Convenience Store Merchandising

Gas station stores have long since become full-fledged retail facilities capable of generating significant profits. Competent merchandising in a Convenience Store helps to increase sales, improve customer experience and make the retail space more convenient and attractive for customers.

Features of Convenience Store Merchandising 

Unlike traditional stores, gas station retail shops have a number of unique characteristics:

• High speed of customer flow - customers spend an average of 3-5 minutes in the store, so products should be presented as conveniently and prominently as possible.
• Impulse buying - a significant part of sales is spontaneous, which requires thoughtful layout of goods at gas stations.
• Limited retail space - compact areas require careful management of the assortment at the C-Store and effective zoning.
• Different types of traffic - gas station stores can be located in urban, transit or suburban areas, which affects customer preferences and assortment.

Sales of Related Products at Convenience Store

The main income of stores at gas stations is formed at the expense of related products. It is important to identify the most popular categories and place them in such a way that they are easily accessible:

• Hot and cold drinks (coffee, tea, carbonated drinks, energy drinks).
• Prepared food (sandwiches, hot dogs, baked goods, fast food).
• Snacks (chocolate, chips, nuts, bars).
• Goods for cars (oils, glass-washing liquids, car accessories).
• Essentials (chargers, wet wipes, chewing gum, personal hygiene items).
• Seasonal products (sunglasses and chilled drinks in summer, window defrosters in winter).
• Goods for traveling companions - it is important to take into account that the customers of the C-Stores are not only drivers, but also their traveling companions - family members, friends and colleagues. The assortment should include children's goods (juices, baby food, toys), products and items for moms (hygiene products, snacks) and goods aimed at the elderly (medicinal teas, soft snacks).

Regular analysis of demand and adjustment of the assortment depending on customer preferences allow minimizing illiquid items and increasing the average receipt.

Space Organization and Layout of Goods at Convenience Stores

Proper space organization helps to increase sales and improve customer experience. The basic principles are:

• Zoning
  • Checkout area - for impulse items (chewing gum, chocolate, batteries, lottery tickets).
  • Center shelves - for popular beverages and snacks.
  • Zone at the entrance - for seasonal goods.
• The principle of “golden shelf” - placement of the most profitable products at the eye level of the customer.
• The right neighborhood of merchandise
  • Coffee next to baked goods.
  • Energy drinks near the cash register.
  • Car accessories in easy access but not interfering with customer traffic.
• Minimizing blind spots - optimal shelving placement for maximum visibility of merchandise.

Sales Incentivization

Since customers spend a limited amount of time at the gas station, marketing mechanics must be quick and effective:

1. Promotions - for example, “Buy coffee - get a discount on a croissant”.
2. Loyalty programs - accumulative bonuses, discounts for regular customers.
3. Advertising inside the store - bright price tags, posters, screens with advertising promotions.
4. Cross-merchandising - related products nearby (for example, coffee + chocolate).
5. Product testing - tastings of new merchandise, trial samples.

Staff Training

Professionalism of employees directly affects sales and the level of customer service. The main areas of training:

1. Active sales techniques (for example, offering related products).
2. Knowledge of the assortment (staff should be able to consult customers).
3. Working with customer objections.
4. Basics of visual merchandising (keeping the shelves clean and in order).
5. Etiquette and service (friendliness, speed of service).

Advantages of Using PlanoHero for Gas Stations

The use of specialized software such as PlanoHero allows you to standardize the layout of goods in the chain of stores at gas stations, strengthening the brand and simplifying inventory management. The program automates the process of creating planograms, helps to control their implementation and analyze the effectiveness of layout of goods. Thanks to the heat map in PlanoHero, you can identify hot zones of the store and analyze which places bring the most sales, which helps to increase turnover and profits.

C-Store Assortment Management and Analytics

To effectively manage inventory, sales must be analyzed regularly and assortments must be adjusted. The main strategies are:

• Demand analysis - tracking sales and adapting the assortment.
• Inventory management - avoiding shortages and oversupply of goods.
• Logistics optimization - minimizing downtime and ensuring availability of key products.

Convenience store merchandising is a complex work, including proper organization of space, competent selection of assortment, effective methods of sales promotion and staff training. This approach allows to increase revenue, increase customer loyalty and create a comfortable environment for customers.

Modern technologies, such as the PlanoHero service, help automate the processes of assortment management and layout of goods, making the retail space at the gas station more efficient and convenient for both business and customers.