From next month, Japan’s Lawson China convenience store group will offer rewards points to shoppers at its outlets.

Points will be administered through the brand’s smartphone app, which already provides product information and discount coupons.

Each yuan spent is expected to earn shoppers 10 reward points, exchangeable for store credit, likely at the rate of 1000 points for 1 yuan (US15 cents).

Lawson has invested around $900,000 in Yoren, the Hong Kong-based developer of its app. As well as the points system, the duo has teamed up to analyse users’ purchases so the retailer can design sales campaigns and develop products.

Lawson is considering similar efforts in other foreign markets. The group’s overseas network exceeds 1000 stores, including locations in Beijing, Dalian, Shanghai and Wuhan, and is rapidly expanding in China via franchise deals, particularly in Shanghai where there are more than 300,000 registered users of its app.

Lawson will work with trading house Mitsubishi Corporation, which plans to become the retailer’s parent in January, to pursue a goal of having between 3000 and 5000 overseas stores by 2020.