8 Tips for Running a Successful Convenience Store

Listen in! Pick up some expert advice to a reader's question that we selected from CyberSchmooz.

The key to running a successful convenience store business lies in understanding the evolving shopping behavior of customers and innovating accordingly. In this article, we’ll outline effective strategies for running a successful convenience store.

1. Invest in a modern POS system

Keep the checkout process fast and straightforward with a modern point of sale system. An ideal POS system should be able to handle a variety of functions besides storing sales and managing payments. It should allow for the incorporation of other tools and software like an ID scanner for age verification, customized coupons and rewards programs, inventory management, and CRM.

2. Streamline the checkout experience

Do not make the customers feel overwhelmed by displaying too many products at the checkout counter. People want to come in and find what they are looking for quickly. Leave the front checkout space for small and popular impulse purchases and have all the other products neatly and strategically displayed on the other shelves in the store. Keep your display neat, organized, and clutter-free for a pleasant checkout experience.

3. Hire a passionate team

Focus on hiring qualified employees who are also well-trained and knowledgeable about the products stocked in the store. It is important that your staff reports to work on time, are quick, friendly, professional, and helpful to customers.

4. Be keen on the industry trends

Pay attention to the industry trends and capitalize on the current consumer preferences. For example, as of 2018, the shopping trends shifted towards fresh and healthy options. As a convenience store owner, you should capitalize on stocking fresh fruits and vegetables, pre-packaged salads, health bars, and nuts, to drive your sales and bring business growth.

5. Invest to impress

Investing in creating a modernized store that is visually appealing. This entails having a super clean space, high-tech surveillance systems, spaced-out display shelves that are easy to navigate, fancy display and adverts, and slick point of sale counters. Remember to keep the restrooms clean.

6. Location is key

The biggest success factor of a convenience store is its location. If there isn't a lot of competition in the area, it might be a good sign that your business will thrive. Consider other key factors like security, ease of accessibility, and flow of traffic.

7. Incorporate fuel and diesel services

A good percentage of people obtain fuel and diesel services from convenience store locations. It is convenient to stop for gas at a location where you can grab one or two things that you need. Incorporate fuel services by partnering with a fuel supplier to help you meet a variety of your client’s needs and demands effectively.

8. Keep the store well stocked

Keep track of your pump and store inventory daily to avoid getting caught off guard with a shortage. Ensure you never run out of soft and alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, food, snacks, and over-the-counter drugs, as these are the most frequently shopped products. Offer an assortment of inventory, so the clients have options should their preference be out of stock.

Endnote

The success of a business depends on its sales. When you have laid down all the infrastructure and stocked up the shop well, you need customers to bring you business. The customers may only spend brief moments at your convenience store, but their experience in that brief encounter greatly determines if they will come back. Boost your sales by making the customer experience a pleasant one.

Small Business Tax Center • Idea Cafe Home • Sign Up • Biz Grant Center • CyberSchmooz •Coffee Talk with Experts • People in Biz Profiles • Starting Your Biz • Biz Planning • Running Your Biz • FREE Trade Publications • Marketing • Financing Your Biz • Human Resources • Legal & Biz Forms • Managing Your Biz • eCommerce • You and Your Biz • Gen X • Work@Home • The Fridge • De-Stress • Send an Award • Send an eGreeting • Yoga @ Your Desk • Web Guide • Idea Cafe in the News • About Idea Cafe • Advertise on Idea Cafe • Contact Us • Privacy Policy • Site Map • Small Biz News

DISCLAIMER: We hope whatever you find on this site is helpful, but be cautioned that it may not apply to your own situation, or be totally current at any given time. Idea Cafe Inc. and all of its current and past experts, sponsors, advertisers, agents, contractors and advisors disclaim all warranties with regard to anything found anywhere on this family of websites, quoted from, or sent from Idea Cafe. and its related sites, publications and companies. We also take no responsibility for comments published by others on these pages.

TRADEMARKS: The following are Registered Trademarks or Servicemarks of DevStart, Inc.: Idea Cafe®, Online Coffee Break®, The Small Business Gathering Place®, Take out Info®, Biz Bar & Grill®, Complaint-O-Meter®, A Fun Approach to Serious Business™, CyberSchmooz™, and BizCafe™.