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PLAYBOOK FOR SUCCESS

February 13, 2013

Since 2008, it’s been harder to generate increases in same store sales and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get easier any time soon.  This is one of the reasons why the NACS / Coca‑Cola Retailing Research Council began to look at ideas from convenience retail shoppers on what can be done to better meet their needs and, in the process, encourage them to visit and spend more in convenience retail stores.

After working for the last 18 months on a number of shopper research studies, the Council’s next report  pulls all that learning together into a practical “Playbook for Success” that is now available on  www.ccrrc.org

The power of the playbook is that it goes directly to recommending actions based on major shopper marketing studies involving thousands of interviews without having the reader have to wade through all the data to get to answers that can be applied in their business.  The playbook organizes everything that’s been learned into three steps, each of which can generate significant growth for a convenience retailer who hasn’t currently been meeting shopper needs at that level.

  • Doing the basics – The shopper research found that there are minimum requirements that shoppers have for a store to be considered an option.  While most convenience retailers know this, the shopper research revealed that convenience retail was the only channel that didn’t meet shopper needs for several basic requirements; i.e. cleanliness and safety.  Just correcting these will make the convenience retailer a shopping option for many potential customers.
  • Defining Your Turf – Convenience retailers are very good at serving shoppers’ grab and go needs, but even with that said, there are two reasons to double down on this.
    • Convenience retailers have an opportunity to raise their game, particularly in the area of customer service.
    • Other channels are getting better at serving convenience shopper needs.
    • Attracting New Trips – Convenience retailers are always promoting to attract new trips, but this is something a little different.  The shopper research found that there are several new growth opportunities; we call them platforms that can build off the traditional convenience business by serving different types of shopping occasions.  These growth platforms open up an entirely new opportunity for trips and business growth.

Please review the Playbook for Success report is now available on the NACS/CCRRC website  www.ccrrc.org

Bill Bishop
Research Director
NACS/Coca‑Cola Retailing Research Council
Founder, Willard Bishop Consulting and Chief Architect
Brick Meets Click http://www.brickmeetsclick.com