5 New C-Store Foot-Traffic Insights
By Jill Failla on May 11, 2017BOSTON -- When can retailers expect the most visitors into a convenience store—Monday or Friday? What tends to be the busiest time of day? Knowing these answers allows c-stores to leverage promotions at key hours and convert the greatest number of gas-pump visits into c-store visits.
GasBuddy examined about 23.5 million consumer trips to gas stations and c-stores in the first quarter of this year, uncovering up-to-date foot-traffic data. Here are five insights into consumers’ most recent c-store visits ...
1. Consumers keep it local
More than half of consumers visited locations within 6 miles of their homes or places of employment, giving retailers the opportunity to localize their product selection.
2. Mondays are the busiest day of the week
Unlike at restaurants, Mondays are high-traffic days for c-stores. In quarter one of this year, Mondays captured the most visits from consumers during the week, while Thursdays captured the least.
3. Lunch time is peak time
Lunch is the prime time for visits in the fuel and c-store industry. Consumers visited c-stores and gas stations the most between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on weekdays this past first quarter, posing a threat to QSRs and grocery stores, according to the study. Retailers can capitalize on the crowd using their lunch hour to fill up by offering in-store promotions and on-the-go lunch options.
4. Holidays bring heavier traffic
Consumers also frequented gas stations heavily on holidays and three-day weekends in quarter one, including the first week of the year and the weeks leading up to Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents Day, according to the study. As such, retailers can predict a rise in traffic around the upcoming Memorial Day and July 4 weekends.
5. Most consumers stop in the c-store
Nearly three-fourths of consumers (73%) spent more than five minutes at any location in quarter one. It takes an average of two to three minutes to fill a gas tank, suggesting that many of these consumers stopped inside the store during their visit. The study, conducted with data intelligence firm Cuebiq, recommends using well-timed and targeted mobile promotions, enticing signage and thoughtful store layout to drive in-store sales.