During the Summer months, customers will be pouring into c-stores in search for their favorite products. As your store begins to gain heavier foot traffic, prepare for the increase in customers by optimizing your store's space. Many store owners find that their store is lacking organization or structure that can be hindering their customer's overall experience. Learn how the clutter can affect your customers and the steps to improve your c-store's space to satisfy and compel customers to make...

C-store sales often get a summertime boost due to thirsty out-of-school kids. Take advantage of the 4.5% increase in sales by choosing items specifically for warmer months. Picking the right products and learning how to market towards children can make a huge splash in your Summer profits.

Large companies are on the hunt to acquire c-stores. Just in 2017, there have been hundreds of stores acquired pushing new competitors into the c-store market. As companies compete for growth it is important to know the latest company acquisitions, the pros and cons of selling your store, and what the outlook is for the future of convenience.

In a scientific telephone survey of 1,000 adult Americans, 75 percent said they have made an impulse purchase. By definition, impulse buying is the act of purchasing something unplanned after feeling the sudden urge to buy a product. This often happens when a customer has come into your c-store to buy a specific item but leave with multiple. It is important to learn who is making the purchases, what causes customers to impulse buy, and what items are most tempting.

The checkout counter is the last chance to get customers to purchase additional items and leaves a lasting impression in customers' minds. Making sure your counter has a tempting “selling zone” that draws in impulse shoppers to increase your profits. Understanding what is working and how you can improve can make all the difference. If you believe your checkout counter does not need improvement, understand that “no matter what you’re selling, a disorganized store filled with cluttered shelves...

There are over 155,000 c-stores in the Unites States alone. Competition is on every owner’s mind. Whether it is a new business opening down the street or a rival store that you’ve been competing with for years, understanding how customers think and why they might choose another store over you is the first step improving your c-store.

In today’s regulatory environment, health inspectors are evaluating retailers on the efforts they are making to keep their consumers safe rather than what might already be wrong.  Inspections are no longer only intended to check for obvious potential dangers, but also to examine the procedures and standards in an individual business.  As inspectors are becoming more stringent in the way that they monitor convenience stores and other food retailers, it’s more important for owners and operators...

Keeping the right products in your store is about more than simply finding the ones you get a great deal on, the ones other stores are carrying, or even the ones customers have bought before.  Deciding what products you should stock in your store, and how, should rely on a careful strategy.  This strategy is called category management.  While the large chains have corporate teams to study data and analyses to guide the right purchasing decisions, category management is an activity that...

To get ready for spring some of the biggest chocolate companies are rolling out holiday-themed versions of their most popular candies. Check out what yummy items you could carry this spring to bump up profits and draw in customers with a sweet tooth!

The 2016 United States presidential election left a considerable portion the country with many uncertainties about the future.  One major area of concern going into 2017 is the country’s economy and the outlook for current and potential business owners.  While 80% of roughly 1,400 executives from small and mid-sized businesses across the country say that they are optimistic about the economy, there are still some lingering worries1.  A survey by Bank of America showed that small business owners...