How to adapt your offer to future-proof your gas station and convenience store

Making up 20% of the US population, Generation Z — otherwise known as Zoomers — refers to anyone born between 1997 and 2012. While a proportion of Gen Z is still too young to be employed, many are already out in the world contributing to direct business spending. Pre-pandemic, Forbes reported that 93% of parents say their children influence family and household purchases, and Gen Z’s total direct and indirect spending power reached $143 billion.

More recently, Bloomberg report that Gen Z is spending 125% of their pre-Covid spending levels, and as the group mature and join the workforce, they’ll become the biggest group of consumers with the most spending power.

Adapting your strategy to appeal to Gen Z now, could be the key to future-proofing your gas station and convenience store.

But how do the different habits of the younger generation affect your gas station and convenience store business? And how can you adapt your in-store offering?

First, you need to know:

How many of your customers are from Generation Z?

It’s not an easy question to answer on gut feeling alone. But by analyzing mass mobile data you can find out the age ranges of everyone that enters your forecourt and convenience store, removing the guesswork entirely. With a full breakdown of your customer’s demographic data and lifestyle segmentation, you’ll be able to find out exactly how many Gen Z customers you already have — so you can optimize your offering for them and take the opportunity to increase your Gen Z customer base.

Once you understand just who you’re dealing with, you can adapt your in-store offering to suit.

Hybrid shopping options

Generation Z is the first full generation of digital natives. They want a seamless, technologically enhanced, shopping experience. Although you can’t offer them gas and diesel online — you can get creative with hybrid shopping options. Accessible apps or websites where shoppers can research, or purchase items will appeal to the younger generation. Following in the footsteps of brands like Casey’s, Circle K, and 7-Eleven, who offer digital ordering and curbside delivery will increase your popularity and profile with Gen Z shoppers.

Payment solutions

For Generation Z it’s all about ease. Self-checkout options remain popular among shoppers of all ages, while Gen Z is the most likely to use phone payment systems like Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Venmo. Making sure you can cater to their preferred payment technology — both in-store and at the pumps — makes the Gen Z shopping experience far easier and could be the reason they choose you over your competitors.

New products and authentic brands

A recent NACS report suggests that Generation Z have a growing desire for new products; “They have purchased 80% more new products in the past 12 months than other generations, and they were 15% more likely to do so within one week of a product’s debut.” Showcasing your newest products and services on your website or social media channels can help position yourself as a progressive store. Offering something different to competitors, like international candy brands, different types of drinks dispensers, and large snack bars, can turn your convenience store into a destination for Gen Z shoppers.

The NACS report goes on to say that this generation wants to buy from brands that understand their values and preferences, allow them to express themselves uniquely, and set trends. Stocking products from brands that ethical could be another way to appeal to Gen Z shoppers. And putting more focus on social media campaigns that promote sharing content will put you at the center of emerging trends — and boost your popularity. Take a look at Valli Forecourt’s success in the UK, that was driven entirely from a unique product offering and a viral Tik-Tok video.

Ready to get started?

Mass mobile data reports are available on any gas station or the convenience store of your choice, and the insight you receive goes far deeper than just your customer’s age. Find out:

• Number of visits by the hour or day
• Home location analysis
• Pre- and post-trip analysis
• Lifestyle segmentation
• Full demographic summary

You can get the insightful customer data that you need to learn who your customers are, how your store fits into their overall journey, the products you should be offering, which are the best locations for advertising — all to increase your profitability and future-proof your gas station and convenience store.

Contact us to Request a Mass Mobile Data analysis