North America NACS, 2012
Convenience stores are well positioned to serve the traditional convenience customer, but the rapidly changing marketplace is creating some significant challenges as virtually every retailer looks for ways to build their business by providing solutions for time-starved shoppers. Shoppers have many more choices now that drug and dollar stores, supermarkets and big-box retailers are also trying to win their convenience business.
At the same time, the hectic pace of life is creating ever more convenience shopping occasions, and we are learning from shopper research that shoppers think about convenience much more broadly than the industry typically has. This means that opportunities to serve shoppers are broader also.
The mission of the NACS/Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council is to develop practical new understanding about important issues facing convenience retailers. The purpose of this project is to find ways for convenience retailers to “sell more to customers.” We chose shopper research to pursue this goal, because we believe that organizing around the needs that shoppers bring to convenience shopping occasions is the best way to build growth strategies.