On the technology trend front, c-store retailers agreed that 2025 appears to be a pivotal year for the rise of AI and, particularly, AI-powered data analysis in the c-store channel.
“This trend is providing deeper insights into category performance, store operations and helping decision-makers rely more on data-driven strategies,” noted Fidaa Mohrez, senior director of operational systems, H&S Energy Group, which operates 287 c-stores in California, Nevada and Oregon under the Power Market, Pinnacle 365 and ExtraMile banners.
Echoing that sentiment, Sorin Hilgen, group chief digital officer & U.S. CIO for EG America (EGA), which has more than 1,500 stores across 30 states, pointed to the expanding role of AI across nearly every area of c-store operations.
“I would say that one of the most exciting shifts in c-store tech is the integration of AI across nearly every facet of the business, from things like customer engagement … to inventory and to operations,” Hilgen said. “As an industry, we’ve moved beyond the niche applications and are now looking at things like leveraging computer vision to map customer flows or to monitor product availability, while things like voice analytics will help us better understand the quality of the interactions in real time so that we can basically understand, not just how we’re presenting ourselves to our customers, but also understand the needs that our customers are bringing to our teams that are in the front lines.”
AI is also helping convenience stores stay one step ahead when it comes to demand forecasting.
“I think predictive algorithms are also something that will help us anticipate purchasing behaviors using factors like past purchases, location and even things like weather. … Obviously, the purchasing requirements are changing, and leveraging those algorithms will help us have a better understanding of the products that we need to ensure are in the stores,” Hilgen said.
But the true value of this evolution is in how these advancements can be implemented with the customer as the central focus, Hilgen pointed out. With AI able to “programmatically mine all the data” beyond the scope of what a human can do, it opens the door to more meaningful interactions and improved customer loyalty.
“I think crucially, technology should amplify the human element, not replace it,” Hilgen said. “The goal is to really equip our team members with the tools that just eliminate the mundane, repeatable tasks so they can focus on what truly matters, which is interacting and serving our customers.”
Alongside AI, retailers concurred that c-stores are also placing greater emphasis on improving the customer experience through visual and digital enhancements. Mohrez pointed to the growing use of “digital shelf tags and retail media,” as a key approach. Retail media, in particular, is gaining momentum. This form of advertising allows brands to promote their products directly on the retailer’s digital platforms, such as at the pump, on in-store digital displays, in-app or on the website.
“Retail media is on the rise,” said Mike Templeton, partner with c-store advisory firm NexChapter, “but focus more on the retail,” he advised. “As retailers expand their digital platforms and can extend access to those audiences to their partners, it should ultimately help influence more purchases at the POS. Don’t get so lost in the media side of things that it prevents you from getting started.”
Another major tech trend that’s becoming foundational for operators is mobile.
“Retailers are all-in on apps,” Templeton said. “The appeal for retailers has been building in recent years. Now it is becoming the hub for the customer experience. If you’re courting your best customers, it all starts with your app.”
As retailers embrace trends in technology, Templeton advised them not to neglect the opportunities available in the forecourt. “Whether that’s using a QR code to prompt engagement with your mobile app or activating the screens on your fuel dispensers with dynamic marketing content, tapping into this customer segment that is yards away from your front door is a large opportunity,” he said. “Driving a few more trips per day from the pump to the POS can have a real impact on the bottom line.”
