U.S. Convenience Stores - A Market Analysis

“US Convenience Stores: A Market Analysis” - is an exhaustive study on the expanding reach of convenience stores (C-store) in the US. It rationally analyzes the proliferating market of C-stores in the country and helps clients to analyze the opportunities and factors critical to the success of the C-store market in the US.

As retail sales in the US are increasing year by year, so are the sales through C- stores. In 2006, the C-store sales constituted around 13% of the total retail sales and this share is expected to rise in future.

The total C-store sales in the US include motor fuel sales and in-store sales. Motor fuel sales made up for 71.3% whereas in-store sales accounted for approx 28.7% in total sales in 2006 and there is dominance of single store business or franchise in the C-store industry.

At regional level, the southern US states continue to dominate C-stores industry and 81340 C-stores in this region accounted for around 49% of the total US C-stores in 2006. The rising store count in the country is creating new opportunities for industries like RFID, CCTV and biometrics also.

In recent years, C-store operators have started to take strategic moves to improve operations, enhance performance and differentiate from the competitor to position themselves at the forefront. However, the changing nature of convenience retailing and the margin pressures brought on by encroaching competitive formats is driving c-store industry consolidation.

• C-store unit growth continues to outpace population growth of the US as average number of persons per store has declined by 2.09% in 2006 from 2005.
• California provides a big opportunity market for the C-stores to grow. California is, by far, the largest US state with a population of 36.46 Million in 2006 and accounts for the second highest number of C-stores in the country.
• It is expected that the sales through C-stores will increase at a CAGR of 16.83% during the forecasted period and will constitute around 17% of the total retail industry of the country in 2008.
• There is an opportunity for the C-store format that requires an area of more than 10,000 sq. ft in the country.

• What is the market size of the US C-store industry?
• How the C-stores are growing state-wise?
• What are the factors driving growth in this sector?
• What are the technologies that can help C-store markets to improve their operations?
• How these technologies are increasing operational efficiency in this industry?
• What strategies are being used by the major players of the US C-store industry to improve their profitability?

This section covers key facts about major players operating in the US C-store industry, such as 7-Eleven Inc., Kroger, Ahold N.V., Shell Oil Products US, Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. and Sunoco, Inc.

Information has been sourced from books, newspapers, trade journals, and white papers, industry portals, government agencies, trade associations, monitoring industry news and developments, and through access to over 3000 paid databases.

ratio analysis, historical trend analysis, linear regression analysis using software tools, judgmental forecasting and cause and effect analysis are the methods used to analyze the report.