This natural descendant of the c-store intends to offer everything from lottery tickets and liquor to groceries and fast foodall in a drive-thru format. Stephen Beardsley wants to out-convenience the c-store industry. Beardsley is president of AutoCart LLC (Las Cruces, NM), a company that plans on building a $13 million to $18 million “Drive-Thru Supercenter”…
a gift horse
Petro Stopping Centers’ new prepaid card programs diversify the chain’s product mix. They also boost sales in the store, at the pump and in the dining room. The rapid transformation of the telecommunications superhighway hasn’t come without its share of potholes, detours and a few roadkill carcasses. Just five years ago, after all, longdistance cards…
refreshing sales
New products, new segments and new approaches to merchandising help Alabama’s Shop-A-Snak boost sales and maximize variety in each area of the cooler. Shop-A-Snak Food Mart Inc. made the decision two years ago to wrap its arms firmly around the beer customer. The Birmingham, AL-based chain of 37 convenience stores expanded its mix by increasing…
cashing in on credit
Rising credit card fees got you down? Some retailers have convinced many credit customers to trade down to cash. Customers using cash or a CITGO Cash Card (above) at Larry Neville’s CITGO station in Florida receive a discount on gas purchases. Some credit-card customers aren’t too pleased, but Neville says the program has been worthwhile…
whats the big idea
Stuff your stocking with ideas for making more money in 2005 by Kate Buczko, Associate Editor, and Bill Donahue, Editor New ideas are the lifeblood of our industry. They give our stores the opportunity to grow and adapt to market conditions, and expand into virgin territory. The editors of CSD have compiled some of the…
new retail concepts
Developing trends Approximately 40% of U.S. households will own at least one digital camera by the end of 2004, according to InfoTrends Research Group. As the technology becomes more prevalent, consumers are looking for affordable, convenient printing options, and if convenience stores are prepared, they could capture those customers. 7-Eleven Inc. (Dallas, TX) is in…
wrist watchers
7-Eleven adds to trend of selling wristbands to support worthy causes. Following the enormous success of the “LIVESTRONG” bracelet from cancer survivor and champion bicyclist Lance Armstrong, 7-Eleven Inc. (Dallas, TX) has launched its own wristband for another noble causesupporting U.S. troops. 7-Eleven is helping customers support American troops and the United Service Organizations (USO)…
Leveraging Activity-Based Costing in Merchandising
Translating Shopper Insights into Merchandising Strategies
The Fuel Medz
The Fuel Medz The Fuel Medz gas pill increases gas mileage and saves money. The pill is a unique, patented technology developed to provide and maintain a catalytically active surface coating in the combustion chambers of engines-this means drivers are getting more miles per gallon by making better use of the fuel delivered; thus improving…