Station owners speak out against prices they say put them at a competitive disadvantage. More than 50 Lukoil gas stations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania doubled their gas prices on Wednesday, Sept. 12, to more than $8 a gallon. The one-day price hike was meant to capture attention as they protested what they called unfair [...]
Dealing with a host of primary wholesalers, multiple DSD vendors and local foodservice providers, convenience store chains are learning to grow more efficient without sacrificing goods and services. By Pat Pape, Contributing Editor Like millions of Americans, Matt Paduano was traveling this summer, but he didn’t return home with a sun tan and postcards from [...]
Kent State’s Eastway Market & Deli offers students the products they need at affordable prices to keep shopping occasions on campus. By Megan Wilkinson and John Lofstock. Getting to know your core customers is an ongoing challenge. But when your customers are a transient group of students, staying on top of their needs is virtually [...]
By John Matthews, founder, Gray Cat Enterprises. Aligning your vendors to a common business vision is a daunting task. In many cases, vendors for retail outlets number in the hundreds, if not thousands. How is it expected of the retailer to manage all of them? The key is to take control and focus the vendors [...]
Traditional gasoline and c-store brands continue to sell the most gasoline, but consumers are increasing their tendency to fuel-up at grocers or warehouse retailers. A survey of 4,500 consumers, completed by Market Force Information, reports that Costco and Kroger are consumers’ favorite places to fill their gas tanks as of April 2012. The survey found [...]
Campus c-store convenience retailers awarded for superior operations. The National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) presents the 2012 C-Store “Best in the Business” award winners. The following are the 1st place winners of the 2012 “Best in the Business” campus convenience/retail competition: • New Store Design Innovation: University of Northern Colorado – [...]
ARA Australian Retailer of the Year to adopt PriceNet for fuel price management. 7-Eleven Australia is set to implement PriceNet within its recently expanded Australian retail network of more than 400 fuel sites. PriceNet will streamline the fuels pricing process and deliver the real-time information needed to enhance fuel pricing decisions at every store. KSS [...]
Foodservice customers are becoming value-conscious, a reflection of current economic conditions. Consumers are now expecting better value in terms of price, service, consistency and food quality. By John Lofstock, Editor. Bringing consumers into convenience stores to buy food requires a great offering at a good price. But with all the competition for share of stomach, [...]
The Fuel Rewards Network, an extension of its Grocer Rewards program, is enhancing the brand proposition for Shell marketers and wholesalers. By John Lofstock, Editor. The competition for customers has never been so furious. Consumers have more and more choices every day, and the right customer loyalty program has the power to make or break [...]
Some lucky followers will receive a Keurig brewer and box of Dunkin’ Donuts K-Cup packs. Dunkin’ Donuts is helping customers kick off the holiday shopping season by putting the “K” in Black Friday, brewing up a special Twitter promotion that gives fans the chance to win an early holiday gift – a Keurig brewer and [...]
“How America Shops” survey shows Walmart shoppers find lowest prices elsewhere. The Walmart shopper’s value perception has dramatically changed, according to a new research report that surveyed nearly 1,500 Walmart Shoppers. A continuing recessionary mindset, coupled with lower priced competitors are driving shoppers to other retail destinations, according to WSL/Strategic Retail’s How America Shops [...]
Economists presented both sides of the picture to retailers at the NACS State of the Industry Summit in Chicago this week. The 2010 NACS State of the Industry Summit marked the 40th anniversary of the State of the Industry survey conducted by NACS. When the survey began, industry sales were recorded at just over $1 [...]
It’s been quite a year for Valerie Conley. On the heels of being named Nice N Easy Manager of The Year, she received a promotion to district manager, her former store in Carthage, N.Y. was honored as Retail Store of the Year by the Carthage Chamber of Commerce and she is about to graduate with [...]
KSS Inc. has introduced PriceNet SaaS, a hosted version of the company’s fuel price management software for convenience and grocery retailers. The new solution gives fuel providers the option to obtain automated fuel price management via a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, where the application and accompanying customer database and information resides and is managed by KSS [...]
Getting products to stores more efficiently is now a major focus for all major retailers and distributors. Better distribution means lower costs and higher margins—both items high on c-store owners’ agendas these days—when customers are clutching their wallets more tightly than they have in years. “There are two ways to make money: increase prices or [...]