Four Top Tips for Improving Your C-Store Profits

Discover how to boost convenience store profits and meet customers’ expectations like a pro!

As a c-store owner, you have two critical challenges: meet customers’ expectations and stay profitable. For some c-store owners, doing both may seem impossible.

Over the past year, c-store customers’ expectations have changed drastically because customers are now more comfortable with using mobile apps and other technology. They also want the convenience of ordering items online and picking up orders without entering your c-store. When you embrace technology to run your c-store or gas station, you can easily and quickly interact with your customers, have the opportunity to meet customers’ demands, increase revenue, and improve convenience store profitability.

 

Here are 4 Top Tips to Boost Your Convenience Store Profits and Improve Customer Service and Loyalty:

 

Tip #1: Start with Item Level Inventory

It’s no secret that many c-store owners don’t have adequate inventory control, which negatively impacts convenience store profitability.

Secret: The best way to control inventory for better profits is at the item level, which means you track the number of items sold instead of the number of pallets or cases. Controlling inventory at this detailed level helps you better track current stock, sales, and provides better information to make projections for how much you need to order in the future – which all lead to improved profits.

But tracking inventory can be challenging (and downright overwhelming) if you are using a pen and paper or spreadsheets. Instead, use technology to easily and quickly track inventory accurately. You will find that using affordable inventory scanners speeds up the time you spend on inventory and helps you make better buying decisions.

 

Tip #2: Offer a Variety of Products

According to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), “Shoppers recognize the c-store channel of trade for its convenient locations, extended hours of operation, one-stop shopping, grab-and-go foodservice, variety of merchandise, and fast transactions.” From snacks to tobacco, beer, and food services, customers always like to have a variety of choices.

NACS data shows that cigarettes and foodservice are the top c-store revenue streams, followed by beverages and snacks:

  • Cigarettes: 31% of in-store sales
  • Foodservice (prepared and commissary food; hot, cold, and dispensed beverages): 22.6%
  • Packaged beverages (carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks, water, sports drinks, juices, and teas): 15.3%
  • Snacks at the center of the store (salty, candy, packaged sweet snacks and alternative snacks): 10.4%
  • Other tobacco products: 6.7%
  • Beer: 6.3% (12.4% for stores selling beer)
  • Other items: 7.7%

Bottom Line: To make more money and meet customer expectations, you must anticipate what customers will want at your convenience store, and understand the margin for each product you sell. By stocking the right mix and variety of products, you can attract a wider array of customers. By using c-store technology you’ll get an accurate view of what’s moving and what’s not to help manage customers’ demands more effectively and improve your bottom line.

 

Tip #3: Add Self-Checkout and Curbside Pickup Options

When lines form at the check-out, customer patience wanes. Customers shop at convenience stores to save time, and you can help them by letting them use a self-checkout option. A recent study shows that about 40 percent of retail shoppers prefer self-checkout.

Self-checkout speeds up purchases for items that don’t require age verification and may even free up employees’ time to ensure that only customers of legal age buy tobacco, alcohol, and lottery items. PLUS – your employees can then focus on other tasks and improve check-out speed.

Bottom Line: In today’s uncertain times, many customers prefer to use a mobile app to order what they need and pick up their items at curbside. While this type of technology may be new to you, it’s a critical way to meet your customer’s changing needs and gain even more customers and repeat business.

 

Tip #4: Save Time and Increase Accuracy with Internet-based Software

End-to-end internet-based convenience store software systems deliver a seamless experience for customers and retailers alike. You can manage tracking item-level inventory, offer a variety of products, and provide self-checkout and curbside pickup through a single online portal.

You’ll capture customer data and identify buying patterns in ways that streamline your inventory and profit margins, and speed up transactions to improve the customer shopping experience and increase customer loyalty. When your transactional and financial data is stored on the Internet, you will have the assurance that your information is not only secure, but that you can easily access it any time, from any mobile device.

Watch for: Customers make buying decisions at the fuel pump, in the made-to-order food service area, at the check-out counter, and from their home or office. Internet-based, or cloud-based, platforms centralize customer data that comes from multiple sources —which is critical to save customers’ time, speed up purchasing, and organize all the data as the number of customer touchpoints increases across multiple channels.

Internet-based retail software also reduces IT expenses and simplifies complex, multi-software systems that you may currently use.

Key: Customers’ preferences are changing, and c-store owners who adjust to these changes can get more control over inventory, improve their customers’ experiences, and increase profits. Internet-based back-office c-store solutions give c-store owners the information they need to make better decisions.

 

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Modisoft takes pride in providing a comprehensive suite of tools designed to facilitate seamless operations for your restaurant. With our powerful software, you can take advantage of a range of features tailored to enhance your efficiency and customer experience.

One of the standout features of Modisoft is the ability to view live sales data. This real-time visibility empowers you to monitor sales performance as it happens, allowing you to make informed decisions and swiftly address any issues that may arise.

Moreover, our software enables you to create customizable menus for ordering. You have the flexibility to design menus that align with your restaurant’s unique offerings, making it easier for customers to browse and select their desired items. This customization feature ensures a user-friendly ordering experience that caters to your specific requirements.

