Not Your Fathers Convenience Store
C-Stores need to make some updates to appeal to a rapidly changing clientele.
Convenience stores have a remarkable history of adapting to customer needs. When Americans started to drive more often in the 1920s, convenience stores began to sell gasoline and other products. Recently, convenience stores quickly became a go-to spot for everything from masks to macchiatos as many industries were halted due to Covid shutdowns. The subsequent adaptation for these stores comes from the need to appeal to customers as they are pulled toward free shipping, online ordering, and contactless payment. Cash-only corner stores with nothing but a yelp page arent going to cut it for long. Modernizing the shopping experience without needing a degree in computer science is the next hurdle for convenience store owners.
The first step is to have a quality online presence. Most people, when looking for a store, will find this first.
Having a website, location, and phone number available online is essential. Using Google My Business along with Wix allows stores to be easily accessible from the internet. Store owners can use a website to email advertisements, send updates, and offer coupons if they want. Even without anything extra, a store website allows the owners to present their business in the best light possible.
Payment is also an area where many businesses are lacking. Covid already pushed many stores away from cash-only transactions, and the next step is to improve payment terminals to be faster and less frustrating. You know that if a store has one of these it’s going to fail your transaction four times before it finally works.
Having an upgraded payment system like Square makes the payment process more efficient and stress-free. On top of that, newer payment systems can also be used to track orders, offer loyalty programs to customers, provide analytics, and accept a wider variety of payment options.
One of the best ways to modernize a store is to update the items. Items like healthy food and coffee have been growing in popularity while cigarette sales have seen better days. Updating item offerings ensures that customers always have what they are looking for. The NACS, Convenience Store News, and our blog are good ways to keep up to date with changing customer preferences.
The most important modern trend that convenience stores need to follow is delivery. All of the efforts to modernize works well for in-store customers, but some people still don’t want to leave their house. That group of customers keeps getting bigger, and not servicing them is like staying closed for the morning rush because you don’t feel like getting out of bed. Offering delivery is not hard with Lula. Lula handles all of the complexities of delivery and makes sure that their store’s image on each site is handled with care.
Convenience Stores have always persevered as the world changes around them. We are here to help you take that next step.
About Lula: Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pa., Lula provides delivery solutions for convenience stores, pharmacies, and CPG brands that do not have a secondary sales channel, offering the first multi-vendor 30-minute delivery platform a commitment to building a cleaner, more sustainable world. Learn more about Lula at www.luladelivery.com