While the convenience store industry is in a much better position to withstand the strains of the current economic recession, one thing is painfully clear. Customers are changing the way they buy goods and services and retailers must keep up with those changes to avoid becoming obsolete. A new generation of Millennials, those born between…
Emerging Retail Trends
Convenience store owners should expect to embrace new technology and a fresh set of rules for communicating with today’s consumers as 2011 approaches. A year that witnessed a whirlwind of technological advancements proved that retail is all about change. The best retailers are embracing that change and diversifying their technology investments in order to stay…
Marketing and Social Media
In 2011, look for cause marketing to be a bigger trend. An expert panel at the U.S. Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) annual meeting revealed that the trend toward cause marketing is the next step in engaging customers and increasing loyalty. But it’s not enough just to pick a cause and throw together a promotion. Customers…
Endless Pizza Opportunities
Whether going with a branded option or developing a proprietary menu, pizza appeals to a wide variety of pallets. There will always be a market for pizza. Customers love it. It’s fast, fresh and convenient—everything that helps make convenience stores a top option for on-the-go foodservice. However, choosing a branded pizza partner means balancing a…