DoCoMo Partners with Lawson
NTT DoCoMo, Inc. and LAWSON, Inc. have just announced a business alliance that will result in customers using DoCoMo’s Osaifu-Keitai (phones with wallet functions) for a variety of practical mobile services at LAWSON convenience stores beginning by April 30th. According to the press release: “The deal will converge substantial business assets of the two companies, namely DoCoMo’s more than 50 million mobile phone subscribers and LAWSON’s some 8,300 convenience stores nationwide.”
In addition, DoCoMo will acquire 2,092,000 shares of LAWSON common stock owned by LAWSON as treasury stock, or about 2% of total issued shares, for about nine billion yen on April 14, 2006 (tentative date).
Initially, about 100 LAWSON convenience stores will introduce DoCoMo’s iD credit card payment service for “Osaifu-Keitai” services by April 30, 2006. The service will be expanded to all LAWSON stores nationwide by March 31, 2007. In addition, users of DoCoMo phones set up for the ToruCa information-capture service will be able to receive announcements about in-store promotions. This service will be offered by all stores by March 31, 2007.
Going forward, the two companies will hold regular meetings to consider various ways to enhance the collaboration, such as:
Provide LAWSON club members with iD-linked “Osaifu-Keitai” services
Offering ad-distribution services via ToruCa
Installing iD-compatible readers on ATMs in LAWSON stores
Linking the DoCoMo Coin? and LAWSON purchase-point programs
LAWSON stores providing administrative services for certain DoCoMo services
Developing store operations utilizing “Osaifu-Keitai”
Utilizing both companies’ resources to provide new services at LAWSON stores
Via: DoCoMo Press Release