Is Poor C-Store Merchandising Killing Your Sales?

The Importance of Proper C-Store Merchandising

The National Association of Convenience Stores reported in 2018 that convenience stores and gas stations conduct approximately 165 million transactions daily, providing insight into consumer spending trends. These trends show how consumer habits shift throughout the year. When combined with information gathered at the point of sale by effective back office management software, consumer trends can guide in-store advertising and c-store merchandising efforts. Are you effectively leveraging merchandising throughout your operation, or are you leaving money at the door with poor advertising? Continue reading to learn how to improve your c-store merchandising.

Catch Customer Attention at the Door

Convenience means your customers are intending a quick in-and-out for whatever they might need. Don’t wait for them to reach the POS to catch their attention. Starting at the entryway, you want to highlight new and high-end products as prominently and easily accessible as possible. Use overhead directional lighting and dynamic signage to create an experience and draw attention. By catching the attention of your shoppers in a positive way, you are likely to create return customers.

Have What Customers Need, But Show Them What They Want

Your customers are already visiting your store for things they need, and you should make sure those products are always on the shelf. However, driving incremental sales and capitalizing on impulse purchases is one way to increase profitability over time. Play to these impulses in point of sale displays, and don’t be afraid to emphasize high-priced items – with the right presentation strategy, you’ll tap into your customers’ desire to treat themselves.

Make It a Package Deal

Effective inventory management software will help you decide what products should be on your shelves, and that information can be used to determine how to layout your store. Minimize your customers’ travel paths to find similar items and capitalize on proximity to drive impulse purchasing behavior. Advertise items that should be purchased together and highlight seasonal items.

Keep Things Fresh Month to Month

Seasonal events and holidays make for complicated promotions with short shelf lives. It’s important to keep up with transitioning your product displays regularly to capitalize on purchasing trends and show your customers they can rely on you to have the things they might need during the holidays for last minute parties and gifts.

Design Informed Displays

An effective inventory tracking software package will help you keep track of purchasing trends on a weekly basis and automatically handle the ordering and inventory of popular items. The reporting generated by inventory tracking software can be used to determine what items should receive increased marketing focus. Similarly, this tracking can determine ineffective marketing and help you make informed decisions about what items shouldn’t be included in the product mix.

Back-Office Solutions You Can Trust

Convenience stores must be able to remain agile and flexible in order to best utilize their retail space to advertise and highlight products customer want and need. An effective software solution, such as those offered by Success Systems, helps convenience store owners to make informed and data-driven marketing and display decisions, which in turn drive profitability and increase sales over time. Contact us today to schedule a free demo.