3 Ways To Innovate At Your Convenience Store
Keeping a C-store profitable can feel like an ongoing struggle and it is easy to get caught up in forces and factors beyond your control, like a competitor moving in across the street, changes in taxes and regulations and ever-fluctuating gas prices. A much more productive exercise is to focus on factors that are within your control. Consider these three strategies for innovating at your convenience store for maximum profits this year.
Create A Customer Loyalty Program
Consumers love loyalty programs, and creating a simple program that makes it easy to earn rewards can help shape buying activity. Interestingly, Millennials are the biggest consumer of fuel-based rewards programs, and over 50% of this younger generation is willing to shop at a store based on gas rewards. Convenience stores with gas pumps are primed to cash in on this trend.
If your location doesn’t sell gas, a basic rewards program is all you need. For every ten purchases over a certain dollar amount, shoppers can receive a coupon or reward, or you can spice it up with something more creative like a “Bingo” card, that lets them earn rewards for specific purchases.
Optimize Displays For Maximum Profitability
Your store is probably laid out in a way that forces customers to walk through the aisles for big-ticket items like ice cream and milk. However, optimizing every shelf and display in the store can help increase profits. People want to make quick decisions about what to buy, so the easier you can make that process, the better.
Display marketing is both science and art. Good vendors should have options to help you maximize your space to catch shoppers’ eyes and help drive sales. Take advantage of their marketing and merchandising programs to maximize your use of signage, color, fixtures and floor space.
Amp Up Checkout Convenience And Security
The typical convenience store accepts cash and plastic, but many shoppers are moving towards cashless technology. Invest in a reader that allows you to accept mobile payments like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay. Letting your shoppers pay for their entire bag by proximity to their mobile phone without digging into their wallet for cash or credit will help create a better customer experience and provides shoppers with the peace of mind that their purchase is secure with your store.
Looking For More Ways To Innovate at Your C-Store?
When positioning your store for profitability, the right vendors and partners matter. Mister Snacks offers high-margin products and merchandising ideas can help you make an impact on your customers and drive sales. Contact us today to learn about our options and to discuss the ways in which we can help you achieve your goals this year.