7-Eleven Brands Its Franchise Process as 'Franchisease'

DALLAS — 7-Eleven Inc. refreshed its franchise recruitment website to reflect the ease of applying for one of its store franchises. The online facelift comes as the convenience retailer rebrands its franchise process as "Franchisease."

"We are emphasizing that it is easy for qualified candidates to apply for, own and grow their number of franchise stores in areas where we do business," said Greg Franks, 7-Eleven's vice president of franchise systems. "The website's look is more modern and simplified. It's easier to navigate and has cleaner lines, imagery and text."

The updated look was chosen after months of research on what makes a site appealing, analysis of where webpage visitors landed and lingered, as well as what competitors were doing online, according to the company.

"More importantly, we wanted to be mobile device-friendly," Franks said. "We serve people who are on the go, connected 24/7 and want content delivered to their fingertips, and this includes being mobile-device friendly."

The site features dominant imagery, animation and more visitor interaction. In addition, social media is embedded on the site.

Visitors also find more original content, blogs and franchisee profiles explaining the benefits of a 7-Eleven franchise and showcasing the company's technology and operations support, the retailer noted.

The site is divided into three easily digested segments: the basic contract, the applicant's experience and financial information. It also includes a section on "Franchising 101," a description of what franchising is all about with a glossary of terms to help applicants understand the franchise model.

According to Franks, the number of franchise applications rose after the refreshed site's launch in late summer.

"We believe our new approach is paying off," he said. "Visitors are staying longer on the pages and the bounce rate (exiting the site) has gone down."

7-Eleven expects to have a net of approximately 200 stores added to its U.S. store count this year. The Dallas-based retailer operates, franchises or licenses nearly 10,700 7-Eleven stores in North America.