. My bad. Yes, I know it is also CP as well as Siam Makro is too. I used to and probably still know some main category buyers in both of theses stores from years back when they weren't bought out. 7-11 you will notice does what looks like to be an employee rotation from other stores. So did you ever notice the employees change almost like seems quarterly? Lotus's apears to do the same. I think this generally is a mix up not allowing the workers to get too familiar and comfortable in one setting which keeps them on their toes. Only one I know of now that has kept the same one staff member is in a Lotus's store near me. She is a local older woman who I believe is manager or assistant manager. Great old Thai gal.

Afaik, the rotation is another trick in the 6 month or longer worktime-cost compensation, if fired/quitting

Every change is a new beginning of the work contract.

Hotel Chains are doing that, too. often

[HolyCowCm]

4 minutes ago, Guest1 said:

Afaik, the rotation is another trick in the 6 month or longer worktime-cost compensation, if fired/quitting

Every change is a new beginning of the work contract.

Hotel Chains are doing that, too. often

Evidence to back that up? I will see the same poeple come back to the same 7-11 over a period of time and this is ongoing.

[HolyCowCm]

3 hours ago, Marc26 said:

But it smells like some of fresh stuff is past its expiry 

You have to be very careful. The smell and look at any store that has open aired products is greatly at risk here. Probably gets sold as pig feed.

[Guest1]

7 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

Evidence to back that up? I will see the same poeple come back to the same 7-11 over a period of time and this is ongoing.

I had a girlfriend, once, her sister was "rotating" in 7`s.  Always before the "free to fire" 6 month came to an end, she got a new offer for a different 7. With a new contract. And some others of her friends, who did not wanted to change got .... fired

And the central group did that, at least some time ago, with (some of ?) the room staff. 

Most locals don't worry about that, 'cause they do not know much about legal employment rules.

Mostly it stops with the "getting free days, if working on public holidays or in case the public holiday is on weekends"

[HolyCowCm]

37 minutes ago, Guest1 said:

I had a girlfriend, once, her sister was "rotating" in 7`s.  Always before the "free to fire" 6 month came to an end, she got a new offer for a different 7. With a new contract. And some others of her friends, who did not wanted to change got .... fired

And the central group did that, at least some time ago, with (some of ?) the room staff. 

Most locals don't worry about that, 'cause they do not know much about legal employment rules.

Mostly it stops with the "getting free days, if working on public holidays or in case the public holiday is on weekends"

So what you are saying is it’s like contract to contract moving from 7-Eleven to 7-Eleven and that’s why they can actually just go back to one of the 711s that I had seen them before because they will just renew a fresh contract. 
Sort of makes sense and the premise is to not give or allow any free paid off days or long term holidays off as not an employee. Also cuts off any severance pay. If true then total BS. Totally sidesteps labor laws. 
I might just look into this and ask sone 7-11 people that I know if at an opportune time where they can actually speak with me for five minutes. 

TIT. 

Oh thank heaven for 7-Eleven.

Where the good things come easy.

 

[Guest1]

2 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

the premise is to not give or allow any free paid off days or long term holidays off

Na, that is  not really the reason, mostly.

7s are  doing it by the books. They just don´t wanna pay long term employers the firing/quitting money, they are entitled to get by law.

And looking into the 7s, the most "long term staff", who you find in this one and in another one and so on, they are mostly younger females.

They marry and breed, sooner or later!

 

[HolyCowCm]

8 hours ago, Guest1 said:

7s are  doing it by the books. They just don´t wanna pay long term employers the firing/quitting money, they are entitled to get by law.

Doing it by the labor code book has many ways to side step and elude what should be morally right of a business if a person wants to become a long time standing employee of 7-11 or retail if the retail sector is actually doing this illusion farce. I see workers at stores are brought in to check and record the stock and then dissapear, so always thought they are official long term employees moving around from store to store, but the technicality might be no one place of business so done under contract.

I am not well versed in labor laws here, but it might be something to deal with that the tendency of most workers in the past might be to get to a point of working and thne watn to leave and then want the compensation, and a bad point since have social media now is any stand off could potentially be negative PR.

I know lots of Thai who get a job and then leave. It is like the people who get mobile numbers and keep changing them every 6 months. 

For me I have my same mobile number for 20 years now. Many thai here, and especially ones like Thai Yai change jobs more than they change their underware, but from what I see, the 7-11 workers want to make a career from it and this seems not a good direction pushed by 7-11 or any main retailers