ATLANTA -- The Coca-Cola Co. has launched a website, www.cokesolutions.com, providing tools that it said convenience store retailers can immediately use to help build profits. The site serves as a virtual account manager, offering access to solutions that showcase practical ways to handle the most pressing business issues.
Operators can log on to receive the latest information about Coca-Cola promotions, programs, marketing and merchandising, [image-nocss] as well as exclusive discounts. In addition, the site has a learning center filled with insights from industry experts to help independent operators become more successful.
Operators can sign up by visiting the site or talking with their Coca-Cola account representative.
The company also has released the results of several studies. The Landmark Shopper Study is a major research initiative that examines U.S. shopping habits across shopping need states in seven channels, including convenience retail, supermarket, club, mass merchandiser, supercenter and dollar stores. Some 60,000 consumers participated in this massive study. Because it focuses on needs rather than channels, the findings are aligned with the way shoppers shop and provide a completely new approach to reaching them. Coca-Cola representatives are in the process of presenting findings to retailers, who are learning why shoppers frequent their stores. In addition, it is developing marketing strategies with customers to deliver the right brands to meet their shoppers' various need states. Additional studies are under way to further enhance the findings.
The Convenience Retail Channel: Consumer Segmentation Study is the third wave of convenience retail consumer segmentation studies (earlier research was conducted in 2001 and 1999) and offers insights to convenience retailers on for example, the emergence of the Hispanic shopper: Hispanics tend to shop convenience stores located near where they work and this information is not captured by traditional demographic mapping techniques. To build loyalty with these shoppers, retailers should consider loyalty card programs, stocking brands preferred by Hispanics and Spanish-language POS materials, in addition to other tactics. The Segmentation Study also focuses on the importance of secondary cooling equipment, such as countertop coolers, vendors and barrels, including a new electronic barrel that operates without ice. This type of equipment, along with promotional messaging, spurs a 20% incidence of impulse sales, which are crucial to c-stores. A new Men at Work program is being created to help operators market to 18% of shoppers who buy for consumption later in the day, according to the study. Research points to multiple other opportunities that exist for convenience retailers, such as fulfilling an emerging need for shopper fill-in occasions.
The new PathTracker Study tracked shoppers as they traveled through convenience retail stores, and the cameras candidly tell a revealing story. Among the key findings: store format (traditional or new concept) drives traffic patterns; if you get shoppers to the cold vault, they will buy; and while many already know what beverage they want, up to 30% of beverage choices can be influenced in the store. Research also indicates that 75% of shoppers who pass by a cold vault actively shop for a beverage and more than 90% of shoppers who actively shop the cold vault area make a purchase, spending about 20 seconds making their beverage selection. In addition, typical shoppers spend about 2.8 minutes in a traditional format store and only 2.4 minutes in new concept format.
As a followup to last year's study, Convenience Teens: Building Loyalty with the Next Generation, the NACS/Coca-Cola Leadership Council shared further insights and practical applications at the NACS Show to help convenience retailers build business with this important customer segment. The session includes a unique look into A Day in the Life of Teens and data about how convenience teens use the Internet and other technology-based communications to spread the word about their retail experiences. In addition, retailers will describe specific actions they have taken to build business with these young shoppers. [Click here to view CSP Daily News' coverage of the session.]
The company is also offering the new Checkout Cup Dispenser program. The concept: a cup dispenser with 44-oz. translucent cups sits on the checkout counter with messaging that suggests purchase of a fountain drink. The objective is to stimulate sales among people who enter the store and don't typically purchase a beverage. These dry occasions account for half of in-store visits. Pilot tests reported a 50% increase in fountain sales, which are among the most profitable items in c-stores, Coca-Cola said.
And the Atlanta-based company is touting some new products and a few recently introduced ones:
Full Throttle Blue Demon. Featuring the exotic taste of Agave Azul flavoring, Full Throttle Blue Demon joins the Full Throttle energy drink line in November. It is designed for guys, ages 20 to 30, with a real man, blue-collar mentality, and to appeal to Hispanic consumers16-oz. cans and point-of-sale (POS) materials display bilingual graphics. The new line extension will be supported by a targeted marketing campaign to drive awareness, trial and retail velocity. Vault Red Blitz. A new addition to the Vault hybrid energy soda line, berry-injected Vault Red Blitz will be available in March 2007. Coca-Cola BlaK. Offering the taste of Coca-Cola with an essence of coffee, Coca-Cola BlaK is a mid-calorie beverage with 45 calories per serving. It is packaged in a resealable version of Coca-Cola's signature 8-oz. glass contour bottle. It is available in individual bottles and four-packs. The product, which debuted in April, is supported by a fully integrated program featuring traditional and nontraditional media. Gold Peak. A premium ready-to-drink (RTD) iced tea, Gold Peak comes in five flavors: Sweetened, Unsweetened, Lemon, Diet and Green Tea. Its 16.9-oz. single-serve carafe-like glass bottle bears a label featuring a tranquil lakeside scene. The premium label, together with the product's color displayed in the clear bottle, enables Gold Peak to stand out among other teas, Coca-Cola said. It is supported with a fully integrated marketing program including national print and radio advertising, point-of-purchase displays, an interactive website, public relations and national sampling programs. Godiva Belgian Blends. A new line of premium-blend beverages with the taste of Godiva chocolate, Godiva Belgian Blends are available in three flavors: Dark Chocolate Mocha, Milk Chocolate Mocha and French Vanilla Latte. The drinks are sold in 9.5-oz. glass single bottles and four-packs.Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.