Convenience stores sit in a unique niche where they are presented with consumers and behaviors not found in any other food or beverage retail sector. The biggest challenge, yet opportunity, is that 84 percent of items purchased at convenience stores are consumed within the hour of purchase, according to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), Alexandria, Va. Store owners must provide goods that can meet this consumer need in addition to completing those purchases quickly.
Convenience is the biggest commodity sold at convenience stores. “The average shopping experience is between three to four minutes,” says Jeff Lenard, vice president of strategic industry initiatives for NACS. No other channel has anywhere near that speed of service, the association says.