Additionally, Modisoft supports digital menu boards for pricing. By leveraging this functionality, you can easily update and display pricing information on digital screens within your restaurant. This dynamic approach eliminates the need for manual price changes and enhances the overall aesthetics of your establishment.

We’re pleased to announce that the cost to run the POS system aligns with the subscription for your back-office software. This streamlined approach simplifies your financial management, allowing you to enjoy a unified pricing structure that covers both the hardware and software components.

Maximize the potential of Cartzie Campaigns, our exceptional tool, by harnessing its features to create customer loyalty and drive repeat visits to your store. With Cartzie Campaigns, you can implement robust loyalty programs that incentivize customers to return, fostering a strong and lasting relationship with your brand.

Furthermore, take advantage of the automated customer outreach capabilities of Cartzie Campaigns through text messaging. This powerful feature allows you to engage with your customer base proactively, sending personalized messages, promotions, and updates directly to their mobile devices. By automating this process, you save time and effort while maintaining consistent and effective communication with your valued customers.

Additionally, our software empowers you to offer online ordering, opening up new avenues for sales and customer convenience.

By leveraging Cartzie Campaigns’ loyalty programs, automated customer outreach via text messaging, and online ordering capabilities, you can enhance customer engagement, increase sales, and deliver exceptional customer experiences. Embrace the full potential of these tools to grow your business and establish a strong presence in the digital realm.

About Altria

Altria Group, Inc. is one of the world’s largest producers and marketers of tobacco and related products. They have been the undisputed market leaders in the U.S. tobacco industry for decades.

Altria Group is known for owning the most enduring names in American business including but not limited to Philip Morris USA, John Middleton, and U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company.

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  • Monitor and track all promotional efforts by directly integrating deals into insights
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About Cartzie

Cartzie is a loyalty application designed by Modisoft, with you in mind. It is a one-stop loyalty and online ordering solution that is fully equipped with all the tools needed to make your business grow.

With Cartzie, you can do curbside pickups, delivery, and drive-thru ordering. Cartzie has revolutionized the way businesses interact with customers.

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  • Add delivery options for your customers
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  • Take your business online in a few clicks
  • Receive payments online for your orders

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+$59 per month with Retail Plans

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About Comdata

COMDATA has been serving businesses for over 45 years and is recognized as a leading provider of commercial payment solutions. They specialize in serving the trucking industry and are known as an issuer of fleet fuel cards, trucking permits, corporate spend cards, and paperless payroll cards.

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Benefits

  • Automatically transfer sales data from the Comdata POS into Modisoft back-office software
  • Get an all-in-one solution to monitor and track your sales separately
  • Easy accessibility to manage all your fuel sales

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About DoorDash

DoorDash, Inc. is a food ordering and delivery platform based in San Francisco. It is the largest food delivery company in the United States with more than 50% of the market share in the convenience delivery category. It provides an on-demand food delivery service to restaurants and stores. Their services help businesses innovate, grow, and reach more customers.

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  • Receive order directly into your POS System
  • Manage your online DoorDash menu
  • Enable DoorDash orders for your customers

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+$69 per month for Third-Party Order Management

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About Fintech

Fintech has been dedicated to serving the beverage alcohol industry for the last 30+ years. Established in 1991, Fintech operates from its headquarters based in Tampa, Florida. Supported by TA Associates and General Atlantic, Fintech automates alcohol invoice payment, streamlines payment collections, and facilitates comprehensive data capture for 1 million B2B business relationships.

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  • Import vendor invoices directly into your back office
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+$5 per month

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About Gilbarco Veeder-Root

Gilbarco Inc. is a supplier of fueling equipment including fuel dispensers, payment systems, point-of-sales systems, and support services. The company operates from Greensboro, North Carolina.

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  • Effortlessly connect your POS data from the Gilbarco system to Modisoft Insights

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About Instacart

Instacart is a delivery company that operates a grocery delivery and pick-up service in Canada, and the United States. It is one of the largest grocery marketplaces in North America. Instacart makes the delivery process easy for store owners.

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  • Monitor and manage your Instacart inventory levels from Modisoft Insights
  • Updated Instacart inventory levels in real-time
  • Avoid stockouts by ensuring accurate inventory levels

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+$15 per month

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About Retalix

Retalix Ltd was established in 1982 and is now owned by NCR Corporations. It develops licensed and supported software applications for retailers, wholesalers, and distributors of fast-moving consumer goods.

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  • Easily Import sales data for reports and analytics from the Retalix POS system
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About Paycue

Paycue is Modisoft’s preferred payment processing provider. It helps businesses to streamline their setup process to be faster and more efficient. Paycue assists businesses with faster payments and smoother customer interaction.

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  • Enjoy minimal fees on transactions
  • Seamless integration
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  • Secure payments

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No monthly fee. Only pay when you sell.

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About Plaid

Plaid Inc. is a financial service company that builds a data transfer network that powers digital finance and fintech products. Plaid assists businesses in connecting their financial accounts to fintech services. The company's product enables applications to seamlessly connect with the user's bank account.

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  • Build a quick and secure connection to your bank account
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  • Experience an easier way to connect with your bank account

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