C-stores, Consumers & 'Online Dating'

For many years, people having been using online dating sites and apps to find their soulmate — or maybe just a date for a cousin's wedding. Likewise, there are a host of online sites that bring together people with similar interests and like-minded views. So then, why shouldn't convenience store retailers and customers connect online as well?

In its recent 2022 Loyalty Maturity Benchmark Research report, Incisiv found that 85 percent of customers cite digital as the starting point of their buying journey. This is something retailers with a strong mobile presence already know, and retailers without a mobile presence need to hear.

As Don Frieden, CEO of Houston-based P97 Networks LLC, noted during a recent Conexxus webinar, consumers are turning to their mobile devices to find the literal starting point. "Consumers are interested in using mobile devices to find locations and transact at [convenience and fuel] locations," Frieden said.

Through mobile, c-store retailers can convert consumers into loyal customers and drive fuel sales and higher in-store basket sizes. But just like other types of online profiles, retailer mobile apps need to keep upping their game. Innovation coming down the pike includes enhanced mobile payments and features aimed at the electric vehicle consumer.

The dating pool is large. So is the competition. C-store retailers should put their best online foot forward and embrace the many opportunities mobile has to offer.