As of 2019, there are 153,237 convenience stores in the United States, and that number is only set to grow. As a convenience store owner, it’s critical that you set your business apart from the competition. One of the ways c-store owners are standing out is by offering delivery services.
A near constant in hospitality, especially with the advent of third-party delivery services like Grubhub, UberEats, Postmates, and DoorDash, delivery has been slow to be adopted by convenience stores. If you run a convenience store, it only makes sense to offer the ultimate convenience—delivery.
Here’s why your convenience store needs to cash in on convenience store delivery services:
Location Isn’t Everything
In 2018, Chris Gheysens, the CEO of Wawa told listeners at the NACS show in Las Vegas that convenience isn’t just a location—it’s a mindset. By adopting a mindset focused on convenience, you begin to realize that in order to remain competitive, you must serve customers on their own terms.
Serving customers on their own terms sounds complicated, but it is becoming more and more important across many industries, including convenience stores. The central idea is that you stay in-the-know when it comes to industry trends and customer preferences. Delivery is one such trend that you do not want to ignore.
Leverage the Power of the Internet
In this day and age, what customers crave most is convenience itself. Convenience stores are already ahead of the game in this regard—your entire retail model is centered on providing an easy, convenient experience for your customers. Today’s consumers turn to the internet to make their lives easier, and that includes quick and convenient delivery services.
Don’t miss out on this huge share of the market for your c-store. By offering delivery, you meet your customers where they are, both at home and online, so you can handle the increasing demands and make it even easier for customers to purchase from your store.
Create an Unforgettable Experience
No matter what industry you’re in, it can be difficult to attract and retain attention, let alone build solid relationships with customers. Leveraging your technology and applications will be key to building these relationships with your customers and creating an excellent delivery experience.
One of the best applications for this purpose is a loyalty program. These are easy to set up and provide loyalty rewards that are even easier to redeem. A good loyalty program will easily integrate with your POS and delivery services, and will track customer purchasing behavior so you can offer better promotions. Not only will customers gain the benefit of loyalty rewards, but your c-store gains the benefit of the additional sales that these programs encourage.
Why Convenience Store Delivery Matters
Business owners everywhere are working hard to find new ways to offer the things that customers crave most—convenience, service, and better experiences. At the top of the list is convenience. That’s why ecommerce is now more popular than brick-and-mortar. It’s why streaming services are more popular than cable. It’s why online ordering is more popular than calling in. Soon, delivery may very well become more popular than dine-in.
Your customers come to your store for convenience, and delivery is a convenience you need to offer if you want to stay competitive. Paradise POS offers convenience store POS technology systems and solutions that equip you to offer these conveniences—delivery included. For more information, contact Paradise POS today!