Gasoline brings in lots of customers and sales, but come with the consequence of paper-thin margins for the retailers who sell it. To offset this, retailers are developing ways to lure in gas-centric customers and turn their interest onto in-store products.
In order to do this, more and more retailers are relying on the marketing potential LCD screens at the pump can offer. Tim Kenyon, owner of the Buffalo, N.Y.-based Kenyon’s Variety Store chain has not only started using these pumps, but has found that flexibility and creativity are keys to making the pumps successful.
“We’re utilizing the same gallons of gasoline people are already purchasing, by tacking on some advertising to bring people into the stores and increase their market basket,” Kenyon told CSDecisions.com. Kenyon has been testing LCD pumps in his stores since October 2006, and has found pure success.
While many retailers are using equipment similar to the pumps used at his stores, Kenyon has implemented some creative marketing techniques with the screens to pique customers’ interest. One of his more popular methods involves trivia.
“The first thing that comes up on the screen when a customer starts pumping gas is a trivia question about the Buffalo Sabers,” Kenyon explained. “If the customer knows the answer and chooses to participate, they are asked to go inside the store, answer the question and claim their prize, a 20-oz. cappuccino.”
To learn more about how Kenyon and other retailers are pulling gasoline customers into their stores, check out the upcoming July edition of CSD