ALEXANDRIA, Va. – While price is still supreme, the number of motorists choosing a convenience store based on a loyalty card is growing, Consumer Affairs reports, citing new findings from the 2014 NACS Consumer Fuels Report that examines consumer behavior at the pump.

Today, 66% of consumers point to price as the top reason for picking a certain retail fueling location, but 18% make that choice because of a loyalty card, according to the NACS survey. Loyalty cards typically give regulars specific perks, such as discount per gallon of fuel.

Consumer attitudes have been largely tied to gas prices, with 85% of Americans indicating that the cost of gasoline has an impact on their feelings about the economy. “Gas prices play an enormous role in consumers’ everyday conversations,” said John Eichberger, NACS vice president of government relations. “Retailers know that consumers will go someplace else for a difference of a few cents per gallon — and this daily battle for customers is why retail fuel margins are so thin.”

With the traditional transition to summer-blend fuels starting this week, gasoline prices will likely inch up, usually more than 50 cents between now and late May. “Most consumers don’t think much about their fueling experience — it's convenient and they are on their way,” said Eichberger. “But consumers are always thinking about gas prices.”

Read more about gasoline prices in the new NACS Retail Fuels Report.