A large number of factors affect how your business will run every day. Did you know that the date, time and weather can also impact the day’s sales? Consider the ways that these factors affect your small store when you plan your business strategy.
How the Time and Day of the Week Impact Your Sales
Your
convenience store needs to meet your customer’s needs at the precise moment of their visit. Time of day has a heavy impact on what products are sold. Popular products bought by time of day include:
- Early morning: Coffee, energy drinks and donuts
- Late morning and lunchtime: Snacks, roller grill food, chips and fountain soda
- Afternoon: Snacks and lottery tickets
- Evening: Alcohol and tobacco
- Night: Ice cream, cigars and pet food
- Late night: Cigarettes and coffee
Each day of the week also features increased sales for specific products:
- Sunday: Newspapers
- Monday: Dinner products
- Tuesday: No major trends
- Wednesday: Iced coffee and fountain tea
- Thursday: Healthy snacks
- Friday: Tobacco, alcohol, candy and food
- Saturday: Ice, charcoal and household goods
Daily sales are lowest on Sunday and increase gradually from Monday to Wednesday. Thursday, Friday and Saturday are the best sales days, with Friday having the most sales out of any day of the week.
The Effects of Clear and Sunny Weather
In places with cold winters, the first clear days of spring will encourage people to get out of the house. Your overall sales may increase as a result. When the temperature rises, customers buy more ice, slushies and frozen beverages. They also make more alcohol, tobacco and snack purchases for outdoor get-togethers. This is the best time of the year to build loyalty with new customers via promotional offers and
loyalty programs.
Rainy Days and Your Store’s Operations
Rain may reduce your store’s overall sales for the day. Many customers prefer to stay at home during wet weather, meaning they buy items that help them get comfortable. When you know the forecast includes rain, make sure you’re stocked up on bad weather items like soup and coffee. Pastries and newspapers also sell better on days when customers prefer to stay in.
Snowy Weather’s Impact on Business
Cold temperatures and snow decrease the number of overall sales made, but they also increase the number of winter weather sales during storms. Consider stocking up on winter items like rock salt, windshield fluid with antifreeze and gloves. Drops in temperature increase hot coffee sales, so keep your hot beverage section in top shape. Colder areas also have higher sales of car cleaner and fuel additives throughout the winter months.
National Retail Solutions, Inc. — Partnering With Small, Independent Businesses
The ways that weather and time affect your convenience store’s operations depend on your location and store. You can use a
point of sale (POS) system to track how sales in your store are correlated with the date, time and weather. At National Retail Solutions, Inc., we work together with community businesses by offering an affordable POS. Learn more about our POS+ by
requesting a quote online or
buying a system today.
