Foxconn Starts Distributing Televisions in 7-Eleven Stores in Taiwan

[MacRumors]

The Wall Street Journal reports that Taiwanese manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., better known as Foxconn, is ramping up its television production through an exclusive partnership deal with 7-Eleven, a convenience store chain. The move comes after a report earlier this year indicated that Foxconn was at least partially pushing its television production forward in anticipation of landing a deal with Apple for its own television set products.

7-Eleven, which is owned in Taiwan by Uni-President Enterprises Corporation and currently has around 5,000 stores scattered across the island, is selling the televisions under its own 7-Eleven branding priced at NT$ 12,888 ($430) for the 40-inch model, NT$ 39,990 ($1,333) for the 60-inch model and NT$ 69,900 ($2,336) for the 70-inch model. As of yet, Foxconn has not divulged any sales figures relating to its television business, though it is reported that the company has sold over 10,000 7-Eleven branded sets in the past six weeks.

(Image courtesy of The Verge)​

The move marks a shift in Foxconn's sales strategy towards OEM, or original equipment manufacturing, whereby the goods are purchased by another company and sold under their own brand name -- in this case, 7-Eleven. Previously, Foxconn manufactured under ODM, or original design manufacturing, whereby the products were designed and specified by another company (such as Apple).

The company has been manufacturing television sets since 2008 and has since acquired manufacturing facilities previously owned by the Sony Corporation. Last week, it was reported that Apple is currently in the development stages of manufacturing a television set, and is partnering with Foxconn, Corning, G-Tech Optoelectronics and Innolux. The "iTV" has been rumored for several years now, although there have yet to be any firm signs of the project moving toward a launch.

Article Link: Foxconn Starts Distributing Televisions in 7-Eleven Stores in Taiwan

 

[S.B.G]

5,000 7-Eleven stores! Taiwan is about 14,000 square miles and if my math is correct, there is a store every 2.8 miles!

 

[Carlanga]

5,000 7-Eleven stores! Taiwan is about 14,000 square miles and if my math is correct, there is a store every 2.8 miles!

I guess the Taiwanese really like their Slurpees' lol

 

[Wurm5150]

TVs, smartphones, tablets are becoming convenience store items..SMH

 

[northernmunky]

5,000 7-Eleven stores! Taiwan is about 14,000 square miles and if my math is correct, there is a store every 2.8 miles!

As someone who's lived in Taiwan for some time I can assure you theyre packed in closer then that! More like almost every street corner.

 

[kevinpdoyle]

Weird.

 

[Jessica Lares]

TVs, smartphones, tablets are becoming convenience store items..SMH

I know, right? I burst out laughing when I read the headline just now.

I like going into a convenience store, always do. But really, do yourself a favor and stick to alcohol, coffee, hot chocolate, soda, candy, snacks, nachos, hot dogs, and the fresh deli section, medication, cigarettes, and maybe even your magazines and lottery tickets, but don't blow off more than $30 in there. You're a fool for doing so. It's just an impulsive buy magnet.

Except if you're at CVS. Because that is really the only place worth doing any REAL shopping at, especially their health & beauty aisles. Still wouldn't buy a TV or phone there though.

 

[pavelbure]

Apple uses FedEx too, I want FedEx rumors.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

As someone who's lived in Taiwan for some time I can assure you theyre packed in closer then that! More like almost every street corner.

Right, but I presume the whole country isn't one dense mega-city right? (having never been) The large areas of non-city/country/etc is what spreads it out.

For example I'm sure there are many, many cities in the US where a 7-eleven on is basically every corner... but due to many wide open areas there's probably only one 7-eleven every 50 miles country-wide.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

Clever and a good way to sell.

 

[northernmunky]

Right, but I presume the whole country isn't one dense mega-city right? (having never been) The large areas of non-city/country/etc is what spreads it out.

For example I'm sure there are many, many cities in the US where a 7-eleven on is basically every corner... but due to many wide open areas there's probably only one 7-eleven every 50 miles country-wide.

Yes, put it this way, every major city has one on (almost) every street corner. A lot of the country is still open space/jungle/mountains and green-ness.

 

[nagromme]

This news item is almost as random as the picture!

 

[peb123]

I'll have a large cherry slurpee and a 70 inch TV please!

 

[ValSalva]

TVs, smartphones, tablets are becoming convenience store items..SMH

Amazing. It's too bad the TV's can't fold up It's kind of hard to run to the corner 7-Eleven for some junk food and a huge television

But if there is practically a 7-Eleven on every corner...

 

[tinybluefrog]

no no. you got it wrong.

Taiwanese 7-11 is very much different from the American 7-11s. First of all, it's very clean and bright. Great selection of drinks (alcoholic too), food items and household needs, etc. They do same day delivery service for other stores. And you can pay bills, buy high speed rail tickets, and book vacations there too. Anyway~ Google Taiwanese 7-11 and you will find out more.

 

[Hastings101]

I would run away from any television that had a picture like that on the box

 

[Drunken Master]

I'll have a large cherry slurpee and a 70 inch TV please!

Haha, too bad 7-11 doesn't have Slurpees here in Taiwan.

This doesn't sound like such a bad deal. Though I don't really watch much TV anymore.

I'm not sure putting TVs in 7-11 was smart though. Yes, this country has the highest per capita number of convenience stores in the world (along with Japan) but people don't want to buy electronics there, at least not in Taipei. There are plenty of Best and 3C electronics stores.

This could work in less urban places though.

 

[northernmunky]

Taiwanese 7-11 is very much different from the American 7-11s. First of all, it's very clean and bright. Great selection of drinks (alcoholic too), food items and household needs, etc. They do same day delivery service for other stores. And you can pay bills, buy high speed rail tickets, and book vacations there too. Anyway~ Google Taiwanese 7-11 and you will find out more.

Thats exactly the same as a Taiwan 7-11.. except I'm sure Taiwan's are way cooler than American ones. (actually never seen an American 7-11 so couldnt tell you)

 

[kkat69]

I'll have a glazed donut, and a bottle of anything............................. TO GOOOOO!!!!

 

[egoistaxx9]

looks like they're getting ready to manufacture apple TV, this TV might be just an experiment.

 

[jmh600cbr]

althoguh this is interesting news i don't see this as a gateway to iTV. i say this because apple usually would like things kept quiet in terms of product quality, manufacturing depots and product design. by selling these tvs foxcon is exploiting their resources and likely would not have other resources to produce an iTV that was vastly different, in other words, this would be the iTV, and YEAH RIGHT apple would let them sell their next product in 711 during the dev stages

 

[Battlefield Fan]

Considering a tank of gas is coming close to the price of a TV I can just abandon my car and pickup a TV instead?!?! Oh wait a different Seven 11...

 

[rmwebs]

Apple uses FedEx too, I want FedEx rumors.

I hear they're getting purple bubble wrap soon. Shh!

 

[d4dawg]

5,000 7-Eleven stores! Taiwan is about 14,000 square miles and if my math is correct, there is a store every 2.8 miles!

And that's just 7-11s, not counting at least half-dozen other convenient store chains.

 

[3282868]

Anytime I think of 7-11 and Slushie's, it reminds me of JJ Abrams' "Slush-o!"

http://slusho.jp