Camera film. Computer disks. Cassette tapes. These once-ubiquitous media storage devices are close to extinct as a format more convenient, inexpensive and versatile—digital—takes over. But chances are, somewhere in the United States, there is a c-store that still has a few of these items on the shelf, coated with a little dust, waiting to be bought. In fact, according to IRI, c-stores sold three computer disks in the 52 weeks ending Dec. 27, 2015, ringing up $11 in sales.
And blank audio and video media sales totaled $39.7—as in thousand, not million. Of course, there was a time when disks and tapes were turning and the sales were respectable. Knowing when to pull the plug on a product or even a category is why a good category manager is such a critical part of a successful convenience store. These folks, many of whom began their career behind the counter or across the desk in operations, are more in tune with what is happening in a retailer’s store—and with customers—than any other employee. They can sense when a new product is going to be a hit or when it needs to make way for the next big thing. They are the first to detect a shift in consumer sentiment and react to a regulatory roadblock.
This year’s Category Management Handbook pays homage to some of the best of the best in the field with our inaugural Category Manager of the Year Awards. Our special awards section features eight category managers who have a passion for their job and a devotion to growing their category, helped by a close partnership with vendors.
As much as people are an important part of category management, so is data. Whether internal scan, syndicated or survey-based, data drives every decision a solid category manager makes. To this end, we present our annual compendium of in-store sales, highlighting the recent performance of all the major in-store categories, as well as upcoming trends.
And thanks to the merger of Winsight LLC and Technomic Inc., we offer a foodservice section that reflects the unique capabilities of this data firm.
In summary: We offer you eight stellar category managers, dozens of trends and best practices, and hundreds upon hundreds of charts. Just don’t expect much on computer disk or cassette sales.
Big Number
$11—C-store sales of computer disks in 2015, per IRI
Where the Gains Are: Top 10 C-Store Categories
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 27, 2015
Total in-store c-store sales—not including foodservice—rang up at $146.5 billion in 2015, marking a nearly 7% increase from the year prior, according to IRI.
| Category | C-store sales ($ billions) | PCYA* | Unit sales (billions) | PCYA* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cigarettes | $56.2 | 6.7% | 8.9 | 4.0% |
| Beer | $18.5 | 5.0% | 0.8** | 2.3% |
| Carbonated beverages | $9.0 | 3.8% | 5.2 | 1.8% |
| Energy drinks | $8.8 | 11.1% | 3.5 | 8.1% |
| Smokeless tobacco | $6.2 | 9.0% | 1.4 | 4.9% |
| Salty snacks | $4.8 | 6.2% | 2.8 | 4.7% |
| Bottled water | $3.8 | 13.2% | 2.3 | 10.1% |
| Sports drinks | $2.9 | 10.2% | 1.6 | 8.3% |
| Chocolate candy | $2.8 | 5.2% | 1.8 | (1.6%) |
| Cigars | $2.6 | 5.8% | 1.8 | 9.0% |
| Total store*** | $146.5 | 6.9% | 48.2 | 4.8% |
Source: IRI
* Percent change from a year ago | ** Measured in case sales (billions) | *** Including categories not shown
Samantha Oller is senior editor/special projects coordinator for CSP. Reach her at soller@winsightmedia.com.
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