Forecourt Deliveries Tap Idle Time at the Pump

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Delivery could be the force that drives convenience stores into their next phase, according to an article from Pymnts.com. Don Frieden, CEO of mobile commerce and digital marketing firm P97, believes that delivering C-store products directly to customers at the fuel pump could help c-stores grow and evolve while meeting the needs of modern, digitally minded consumers.

QuikTrip is doing just that. The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based convenience store chain is testing a program to allow customers to phone into the store their snack and drink orders, pay by credit card and have the food delivered directly to the pump during daylight hours, Fox4KC.com reports. QuikTrip is testing the service at select stores in Des Moines, Wichita and Tulsa.  If it’s a hit, the service could expand to Kansas City and other areas.

During fueling runs, according to Frieden, consumers typically have three to four minutes of relatively idle time–time in which trained c-store employees could deliver pre-ordered and paid-for products to the pump.

“You have to create great experiences for customers,” he said, adding that providing a friction-free, relevant and even fun experience matters, particularly to younger consumers like millennials. Not to mention, those experiences go beyond pump-side deliveries.

For instance, fresh, made-to-order food is vital for a c-store looking to reach those consumers and otherwise thrive in this digital era. Hot dogs and chips just don’t do the job anymore, especially with more grocery stores and restaurants offering curbside delivery, mobile-order ahead and online food delivery services.

“You either have to cook food and have great food, or you have to have a partner” located inside the c-store that does the same, Frieden said. Indeed, seeking those partnerships can prove more pragmatic than doing good food on one’s own. “It’s difficult to get into the business and establish yourself from ground zero,” he explained. “If you can leverage a brand, that can be a fast track.”

Robust mobile and loyalty programs are not only vital, but basically table stakes at this point, he said. The trick is getting consumers to download the relevant c-store app, which requires some finesse, as one must get the message out without coming across as too pushy. However, once a customer downloads that app, loyalty and repeat visits tend to follow.

The eternal basics also count. “If you don’t have a clean restroom,” he said, “people aren’t going to buy your food at the convenience store.”

C-store success and growth are certainly possible, even amid these significant challenges and historic retail trends. “It’s about the experience they have created,” Frieden said, summing up both the main challenge and opportunity for convenience retailing in 2019.