Latest Retail Insight, News, Information & Articles from all top sources for the Internet.

Captivating the attention of busy holiday shoppers and differentiating yourself amongst other retailers is key. And what better time than the holidays to take advantage of creative visual merchandising such as unique store windows and other festive retail décor and displays. Yes, many shoppers take the online holiday shopping route, however in-store sales accounted for more than 80% of total holiday sales in 2018 and 124 million holiday shoppers visited stores during the 2019 Black Friday weekend. Over the years, GSP’s visual merchandising professionals have designed a variety of unique holiday graphics and displays for its retail clients. Check out these helpful holiday insights from two veterans of GSP’s Visual Merchandising team – Jake Leick, visual merchandising group lead and Aaron Lisowe, visual merchandising art director. Motion lighting transform this G by Guess holiday window into an engaging display. Create a Holiday Sales Lift With LED Lighting Whether flickering or...

With annual revenue adding up to approximately $48 billion, the car wash industry is serious business, and with 65% of all car washes attached to gas stations, why not leverage this lucrative service? Whether you already offer car washing or are considering adding this service to your existing gas station and convenience store location, here are some tips to help you increase your earning potential. Enhance Your Brand Extend and elevate your brand identity with graphics sure to capture your customers attention. Ensure graphics tie in your brand’s look and feel. Branding reassures your customers and lets patrons know they can expect the same level of top-notch service from your car wash that they receive inside your c-store or at the pump. Playful, retro animated graphics give United Pacific’s car wash an appealing style. Leverage Loyalty Offers With nearly  60% of shoppers  participating in loyalty programs via  mobile apps , why not reward your car wash customers...

According to McKinsey , more than 75% of consumers have experimented with a different shopping behavior during the pandemic. Whether they have increased their online shopping habits or have switched brands or stores due to convenience or product availability, something has changed. The Harvard Business Review warns that “Retailers can’t afford to be in a wait-and-see mode. First, they need to reimagine their baseline requirements and then turn their attention to taking their customer experience to the next level.” Meet Basic Customer Expectations Customers first need retailers to help relieve their shopping anxiety— 70% of consumers are not comfortable going back to “regular” out-of-home activities—and elevate their shopping experience. It’s imperative that retailers give shoppers a reason to venture into stores as well as feel safe and that’s a tall order. Retailers Must: Adapt physical stores and operations to meet health-and-safety mandates Ensure masks  are worn by bot...

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you’ve most likely updated your stores by installing sneeze guards , touchless fixtures, and/or handwashing stations to protect your customers and employees . How you track and document these new additions is key.    Accurate Store Data Is Key Inaccurate information about your stores can lead to a variety of pain points such as overspending, compliance issues, and poorly executed marketing campaigns, just to name a few. Working with up-to-date store data allows you to make smarter, data-driven decisions as well as reduce your marketing costs and accelerate your growth. Get Started With Onsite Store Surveys How many cash registers, windows, and doors are in each of your stores? What type of fixtures are in each location? Knowing your stores inside and out is the secret to creating winning retail strategies – and that starts with onsite surveys of your stores. Onsite store surveys helps retailers: Drive operational efficiencies and reduce ind...

Historically, back-to-school shopping is a massive revenue generator for retailers, but it’s also a memory generator for families as students transition from carefree summer days to the exciting educational year ahead. For some, shopping for school clothing and supplies has always united families with their local stores. Here’s how K-12 back to school differs from last year. What’s Different About 2020 Back-to-School Spending? Last year , retailers anticipated back-to-school consumer spending to reach nearly $80.7 billion. This year, back-to-class spending looks a bit different as 66% of parents are anxious about their kids returning to physical schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Back-to-school spending is expected to total about $28.1 billion, or $529 per student. Technology spending, on items such as laptops and tablets, is up 28% since last year. 26% of shoppers say they plan to use BOPIS (buy online, pick up in store) more frequently this year. 54% prefer to shop at m...

