Over the last several years, a lot of research has been done to understand retail shopping behavior in an effort to boost revenue and foot traffic. What it’s found is that instead of running one-size-fits-all programs and promotions, convenience stores in particular must find new ways to appeal to specific shopper needs using more targeted promotions and offers. In fact, convenience stores have achieved as much as 70% category growth and increased basket size by up to 64% through a range of in-store promotions.

On the other side of the equation, CPG brands face a similar challenge: creating targeted product promotions within c-stores that help seed brand loyalty and drive revenue. But to effectively meet the challenge, promotions can’t just be thrown together in haste.

To date, research has identified four types of convenience store shoppers that span demographics (including age, gender, and ethnicity) and feature very specific needs and motivations.

Here’s a quick summary of each type of shopper with basic examples of how to appeal to each:

Transactional Shoppers: routinely shop at convenience stores to fulfill immediate and habitual needs, such as a pack of cigarettes, snacks, or beverages. They also tend to be brand loyal.

How to appeal to them: Run promotions that capitalize on their brand loyalty, such as buying five of a particular item and getting the sixth one free.

Friendly Regulars: look at the convenience store as part of their neighborhood and are often on a first-name basis with the clerks. They stop in on a regular basis to reinforce a sense of community.

How to appeal to them: Create personalized experiences that reward their community-mindedness, such as getting a free soft drink on their tenth visit each month.

Last-minute Buyers: drop in at the convenience store on their way home or to some other destination to make a specific, last-minute purchase. Mission-oriented, they just want to get in and get out.

How to appeal to them: Promote quick-buy or impulse items, such as milk or beer, that make it easy to get what they need and get on with their day.

Emotional Shoppers: stop at a convenience store in search of products that delight or satisfy their particular emotional state. They’re not brand loyal and are willing to buy anything just for the experience of it.

How to appeal to them: Promote new products that trigger a sense of intrigue or excitement, such as buying one item from a particular brand and getting a new item from that brand for free.

Simply knowing these shopper types and what might hook or keep them engaged is only half the battle. Many brands struggle to strategize, execute, and manage targeted promotions that increase both net-new and incremental revenues. Worse, when they do run promotions, they may be doing it blindly without the depth and breadth of insights needed to gain customer loyalty and increase profit margins. 

To optimize sales, CPG brands need greater visibility into their promotions performance and more detailed insight into shoppers and their specific behaviors. 

Gaining much-needed visibility and insight while growing in-store revenue

Promotions management platforms like Skupos Engage are purpose-built to help CPG brands and their convenience store partners grow revenue through fully managed promotions that keep the four shopper types in sight.

The platform connects brands with thousands of c-stores across the country looking for more discounts to offer shoppers. With Skupos, brands can deploy a range of different promotions targeting each type of shopper profile and easily measure actual redemption rates to understand the program’s impacts on consumer behaviors. The result is a simpler, faster, and more iterative promotion design strategy that helps brands better capitalize on the unique personalities and traits of various consumer segments.

For retailers, Skupos provides access to these highly targeted brand-funded promotions and partnerships, many of which they’ve never had access to before, helping smaller stores stay competitive with national chains. 

Using the right promotion solution to optimize

Competing for customer loyalty and revenue doesn’t have to be hard. With the right promotions tools, CPG brands that have traditionally struggled to match promotional activities with shopper preferences can understand more about the customers buying their products - and they can confidently create and easily run targeted programs and promotions that benefit convenience retailers across the country. 

Ready to learn more about how the Skupos platform can help optimize your sales and in-store promotions?

Contact Skupos today to schedule a demo