To stay ahead of the competition, you need to understand customer habits, like the products people purchase the most. Your convenience store appeals to your customers because of the experience you provide. Customers buy an average of 2.6 items during a convenience store trip. What products do your customers buy together, and how can you take advantage of these trends? Discover the answers below.
What Products Do Customers Like to Buy at the Same Time?
According to market research, convenience store shoppers most often stop in to grab meals or snacks. Twenty-seven percent of them buy hot foods or dispensed drinks, and 17 percent purchase bottled beverages. Consumers also come to convenience stores to buy tobacco. Cigarettes make up 13 percent of purchases, making them the most popular non-food item. While cigarettes are a low margin item, many tobacco customers will also buy higher margin food items while they’re in your store. Customers tend to follow these trends when they buy food or cigarette items:- Buying bottled water increases the customer’s chance of also getting bottled soda and vice versa. Bottled drink purchases also tend to pair with energy drink purchases.
- Someone who buys fountain coffee has a significant likelihood of getting donuts.
- When a customer buys food from the roller grill, they also like to get chips and drinks to go along with it.
- Purchases of chips often pair with candy and soda transactions.
- A customer who gets cigarettes has a high chance of also buying beer, energy drinks and soda.
How Does It Help to Know What Items Sell Together?
Understanding your customers’ favorite product combinations will help you know where your business can succeed. The unique preferences of your store’s visitors differ from what other store’s consumers like. Fortunately, many convenience shops have the same overall trends.What Can I Do to Turn These Patterns Into Business Growth?
If you want to sell more of your food, remember the following facts and tips:- Stores that have deli counters can put snack and drinks nearby to encourage an extra purchase.
- Teach your cashiers to ask customers if they want a drink or snack when they ring up a sandwich or meal item.
- Make sure your shelves are low enough so your customers can see the whole store and all of your products when they enter.
- Pair popular items together and offer your customers bundled promotional offers.
- Use a point of sale (POS) system to discover which items your visitors love the most. POS+ can show you which items sell best in your store.