Throughout the pandemic, retailers have had to adapt their businesses to suit an increase in pickup and delivery. In fact, 51% of consumers downloaded at least one new app to purchase food and essentials since COVID-19. Here are several quick fixes you can incorporate into your stores to easily accommodate delivery services and mobile orders. Speed Racking for Pickup & Delivery Orders To create or expand mobile orders and/or delivery areas of your stores, consider adding a speed racking solution for convenient meal pickup. Depending on how you organize them, racks are perfect for storing both preordered and prepackaged foods for contactless pickup by customers. Racks can be kept behind the counter or near the register areas to ensure orders are picked up by the correct customer. Alternatively, racking near the entrance allow for quick and easy customer access. Racking can be stored behind checkout areas and ensures the right order is picked up by the right customer Tamper-...

As alarming surges in coronavirus cases across the U.S. South and West continue, some  states such as Connecticut, Maryland, Nevada, New York, Virginia, and more are requiring retail workers to wear face coverings or fabric masks . Wearing masks can stop your team members from spreading respiratory droplets and remind them not to touch their faces. OSHA’s COVID-19 Guidance for Retail Workers lists tips on how to protect your employees while they’re working in your stores and suggests allowing workers to “wear masks over their nose and mouth to prevent them from spreading the virus.” Here are a few tips to consider while deciding what types of masks or face coverings to order. Opt for Branded, Customizable Fabric Masks Your team members are already wearing branded shirts, caps, or uniforms with your logo, why have them wear generic masks? By ordering washable, reusable fabric face masks, you can have your company’s logo printed directly on the front. Look for Masks That Are: ...

A recent poll by the American Psychiatric Association found that 48% of Americans are anxious about contracting the coronavirus. No doubt your customers and employees are most likely experiencing that same sense of anxiety. Why not incorporate solutions that can help put their minds at ease? Items such as PPE stations, sanitizing mats , durable social distancing decals, and/or social distancing signpost can even be customized and branded to align with your stores. Restock Bins for Unwanted Items How about adding restock bins at the end of aisles or near register areas? Restock bins allow customers to put items back without worrying about the risk of contaminating other products. Signage instructs customers on how to properly use the restock bin. This is also a convenient way for customers to change their minds without causing your stores to appear unorganized . Employees will later gather, sanitize, and restock the unwanted items left in the restock bin. Divider Screens to Pre...

As the world adjusts to the new normal, retailers may be seeking new ways to provide peace of mind to both shoppers and team members. With stories of employees testing positive for the Coronavirus still making the news, it’s critical for retailers to continue their efforts to keep shoppers and employees safe . You may recall part one of our blog series featured sanitizing floor mats and customizable PPE stations. Here are several other helpful retail solutions you may want to consider that can assist with social distancing mandates. Durable, Antimicrobial Social Distancing Floor Decals Enforcing social distancing in your stores doesn’t have to be challenging. Grocery stores, QSRs, and big box stores like Target and Walmart have been using floor decals to keep shoppers six feet apart. Sure, typical floor decals are a great way to encourage social distancing in your stores, however within a few weeks these decals can begin to peel, fade, and appear dingy. With the rainy summer sea...

According to a recent survey, only 34% of shoppers feel safe when visiting stores. This way of thinking is now encouraging many retailers to seek alternative solutions to keep germs at bay while providing more peace of mind to employees and shoppers of their stores. Start With Sanitizing Floor Mats What better way to welcome shoppers into your stores than with durable and rugged shoe sanitizing floor mats ? Designed to effectively deliver sanitizer to the bottoms and treads of shoes and boots, this easy-to-use solution allows you to add your choice of bleach-free sanitizer to the mat. Based upon the type of sanitizer you choose to add to the mats, sanitizing floor mats can significantly reduce the spread of germs such as MRSA and more. An Easy Way to Organize Your PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) When thinking about incorporating new germ-fighting solutions into your stores, it’s smart to consider the following: How much floor space is needed to allow for new retail environm...

