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The One Stop Shop? ATM Users in C-Stores Examined

Convenience retailers who are committed to meeting the unique needs of their shoppers are emerging as leaders in the industry. Customers have come to expect more from their retail experiences and convenience stores are no exception. In order to stay competitive, they must become one-stop shops that offer convenience and cater to the needs of their shoppers. This includes providing a range of services such as food, fuel, and additional services like ATMs. In fact, ATM usage in convenience stores has been on the rise, with ATM revenue increasing by 10.6% last year. By offering financial services, c-stores can attract more customers and play an even more valuable role in their lives.

VideoMining's Channel Shopper Insights Program™️ examined how ATM users interact with the rest of the store. Here are some of the key findings:

  • 54% of all ATM users bought at least one product during their visit
  • Of ATM users who made an in-store purchase, 85% visited the ATM prior to making a purchase
  • The top 3 categories of ATM user purchases were fuel, cigarettes, and coffee/hot beverages

What does this mean for c-store operators?

First, an astonishing 46 percent of shoppers walked into the store, used the ATM, and walked out without making an in-store purchase. C-store operators can look at their traffic heatmaps to better understand the steps that ATM-only users take, and find engaging ways to disrupt and motivate a secondary in-store purchase.

Second, c-store operators can look specifically at the categories purchased by their ATM users to build compelling campaigns to encourage increased in-store purchases during the trip. In this case, knowing that coffee and hot beverages were by far the strongest consumable category, gives a strong hypothesis to support signage and promotions near the ATM that encourage hot beverage purchases.

Third, this illustrates the importance of looking to behavioral data to foster stronger shopper empathy and build campaigns that truly meet the shoppers’ needs and find unique ways to bring additional value to their day, while also building in-store productivity.

Convenience store operators should take note of the following insights:

  • A staggering 46% of shoppers enter the store, use the ATM, and leave without making a purchase. To encourage secondary purchases, operators can examine their traffic heatmaps to identify the route taken by ATM-only users and implement engaging strategies to disrupt and motivate them to make an in-store purchase.
  • Analyzing the product categories purchased by ATM users can help operators design compelling campaigns to encourage additional in-store purchases. For instance, if coffee and hot beverages are the most popular consumables, operators can consider placing signage and promotions near the ATM to encourage hot beverage purchases.
  • These findings underline the importance of analyzing behavioral data to better understand shoppers and tailor campaigns to meet their needs. By doing so, operators can add value to the shopper's experience, increase productivity, and build stronger shopper empathy.

Generating incremental in-store purchases from ATM users requires the right techniques to stop customers in their tracks and encourage a secondary impulse buy.  It also requires in-depth insights into the behaviors of your shoppers.  Learn more about how VideoMining can help.