Upselling — the sales technique by which a retail establishment convinces a customer to purchase more expensive items, upgrades or add-ons to generate additional revenue — can bolster a bottom line. So how can convenience stores upsell candy? The answer lies in employee education and motivation, strong promotional offers and effective marketing and merchandising. Two…
What to Expect for Alt Fuels in 2022
As many of us do around this time of year, I’ve been reflecting on 2021 and thinking about what may happen in 2022. When it comes to alternative fuels, there’s a lot to consider. So here are some of my thoughts on the cleaner fuel industry as we prepare to turn the calendar page. Last…
How Can I Increase Sales at a Convenience Store or Bodega?
It’s advisable that convenience store owners research how to increase income. As a busy independent retailer, determining how much inventory you need and where products should go depending on the structure of the store may be difficult. The methods and tips outlined below will show you how to develop and run your business in the…
How Can C-Stores Upsell Chips?
The great innovator in the potato chip arena was a gent named Herman W. Lay, who took the soon-to-be-iconic potato chip across the U.S., while retaining both its crispness and taste, not only when it arrived, but for weeks after. It was under Lay’s tutelage that one of the great advertising slogans was created: “Betcha’…
Why Is the Health & Beauty Category Important to C-Stores?
The health and beauty category is one of the most diverse groupings of products on convenience store shelves today. Other categories have some common denominator. Snacks have themes like salty, crunchy or sweet. Tobacco products contain some form of nicotine. But items that fall under the umbrella of health and beauty aids (HBA) range from…
Should I Add Spiked Slushies to My C-Store’s Frozen Dispensed Beverage Section?
One of the latest trends in the frozen dispensed beverage segment is spiked slushies. Spiked or alcoholic slushies can be beer-based or made using hard alcohol like rum or vodka. The alcoholic slushie trend started to grow during the COVID-19 pandemic amid lockdowns. As on-premise establishments like restaurants and bars closed, customers turned to convenience…
How Can C-Stores Sell More Jerky?
There are so many ways to upsell jerky. To me, though, the very best way is to tout and praise all that is good about jerky — and there is plenty good to say about it! Experts talk about the fact that jerky is really a quite healthy product. Jerky — beef, turkey and pork,…
How Did COVID-19 Impact Candy Sales at C-Stores?
Between dire news reports, lockdowns, mask mandates, vaccine injections, glass partitions, social distancing, working from home, shuttered schools, and friends and relatives actually contracting COVID-19, it’s not hard to see why consumers needed to reach for something sweet during the pandemic. And they did. As the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) pointed out, “Americans…
How Can C-Stores Drive HBA Sales?
Health and beauty aid (HBA) is a destination category, which means consumers coming into a c-store are looking for immediate relief. The key to maximizing sales is to have what consumers need — clearly and conveniently displayed, often in a single-use package. The category has taken a hit during the pandemic, as many people stayed…
Should I Sell Functional Beverages at My Convenience Store?
Functional beverages provide benefits beyond hydration from health benefits to help with focus, energy, relaxation or more. A Mordor Intelligence report titled, “Functional Beverage Market – Growth Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021-2026)” predicted that the global functional beverage market will have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.96% during the forecast period (2021…