Above pictures illustrates Concept "Fuel America Fuel Stops" signage and services
*AMTECH (American Technology using EPA approved additives), keeps your engine running smoother
FUELONE Gasoline, and FUELONE Diesel are new FuelAmerica products that provide
a cleaner energy footprint with efficient EPA recommended additives and refinery techniques.
INTRODUCTION
"There used to be a gas station on every corner in America. Today it's a bank," said Gene Spelman, who owns a gas station in New Hyde Park. Spelman has operated his Gulf station on the same corner for 35 years, and -- as part of the Long Island Gasoline Retailers Association -- has seen dramatic changes over the years. More than 100 years after America's first retail gasoline station opened, the National Petroleum News reports that America's 160,000 gas stations are slowly receding from the landscape. Every day three or four close up shop --
an 8 percent decline in recent years.
HOWEVER: The demand for convenience is apparent in consumer shopping habits. C-stores are competing with QSRs as more capital is placed into food service industries that cater to convenience. Additionally, as consumers return to their daily commutes for work and outside-the-home activities, traffic at convenience stores grows. C-stores rely on impulse decisions, and higher vehicle and pedestrian traffic increases the behavioral changes behind these decisions. As of 2023, there is one convenience store per every 2,225 people
BACKGROUND
An estimated 80 percent of the fuel purchased in the U.S. occurs at a local convenience store, and 55 percent of these locations are single-store operators. A challenge many operators face is finding the resources to brand their stores separately from the brand of fuel they sell and promote, which often leads to misperceptions that their business is owned and operated by a major oil company. Franchise programs are the most common way for owner-operators to partner with a nationally recognized brand to help drive traffic to their location. Brands such as Circle K, On the Run, and AMPM, have c-store-only programs that operators can join as franchisees so that their fuel and c-store are different brands (i.e. purchasing Shell fuel and having Circle K and Shell on the station’s signage). The demand for convenience is apparent in consumer shopping habits. C-stores are competing with QSRs as more capital is placed into food service industries that cater to convenience. Additionally, as consumers return to their daily commutes for work and outside-the-home activities, traffic at convenience stores grows. C-stores rely on impulse decisions, and higher vehicle and pedestrian traffic increases the behavioral changes behind these decisions. As of 2023, there is one convenience store per every 2,225 people, according to NACS Magazine. To stay ahead of the curve, store operators are implementing new initiatives that incentivize consumers and drive increased revenue. One example is food and beverage subscription programs. 7-Eleven is ramping up its 7NOW online delivery app with the introduction of the 7NOW Gold Pass, which waives delivery fees for members. Additional offers and discounted services like prepared food and a more robust on-the-go selection tailored to local clientele are the keys to the future success and evolution of gas stations with convenience stores.