HORSEHEADS, N.Y. -- Store design may not be the first thing convenience-store owners think about in the morning, but there is no question it has an impact on business. Everything from the shelving strategy to the number of windows in a store can be the difference between a packed house and tumbleweeds.
In fact, with only 35% of gas customers going inside the store to purchase goods or snacks, according to the 2015 NACS Consumer Fuels Survey, convenience-store operators need to be thinking about how their store environment entices or repels customers.
When it comes to store design, one solution does not fit all businesses and not every convenience store will consider a redesign for the same reasons. To best determine what design strategy will work, store owners should take a deep dive into their data on business operations and consider the following …
Is my store making the best first impression with customers?
When it comes to store traffic, attracting customers from the pump can be the biggest challenge.
Leveraging POS data allows store owners to get the best sense of the kind of impression the business is making on potential customers. By digging down into this information, the store owner can better understand which items are most popular, as well as which combinations of products are often purchased together.
This can help store owners understand if they’re the go-to spot for breakfast or simply a place only good for junk-food cravings and lottery tickets.
Does the store best reflect the individual needs of my local customers?
Not all customers have the same needs, and each local convenience store should reflect this.
Store owners should assess data from their POS systems and loyalty programs to best understand the demographics of their customers and what they need. With this knowledge, they can then reset the layout of their stores to have those individualized offerings visible and easily accessible.
How can the layout of my store help to break stereotypes and increase the amount shoppers are willing to spend?
In many cases, convenience stores are stereotyped as stores to fulfill a quick need rather than a place to browse. Because of this, store owners can miss out on opportunities to increase buyer spend.
To resolve this, store owners should leverage their in-house data to optimize their portfolio of products, ensuring the store is stocked with the goods customers want and ultimately maximizing the amount of revenue the space can generate.
How well does the design of my store work with my marketing initiatives?
It’s important that marketing initiatives tie with the store’s design.
If a store owner has a sale on a product and it's stocked way in the back, then he or she is already hurting his or her promotional investment. Instead, store owners should take the time to examine performance of past sales and incentive programs and create a strategy for aligning both their promotions and store design; this will entice customers and secure an increase in sales.
When it comes to defining what layout will be best, store owners should look to analyze the state of their current business and reflect on which areas may be the biggest barrier. By creating a store that appeals to the needs of customers and creates a more comprehensive shopping experience, convenience stores can grow their in-store traffic and thereby their store’s revenue.
Guy Amisano Sr. is the founder and CEO of Horseheads, N.Y.-based Salient Management Co., a provider of performance-management solutions with experience developing industry-specific strategies for businesses in retail and wholesale distribution markets.
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