Convenience stores have a long track record of providing high-quality, craveable products that are easy to grab and go.
Certain products, which are different for different people, provide customers with an instantaneous feeling of pleasure and satisfaction. When we finally get that thing we’ve been craving — whether it’s a favorite snack, a lottery ticket or a strong cup of coffee — our bodies release a chemical called dopamine that elicits feelings of contentment and euphoria. The same “feel good” chemicals can be released from a vigorous workout, a hug from a loved one, a cold slushie on a hot day or a thumbs up on social media.
Consumers seek physical products like snacks and beverages to add a moment of joy to their day; the same is true for digital. People engage with digital experiences that are personalized, friction free, intuitive and fun. Like a walk through your physical store, a brand’s digital experience should be clean, uncluttered and straightforward, giving guests the opportunity to explore and discover new products and offerings along the way.
Serving Up Experiences
Here are some ways c-stores can serve up both in-store and digital experiences that keep customers coming back to satisfy their brand craving.
Put delicious, unique food items on the menu. Convenience store food has come a long way from the days of overcooked hot dogs and soggy pizzas. One way c-store brands can differentiate themselves is to offer customers unique food options that they can’t find anywhere else. Craveable and unique offerings create a sense of excitement and anticipation that keeps customers coming back for more.
For instance, Wawa’s flagship summer campaign, Hoagiefest, invites customers to try their fresh, built-to-order hoagies and sandwiches — which can’t be purchased anywhere else — for a promotional price. Thirty percent of respondents in a November 2022 NCSolutions study said they purchase prepared foods from convenience stores, which presents a monumental opportunity for c-stores to grow their foodservice footprint.
Maintain a clean, well-organized store. A welcoming, easy-to-navigate environment creates a pre-purchase dopamine hit that can be as pleasurable as that first sip of a customer’s favorite beverage. Thirty percent of respondents in the NCSolutions study said they find new products and flavors to try at c-stores, and 28% said they intentionally roam the aisles looking for new products.
A well-organized store helps customers find what they’re looking for quickly and easily, which minimizes frustration and maximizes satisfaction. Additionally, it creates opportunities for shoppers to discover new things. Apps and online ordering platforms can do the same, expanding shoppers’ cravings to products and offerings they didn’t even know existed.
Combine new offerings with the convenience of delivery. Online ordering and delivery services remove the barrier of needing to physically go to the store, providing yet another channel of convenience and an addictive way to satisfy cravings. Combining a well-designed digital experience with cross-sells and upsells for unique products or food offerings unlocks exponential value.
The most effective digital/loyalty experience, however, goes beyond offering an incentive for a product a consumer already buys. It creates a three-dimensional dopamine effect that rewards customers with the convenience of having their cravings delivered to their door — along with the added rush of tasting new products they may not have considered before.
A well-designed digital experience can create a parallel dopamine hit that reinforces customer loyalty to your brand. When paired with unique food offerings and an easily navigable store, the digital interaction that is intuitive, friction free and personalized is the ultimate tool that helps brands deliver the engaging and satisfying user experience customers crave.
Abbey Karel is vice president of business development for convenience at Bounteous. With a background in mobile product management in retail, Karel’s focus is on deeply understanding clients’ needs to optimize global teams throughout the product lifecycle and driving strategic, long-term partnerships centered around co-innovation.