To help mitigate interruption to their business in the days of COVID-19, retailers are adopting various contactless strategies. Marketing Dive reports that “73% of consumers still feel anxious, anxiety levels appear to be coming down from their peak in mid-March.” Contactless solutions in your stores can create a better customer experience, help boost your sales and increase brand loyalty. Here are three touchless ideas to consider. Focus on Curbside Pickup Knowing that curbside pickup at retail stores surged 208% during the coronavirus pandemic, retailers should focus on ways to expand and grow this option. Stores such as Dick’s Sporting Goods, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy offered curbside pickup at certain locations even when non-essential retailers were closed. Experts say curbside pickup is here to stay. Naveen Jaggi, the president of commercial real estate services firm JLL’s Retail Advisory team told CNBC, “Shoppers will likely be more hesitant to get back to stores, since...

Travel experts predict quarantined Americans may be heading to parks or beaches in search of a change of scenery this summer. To avoid air travel, families may pack up the car and venture out for short close-to-home or weekend getaways, reports CNN Business and NACS . “There is this pent-up demand for travel,” said Amir Eylon, president and CEO of Longwoods International. “What you’re first going to see is day trips, [people] going wherever [they] can get to in a couple hours and coming back home that day.” Here are some quick tips to make sure your stores are ready for tourists in today’s post-COVID world. Inventory Check Travelers filling their fuel tanks or needing your restroom, will most likely stop in your stores seeking beverages and snacks. Keep your inventory filled with summer favorites and avoid out-of-stocks. For stores in beach or lake areas, be sure to have plenty of bottled beverages and ice available for beachgoers. With COVID-19 still on travelers’ minds, have h...

Operating in these unprecedented times has become increasingly challenging for retailers. As retailers, you’re now faced with challenges to redesign, reimage and remodel stores to better protect the health and wellness of customers and employees in a post-COVID world. With so many new guidelines and procedures to manage and maintain, here are some ways you can adjust your stores to suit these new post-pandemic demands. Customer Communication Conveying messages to your shoppers can be done through either permanent or temporary exterior and interior signage or a combination. From branded social distancing floor decals, aisle invaders or standees to wayfinding for curbside pickup and delivery – POP that informs, educates or promotes is key. Additional ideas could include: Directional markers for store aisles Wayfinding for sanitation station or PPE storage Signage about new loyalty campaigns Promotional signage or images spotlighting your charity initiatives Post-Pandemic Upg...

As COVID-19 mandates start to lift and parks, beaches and businesses reopen, traffic in your stores is sure to pick up. During this post-pandemic period, it’s important for retailers to reconnect and engage with customers as well as ease their minds. Here are some simple ways to provide a warm welcome back. Reiterate Your Cleaning Regimen Keeping your stores clean remains critical. Create signage letting shoppers know that you’re continuing to do all you can to protect them from germs. Provide details covering your process for sanitizing high-touch surfaces, updates to your HVAC filters or any other steps you’re taking to keep them safe. Revisit Your Pricing Shoppers are the first ones to notice prices increasing and with many of your customers seeking employment opportunities, now’s the time to consider lowing prices and providing special offers. Customers have become more aware of pricing on items such as eggs, paper products and cleaning supplies. Why not point out that you ha...

Although nearly 75% of consumers are social distancing, the NRF reports 86% of shoppers surveyed plan on celebrating Mother’s Day. How will they honor Mom in the days of COVID-19? Here’s what consumer research says Mother’s Day 2020 will look like during a pandemic. How Will Consumers Celebrate Mother’s Day? 46% are still planning a special meal or other activity 66% admit they’ll celebrate virtually this year Mother’s Day shoppers are spending $8 more compared to last year , for an average of $205 on gifts and celebrations How Are Retailers Marketing to Mother’s Day Shoppers? Cheesecake Factory is adding a $10 bonus to customers who purchase a Mother’s Day gift card and is offering meals curbside Target.com provides suggestions for virtual fun and virtual party hosting DoorDash is offering 25% off first food delivery purchases Local restaurants and gourmet grocery stores are offering care packages and curbside brunch Which Categories Increased Most Due to COVID-19? ...

