Weekly C-Store Shopping Patterns According to TrendSource’s 2018 Convenience Store Report, 29.4% of respondents to the January–February 2018 survey said they make purchases at a convenience store 2 to 3 times/week, the largest percentage, with “once a week” second, at 17.4%. Women shopped 2 to 3 times/week more than men, or 33.3% and 28.3%, and once a week, 19.6% and 16.8%, respectively, while men said “only when I’m traveling” at almost twice the rate of women, or 11.3% and 5.9%, respectively. 2 to 3 times/week was the highest percentage for four different age groups: younger Millennials, 30.7%; older Millennials, 30.0%; Gen Xers, 31.9%; and Boomers, 26.3%; however, 19.7% of Silents said both 2 to 3 times/week and only when I’m traveling.

C-Store Success Starts with Location With 154,958 US locations, the convenience store industry’s primary value proposition for customers is “convenient” locations, which was the most important factor for choosing where to shop, or 4.07, on a 5-point scale, in the TrendSource survey. Safety was a close second with a 4.05 score; followed by gas prices, 3.99; hours, 3.64; product prices, 3.57; restrooms, 3.33; product offerings, 3.27; and brands, 2.73. Safety was first among respondents who said, “only when I’m traveling” (4.29) and those who shop a couple of times/year (4.12) and once a month (4.14). Gas prices were the most important factor for those who shop more than once a month (4.26).

From the Pump to the Store The c-store industry’s attempt at improving in-store merchandise may be working, as a January 2018 survey from the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) found 48% of fuel purchasers entered a store compared to 35% in a January 2015 survey. Somewhat surprisingly, more men, 55%, than women, 42%, entered a c-store, but less surprising, adults 18–34 were the largest age group, at 60%, with those 35–49 at 50% and those 50+ at 38%. At 34%, 3 to 5 minutes was the amount of time consumers spent shopping in a c-store, as well as the most for both men and women and similarly for all three age groups: 18–34 and 35–49, 35%, and 50+, 33%, however 45% of everyone spent 3 minutes or less.

Maximizing Summer Car-Travel Sales During May 2018, the NACS surveyed 1,501 US adults who purchase gasoline at least once or twice per month, and 38% said they were very likely and another 30% somewhat likely to take a trip or vacation during summer 2018. Adults 18–34 were most likely, by age group, at 46%, to take a trip or vacation during summer 2018, while 50% said they were very or somewhat likely to take more than one trip and 60% were very excited about their trip. A very large majority, or 85% of those very or somewhat likely to take a summer 2018 trip or vacation, said it would include travel by car and the largest percentage, or 32%, said they expected to travel by car for 12 or more hours.

The Delivery Option Although many retailers offer delivery of consumer purchases and an increasing number of consumers use this service, c-store customers appear to be less interested, as just 13.5% answered “very likely” or “extremely likely” to the TrendSource 2018 survey. Women appear to be more interested in c-store deliveries than men: somewhat likely, 24% and 22%, and extremely likely, 5.5% and 2.8%, respectively. This may be because women visit c-stores less than men. The data from the TrendSource survey also revealed the more consumers shop at a c-store, the more interested they appear to be in c-store deliveries, with 25.1% of those who shop at a c-store daily were either extremely or very likely to be interested.

Consumer Trends Impacting C-Stores Despite increasing revenues for the c-store industry, there has been a decrease of one trip per person per week since 2014, or 3.6 visits per week to 2.6. This trend has also occurred specifically among Latinx Americans, who are a primary and important sector of c-store shoppers. Since 2015, their visits have decreased 10% among those who buy food at c-stores at least three times per week. Another trend that is negatively affecting c-store is the increasing income gap between those with the largest and smallest incomes. As the costs of living have increased since 2007 for low-income households, their wages have been stagnant.

Advertising Strategies To increase c-store customer visits, consider offering a free cup of coffee or other incentive to customers who visit one more time weekly than their average weekly number of visits. C-stores on or near routes with large amounts of “snow- bird” travelers during the spring and fall could consider a promotion targeting these older adults, with, for example, pump-side delivery of food and beverage items, so they save the time of coming in the store.   Make sure you are doing all you can to engage Latinx American c-store consumers: signage in Spanish; one or more Spanish-speaking employees; food, beverage and merchandise that are their favorites, etc.

New Media Strategies Use an email and/or social media campaign with a poll/survey to gauge customers and local consumers’ interest in a delivery service from the c-store. Offer a digital coupon to all participants. Create short videos with employee presenters based on each of the factors that attract consumers to c-stores, listed at the bottom of page 1 of the Profiler. Show how you make the customer experience safer, the cleanliness of your restrooms, etc. Consider a “Travel with Us” email and/or social media campaign (especially in the mobile channel) targeting men traveling on business with a special digital coupon or incentive.