NATSO Best Practices in Truckstop Merchandising: Redundant Merchandise

Austin Burns, president and CEO of Paragon Solutions, highlighted six key areas operators can focus on to improve customers’ experience during NATSO Connect. “We focus on the customer journey and experience because it is so pivotal right now,” said Burns. “Understand your strategy and who you are as a brand. Pick what you do well.”

Peter Rasmussen, founder and CEO of Convenience and Energy Advisors, joins the podcast to share the key components of successful loyalty programs including how to tailor rewards for professional drivers. Rasmussen and host Amy Toner also explore: - The role of AI in enhancing the customer experience and driving targeted offers: - How small operators should tackle loyalty; and - What to consider when choosing a loyalty provider.

Out-of-stocks are silent profit killers, gnawing away at your bottom line in ways you might not even realize.

During a recent episode of the Truck Stops Here podcast Nick LaFalce, RaceTrac’s marketing manager sat down with Amy Toner, executive director of the NATSO Foundation, and Darren Schulte, NATSO’s vice president of membership, to share more about how RaceTrac is expanding its reach, how the company communicates its brand and more.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on April 28 released two proposed tobacco product standards that would ban menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes and ban all characterizing flavors, including […]

During the NATSO Connect keynote on “Checkout Technology: How Your Customers Want to Checkout Has Changed,” Greg Buzek, IHL Group, moderated a panel discussion on the future of checkout technology.

Generation Z, the group coming up right behind Millennials, will overtake Gen Y as the country's largest cohort by 2034, ultimately peaking at 78 million. Members of Gen Z—those born between 1997 and 2012—have different shopping habits than the generations before them, and retailers can't afford to ignore this critical group of shoppers. Here are six facts about Gen Z that can help retailers connect with this powerful customer base.

Truckstop and travel plaza operators are familiar with promotional pricing. Walk into any location, and you will see two-for-one or buy-one-get-one deals (BOGOs). It is often vendors that are pushing these, but are they useful? Here are my thoughts and some examples of how operators can execute promotional pricing as well as how I had my team of merchants carry this out.

During a visit to Scottsdale, Arizona, a friend told me we had to have to lunch at The Thumb. She raved about the barbecue, then she added with a smile, “It is a gas station.” Although the sign at The Thumb says it is “just your average gas station,” the location is anything but average.

As a travel center operator, you must always be asking yourself how can you better serve your customers. Here are nine great ideas to implement to make sure you are growing sales and giving customers what they want.

NATSO members often look at the best practices of their fellow operators, but it is important to also look at the entire retail, food and fueling landscape. One of the continuing shining stars in today's current retail environment is Costco. While much of today’s retail landscape is driven by the growth and convenience of e-commerce, Costco is continuing to thrive. Here are six key ingredients that contribute to the retailer’s winning recipe of success.

Next time you drive down the Interstate to your facility, look at your signage from the point-of-view of a customer who is visiting for the very first time. Signage is a crucial piece of your business as it serves as an invitation for a customer to stop into your site versus your competitors’ sites! Interstate billboards give you exposure to large numbers of travelers every day and night. I believe that this is one of the most effective forms of advertising. Billboard Pricing and ROI Billboards range in price. Small non-illuminated units may cost $150 to $350 per month. Large illuminated billboards can range from $1,500 to $4,000 per month or more depending on traffic counts and several other factors such as the number of units available in the market, demand for those units and if it is a left- or right-hand read...