At the recent Retail Innovation Conference in New York, industry leaders discussed the future of physical stores. The key threat, they agreed, was not Amazon or e-commerce. (Digital brands are turning to brick-and-mortar in droves. The number of store openings actually grew by more than 50% in 2017.) Retail’s biggest threat is stagnation. You see, […]
While maturity might be an asset, looking your age is not such a good thing. We are a culture that values newness. Most of us can probably relate, if the sales of anti-aging beauty products are any indicator. And, if it’s true for us folks, it goes double for our stores. The fact is that […]
Space is a critical component in the retail environment. It’s more than where your category managers display their inventory. It’s where your customers make their buying decisions. Are you making it easy for them? Are you using your space as wisely as you could? Or could your products be merchandised in the same space with […]
An interesting new survey is shedding light on the rationale your customers use when deciding which c-store to visit. If you’ve ever wondered what makes them pick one store over another, your answers lie below. Location, Location, Location Real estate agents may talk about location being the determining factor for buying a house. It’s also […]
A great-looking coffee bar is a c-store’s best friend. Just look at some of the numbers: According to Gas Buddy, c-stores rated as having “excellent coffee” receive 12.5% more traffic in the morning. Did you know that c-stores outperform the rest of the foodservice industry in hot dispensed beverage sales (55% vs. 33% of dollars […]
A recent University of Florida study asked millennial shoppers what they liked – and didn’t like – about retail stores. Here were some of the top takeaways… Make me laugh. Millennials used the word “fun” a lot when they described things they liked about stores. For example, one noted, “This oversized lamp creates a fun […]
A great store remodel or reimaging project requires a lot of internal work behind the scenes at Corporate – from the budgeting to the total buy-in. You’ve seen your idea come so far. Don’t let it fall apart at the end. Last-minute delays, missing pieces, wrong sizes and unskilled installers can turn your project into […]
C-stores know Bubba well, that infamous blue-collar male in his 30s. However, two new studies are providing fresh insight into the mind of the elusive female convenience store shopper. So, let’s take a minute to meet Betty. The new stats: TrendSource’s 2018 Convenience Store Industry Report says 55% of women visit c-stores at least once […]
As we discussed in part one, adding sustainable practices to your store remodel is a win-win-win, because it benefits you, your customers and the environment. One of the benefits to your organization is a way to cut costs as you save on your energy bills and reduce waste. Sustainable = Operational Efficiency Remodels present a […]
Adding sustainable practices to your store remodel is a win-win opportunity. Make that a win-win-win, because it benefits you, your customers and the environment. A trend that we’ve noticed in the retail industry is the move towards “better for you” products. That thinking extends to the retail store space itself. Consumers – especially millennials – […]