BP Products North America Inc. plans to be the first fuel company in the U.S. to deliver price rollback technology that awards instant cents-off-per-gallon savings at the pump to consumers throughout its BP-branded network. As of Jan. 31, more than 350 eligible sites have begun the BP-funded and managed technology deployment process with the remainder of…
Set Your Sights on Loyalty
Catalina Marketing and Outsite Networks have partnered to bring brand-sponsored loyalty offerings to convenience stores. Catalina Marketing, the innovator and leader in consumer-focused marketing, delivers compelling and relevant in-store promotions. The marketing company partners with grocery, drug, mass and convenience retailers to provide the best money-saving incentives for your customers. Catalina offers 25 years of…
CVS/pharmacy Delivers More Rewards
CVS/pharmacy’s ExtraCare rewards program is paying off for customers. Cardholders received a combined total of more than $1.9 billion in savings and rewards throughout 2009 by using their ExtraCare card each time they shopped at CVS/pharmacy or online at CVS.com. “In 2009, Americans continued to cut costs and look for new ways to help stretch…
Ronald Samuel Wins Sunoco’s “Free Fuel 5000”
Sunoco has awarded 5,000 gallons of gasoline to the winner of its 2009 Free Fuel 5000 promotion, Ronald Samuel. As the official fuel of NASCAR, Sunoco’s “Free Fuel 5000” promotion offered millions of Sunoco customers a decal identical to the ones on every racecar in NASCAR’s three top series. By getting spotted with a decal…
Nice Guys Do Finish First
Congratulations to Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes, Convenience Store Decisions’ 2009 Convenience Store Chain of the Year. The Chain of the Year award remains the oldest and most prestigious award in the industry. This year is our 20th anniversary of presenting the distinction to a deserving chain and we’re honored to have recognized some of…
Speedway SuperAmerica Presents a Unified Front
SuperAmerica won CSD’s Chain of the Year award in 1991, and Speedway was recognized with that honor six years later. In 1998, the two convenience store chains merged to form Speedway SuperAmerica LLC, which is owned by Marathon Oil Corp. Today, Speedway SuperAmerica, which is based in Enon, Ohio, is made up of more than…
Neighbours to the North
Since receiving CSD’s Chain OF THE YEAR award in 2002, Petro-Canada has seen multiple changes. The most significant has been the merger between Suncor Energy Inc. and Petro-Canada, which was finalized in August of this year. While the company operates under the Suncor Energy name, it maintains the trusted Petro-Canada brand for its refined products…
Opportunities Abound
The NACS Show is my annual reminder of just how much innovation exists among the many talented retailers and suppliers I communicate with every day. I expect this year’s show—amazingly the 14th of my career—to be one of the most interesting I’ve ever attended. While the event has so much to offer, a black cloud…
Cultivating Customers Through Loyalty
Customer Commitment The biggest hurdle some retailers face when implementing a loyalty program is getting customers to notice the many benefits. When Mid-State Petroleum launched its loyalty offering last November company Vice President Tony Perez launched a promotion to give away $10,000 in rewards at each of his locations. New customers received a $5 reward…
When One Size Fits All Doesn’t Fit
I have always been a c-store guy, I just did not realize it until I became affiliated with this publication and started paying more attention to the intricacies of the segment. Thanks to my wife, I rarely go to the grocery store anymore–she actually likes the experience. I also rarely take the time to enjoy…