Nearly one-third of U.S. shoppers found empty shelves this holiday season, an Aldata survey finds. Holiday shopping wasn’t a cheerful experience for many Americans this holiday season. According to a new survey of more than 1,000 U.S. in-store shoppers, 31% discovered that the product(s) they were looking for this holiday season were out of stock. [...]
Trends are changing when it comes to meal size. Many customers now prefer smaller sized meals in order to eat healthier. Customers are growing more aware of the importance of managing portion size, market research company NPD Group, revealed in its latest report titled, “Healthy Eating Strategies by Generation,” according to Vending MarketWatch. NPD listed [...]
Despite the challenging economy, convenience store retailers enjoyed a solid year of growth in key categories like foodservice, frozen beverages and smokeless tobacco. By John Lofstock, Editor. While sales across all retail remained sluggish for much of 2010, the year ended on a relatively good note for c-store operators. Sales and gross margin contributions from [...]
The total in-stores sales in the U.S. convenience store market are projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 4% during 2010-2013, according to RNCOS, which specializes in industry intelligence and creative solutions for contemporary business segments. According RNCOS’ report “U.S. Convenience Stores Market Outlook to 2013”, in-store sales constituted more [...]
While the convenience store industry is in a much better position to withstand the strains of the current economic recession, one thing is painfully clear. Customers are changing the way they buy goods and services and retailers must keep up with those changes to avoid becoming obsolete. A new generation of Millennials, those born between [...]
Impulse purchases of sodas, Hershey bars and snacks are on the upswing at U.S. convenience stores, a sign the economy and consumer confidence might slowly be turning around, Bloomberg.com reported. The decline in soda sales at convenience stores slowed last quarter for the first time in at least a year, according to PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, [...]
EDITOR’S NOTE: CSD AND HR CONSULTANT MEL KLEIMAN WILL PRESENT THE SECOND ANNUAL HR STUDY, FEATURING EMPLOYEE TRENDING DATA AND A STORE EMPLOYEE SALARY OVERVIEW, IN THE JANUARY 2010 ISSUE OF CONVENIENCE STORE DECISIONS. Just a short 18 months ago, most convenience retailers were desperate for frontline workers and, on most days, priority one was to [...]
Driving business with new products is hardly a novel idea, but it’s also one that convenience store retailers rarely use to their advantage, said David Bishop, a partner with research and consulting firm Willard Bishop in Barrington, Ill. When retailers actively participate in the process of bringing a new product to the marketplace by helping [...]
“In a business like cigars, where unit volume is growing 10% plus year-over-year, emerging strategic thinking in convenience retail suggests that retailers can grow even faster by employing a “price-for-volume” strategy for key products.” David Bishop, partner, Willard Bishop This summer, we examined how convenience retailers could manage the cigar category differently to realize above-market [...]
UK megaretailer looking at dozens of California sites for rapid expansion. Only three weeks after opening its first American stores, near Los Angeles, Tesco is looking at dozens of sites in Northern California as it seeks to extend its Fresh & Easy convenience chain. It is part of the supermarket’s expansion drive in the U.S. [...]
Fresh off the acquisition of Cummings Oil, Andrea Jackson leads Jacksons Food Stores’ retail strategy. By Shahla Hebets, Publisher Keeping a low profile hasits advantages, but eventuallya chain’s success starts toattract the attention, and eventhe enmity, of the competitors around it.Jacksons Food Stores is one of the conveniencestore and petroleum industry’sbiggest success stories, yet it [...]
Approximately 79% ofall attendees plan to buy one or more ofthe products or services they discovered atthe NACS Show last year. Follow-up researchindicates that actual purchases six to ninemonths after the event are even higher thanwhat was planned. The show hours are: Wednesday, Nov. 7 from 12 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8 from 12 p.m.-5:30 [...]