By Bill Scott, founder of StoreReport LLC & Scott Systems Inc. Millennials and Generation Y consumers do everything with their tablets, computers and smartphones; and they subconsciously avoid entering areas that sever the links between them and their virtual world. But that’s just the beginning. The retail store of the future will be a lot different…
Thinking Through Shrink and Other Issues
With some inventiveness, c-stores can develop ways to manage their inventory. Effective inventory control doesn’t happen automatically. In fact, controlling inventory is somewhat of a misnomer that might be better termed: managing inventory—because of how difficult indeed it is to control. The landscape is littered with the remains of fired managers, dismissed district managers and…
A Word of Advice
Life’s not all about wine, golf and good times. Good business practices and fond memories have a place as well. By Fran Duskiewicz This past June marked my 30th anniversary in the convenience industry, so it’s not surprising that many memories are tied to my tenure at Nice N Easy. Here are a few pertinent…
Are Convenience Store Robberies On The Rise?
By Bill Scott, founder of StoreReport LLC & Scott Systems Inc. According to the latest statistics, robberies involving convenience stores have remained fairly steady, at about 6% of all robberies reported over the past few years, with a slight decrease in the 90s, mostly attributed to the development of better crime prevention methods. Repeat victimization however…
How Automated Replenishment Systems (ARS) Impact Store Profits
By Bill Scott, founder of StoreReport LLC & Scott Systems Inc. Surprisingly, although several retailers have automated their ordering process in the last few years, there is almost no academic source examining this topic down to the store level. Furthermore, while the study of the extent and root-causes of retail out-of-stocks has received substantial interest…
How To Optimize Store Operations and Improve Energy Efficiency
Achieve energy savings with integrated facility management systems. By Lisa Murray, Emerson Climate Technologies Every retail facility has unique requirements and challenges with site control and enterprise visibility. As convenience stores dive deeper into foodservice investments and stores become more complex, operators want simple, flexible and economical solutions. Facility controls can help operators meet these…
How To Understand Your Distributor’s Perspective
Discovering that it is not the distributor’s fault. By Bill Scott, founder of StoreReport LLC & Scott Systems Inc. In 2004, I was forcefully ejected from a place of business. I believe that this was the first, and only, time I have experienced such a thing. I had been asked by my convenience store customer to visit a…
Is It Time For Private 9-1-1 Centers for Retailers?
We already have the technology to provide a safer environment for customers and employees, so when will we use it? By Bill Scott, founder of StoreReport LLC & Scott Systems Inc. I intercepted an article yesterday telling about a couple that was attacked by a gang of thugs at a convenience store. It resulted in a…
How Low Gasoline Prices Spur Driving Demand
By Brian Milne, Editor, Schneider Electric A near vertical arc forms on the 10-year chart of vehicle miles traveled on U.S. roads recently released by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis through its FRED economic data series, with U.S. vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in May at an all-time high of 3.08 trillion miles. That’s…
Karma & Employee Retention
Help your employees help you. By Mel Kleiman, president, Humetrics Now that unemployment levels are once again low and there are fewer available workers in the labor pool, it’s time to be more proactive about keeping your STAR employees happy and on-board. Here are six questions to ask your best people at least once a year: When…