When it comes to serving their communities and giving back , convenience stores always go above and beyond. Check out how these leading c-store retailers are stepping up and giving back. Casey’s Casey’s General Stores, Inc. reinforced its “Here For Good” mission by donating 25,000 meals to the Food Bank of Iowa, as well as more than 7,700 pounds of food to the Terre Haute Catholic Charities. Circle K Circle K committed to donating 25 million meals to Feeding America. For every Circle K fuel transaction, one meal will be donated to a local member of the Feeding America food bank network impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. EG Group EG Group is thanking health care professionals, first responders and military personnel with free coffee at its nine convenience stores across the U.S., which includes: Certified Oil, Cumberland Farms, Fastrac, Kwik Shop, Loaf ‘n Jug, Minit Mart, Quik Stop, Tom Thumb and Turkey Hill. Hy-Vee Hy-Vee Inc. began offering free full-service fueling at its m...

From stocking up on items to avoiding trips to the store, your customers are living through a pandemic and experts say it has changed their behavior. What does that mean for convenience stores in the post-COVID-19 world? The NRF recently reported that 74% of consumers believe COVID-19 will have some impact on their lifestyle over the next five years as they consider things like dining out, budgeting and more. Are you prepared to adapt and cater to the new needs your customers may have? Here are some simple post-pandemic c-store strategies to help get you started. Captivate Customers With Additional Exterior Graphics Once various mandates are lifted and customers are permitted to help themselves to beverages and hot food, create additional exterior signage, banners and graphics to share the news. If customers are now able to relax in your dining area or use their refillable cups, keep them in the loop with signage that calls this out. Promote offerings and deals by creating exteri...

With many stores either closed, operating during limited hours, or controlling the number of shoppers, customers have been forced to accept a new norm known as shopping during a pandemic. As the restrictions loosen up and the world reopens, retailers will have to adjust their marketing to adapt to the post-COVID-19 consumer. Reconnect With Your Customers COVID-19 stockouts, fear, and financial hardship has changed the way consumers shop. 89% of consumers said their shopping behavior had been impacted by coronavirus. Your customers are thinking ahead and may still be purchasing essential-only items as opposed to luxury items. Forbes suggests that businesses, “Connect with your audience by being authentic, relatable, vulnerable and compassionate as you empathize with how the crisis has and is affecting them personally – Mayfield and Mayfield’s empathetic language .” Use appropriate colors, graphics and words that reassure, welcome, and thank customers who maybe have returned to or pe...

It may not be easy to imagine “business as usual” once the world returns to the office, school, and gym. However, thinking ahead to build paths to win in tomorrow’s shifted retail environment is key. Here are some post-COVID-19 customer predictions and expectations. Peace of Mind Though clean stores have always been important to your customers, clean has now become critical. With germ awareness on everyone’s mind, shoppers will expect a sparkling clean store. Back in the pre-COVID-19 days, you may not have kept hand sanitizing wipes near store entrances. However, now’s a good time to install dispensers or pumps customers can easily access. Additionally, shoppers who could once help themselves to doughnuts and roller grill items now may be more accustomed to individually packaged items. Continued Convenience COVID-19 fueled innovation for retailers everywhere. QSRs began selling and delivering groceries. Third-party apps began delivering grocery items from c-stores like Circle K...

According to a recent Shopkick survey , 47% of shoppers said they’re stockpiling essential items because of COVID-19 concerns. These purchases include food items and water (93%), toiletries (74%), cleaning supplies (58%), and medicine and health care items (45%). Letting customers know you have what they need is one of the easiest ways to enhance the customer experience. Right now, most shoppers are uncomfortable being out and about. Simplify their shopping trip by calling out what’s available, here’s how. Rethink Product Placement With shoppers looking for toilet paper, paper towels and cleaning supplies, keep these items near the front of the store or in an obvious area. Create a COVID-19 survival section with top-selling items. For example, keep 24-packs of bottled water near windows so customers approaching the store can see you’re well stocked. Update Your Social Media Pages If one or more of your store locations now have an item back in stock, post an update on your Faceboo...