INSIDE THE SHOPPER’S MIND

September 23, 2019

Retailers wish they had a magic power to know what shoppers want each time they walk through the store’s doors. Luckily for c-store operators, there is an  important and easy way to get a sense of a shopper’s purpose.
 

Embracing Modern Convenience: Responding to Shopper Needs, the newest study from the NACS/Coca‑Cola Retailing Research Council, spells out this bit of insight on page 15 of the report.
 

When customers are alone, trips inside a c-store are often motivated by physical needs, such as hunger or thirst. But, if that same customer comes in with one or more companions, the goal of the trip changes. On occasions when shoppers enter c-stores with others, including children, the visit becomes a social occasion in which they seek delight and stimulation.
 

Modern convenience customers, as we find throughout this new report, are expanding their expectations of c-stores. Delighting them may come from higher-quality food choices, seating areas, Wi-Fi availability or perhaps even more creative pursuits. With expectations of convenience stores evolving, it is important to remember how the purpose of a shopper changes based on the influence of who they are with in the store.
 

The report can be downloaded for free at www.ccrrc.org.