INFO: Over-attentive service used to be considered a right in Japan. But signs are that inefficient service industries are changing. Yodobashi Camera has installed self checkouts at its Akihabara store, where customers scan barcodes and pay via e-money, cell-phone, credit card or points. Some supermarkets and CVS retailers are also trialing similar systems.

IDEA POTENTIAL: Although self check-outs are not in themselves new, their take-up in japan signals a profound shift in expectations of customer service. Like supermarkets that leave produce in boxes to keep prices low, consumers increasingly see “service” as a luxury they can live without. How would this translate to tobacco sales for example?