RESTON, Va. — The pandemic is reshaping consumer behaviors and their attitudes toward merchants of all stripes, including fuel and convenience retailers. New data suggests consumer preferences for security, convenience and more options for pay-at-the-pump impulse purchases will influence where consumers choose to purchase fuel, and how they pay, in the near future.
Transaction Network Services (TNS) commissioned a survey of U.S. adults to learn consumer attitudes toward and experiences with various pay-at-the-pump opportunities.
“The results of the survey indicate fuel and convenience retailers must rethink how they engage with consumers and implement the technologies that will safeguard them against a still uncertain future,” said Dan Lyman, head of payments market North America for TNS. “For example, the survey revealed many consumers are looking for the ability to order food and pay for in-store purchases while at the pump. This will require many retailers to upgrade automated fuel dispensers (AFDs) to support these new commerce options.”
Security of payments data is also top of mind for consumers, with the majority of respondents showing a preference for facilities that have an EMV chip reader or are EMV compliant.
Beginning in April 2021, major credit-card companies plan to hold gas stations liable for fraudulent purchases, chargebacks and other counterfeit transactions if they have not converted to accept chip card payments at each pump and payment point.
“Sixty-five percent of respondents said they prefer to use pay-at-the-pump facilities that are EMV compliant, demonstrating a heightened level of awareness among consumers for what many perceive as an industry issue,” Lyman said. “With the April 2021 liability shift deadline for EMV compliance soon approaching, this is a clear call to action for retailers who have not yet upgraded.”
Reston, Va.-based TNS is a global provider of infrastructure-as-a-service and a partner to thousands of financial organizations, telecommunication providers and retailers. Since 1990, TNS has grown to provide services to customers in more than 60 countries across the Americas, Europe and the Asia Pacific region.
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