Recently in our whitepaper, we discussed some of the trends that are taking place in Convenience right now and the clearest, yet also least surprising, piece of data to emerge from our research was that Covid-19 has driven more shoppers to convenience stores than ever before. 

Convenience stores have been a vital lifeline for many in the ongoing global pandemic, allowing people greater ease, and arguably safety, by allowing consumers to pick up key items closer to home. A recent research by Which? has shown that when consumers chose to shop at supermarket convenience stores, they’re paying, on average, £320 more a year for the same brands that they would find in bigger supermarkets. What this proves is that, regardless of price difference, consumers are still demanding access to goods locally. 

So, what can brands do to take advantage of this trend? 

Nail your execution 

Unlike supermarkets, consumers don’t want to hang around very long in a convenience store. They want to get in, get what they need, and leave so they can continue with their day safely. This means that making sure your brands products are available and on display is vital. Products need to be in stock and they need to be on the shelf. 

With social distancing in place and convenience stores growing ever busier, it can often be difficult for store staff to ensure that every fixture is fully stocked. Using a field team is a great way to ease the load on store staff in this difficult time whilst also ensuring availability on the shelf.  

Want to know more about this? We’re running a webinar with our Strategy and Marketing Director Gordon Neil on February 25th that’s all about how your brand can smash their execution targets for this year. Sign up now. 

Take advantage of EPOS data to unlock efficiency  

In order to truly get your execution right, and make your field teams for efficient, brands need to make smart use of EPOS data. By harnessing this data, brands can get up to the minute insight on how brands and products are performing, meaning that whenever stocks dip or an intervention is needed, you can get resource in the store to fix the issue and sell more.  

We currently offer this service in partnership with In Touch, and so far we’ve been able to generate actionable insight that shows us what consumers are buying in convenience stores in over 5000 retailers on an hourly basis. When taken alongside performance reports and location data, brands are able to improve their ROI and efficiency in the field.   

Use technology to connect with retailers 

It has long been known in field marketing that reaching Convenience retailers is difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. With an app like MyStore+ brands can talk directly to retailers, giving them category advice and showing them special offers that can supercharge the way products are seen and sold in store without the need for direct coverage by a field sales agent. This kind of technology is a game changer in today’s unique retail environment, so putting more power in the hands of the retailer is a sure fire way to increase sales of your products. 

How does your brand plan to tackle Convenience this year? 

With more people buying in these stores, it is imperative that Convenience is a key part of your brand’s retail strategy, and we can help. Whether you’re looking for more information on how to take your brand to the next level, or if you want to know if your plan is geared towards success this year, get in touch. We’re always happy to talk!