How Technology Can Help Convenience Stores Weather A Turbulent Economy
Michael Scheibner is CEO and Chairman of the Board at GK Software, a Fujitsu company and global leader in retail technology.
Convenience stores are the “small but mighty” format of retail. More consumers visit a convenience store each day than any other type of brick-and-mortar retailer, according to NACS.
Sales are growing, too. Overall sales reached $817.5 billion in 2025, with inside sales hitting a record high. Foodservice and merchandise sales for U.S. convenience stores reached $341.2 billion in 2025, a 1.7% increase over 2024 and the 23rd consecutive year of inside sales growth.
Moving consumers beyond the fuel pump and into the store has become an increasingly important driver of growth for convenience retailers. As operators expand prepared food, beverages and fresh offerings, convenience stores are evolving beyond a quick refueling stop into destinations for meals and everyday purchases. Paytronix reports that 72% of consumers now view convenience stores as alternatives to quick-service restaurants. That shift is reflected in the popularity of items such as Wawa's hoagies and the success of Casey's, the third-largest convenience retailer and fifth-largest pizza chain in the U.S.
The picture is not entirely rosy, though. Inflation and higher gas prices have caused consumers to hit the brakes on spending. According to Numerator, 73% of U.S. car owners have reduced spending due to rising gas prices, and a poll found that 44% of respondents have cut back on driving. When consumers stop to refuel, they’re looking for the lowest possible price, and they may be less likely to come inside the store for discretionary spending.
That’s a challenge for convenience operators, as inside sales are a key to profitability. Convenience stores have to make the most out of every customer visit, especially in a difficult economy, and disconnected technology presents a barrier to this.
In a single visit, a customer may place a mobile food order, pay at the pump with a commercial fleet card, redeem a loyalty offer and complete a self-checkout transaction. Each touchpoint generates data, requires real-time decisions and affects the customer's experience of the brand. The problem is that each of these systems typically runs on different underlying technology. Moreover, they provide only a partial view of the customer and don’t easily share information.
Convenience stores can’t change the macroeconomic trends that are affecting them today. However, bringing together all the disparate, disconnected systems into a single underlying technology architecture, connecting all the information that’s currently held in separate silos, can help C-store operators stay on a profitable course.
There are significant barriers, however, beginning with the fact that many convenience store operators rely on legacy POS systems. Retailers must change their mindsets about POS systems, treating them as data platforms and not simply as checkout terminals.
To achieve unified commerce, all data about customers, products, prices, promotions, inventory, orders and loyalty must be available as shared services from a single foundation, not separate databases owned by separate channel teams. This ensures that customer, product and inventory data are real-time and easily accessible.
Achieving this involves both technological and organizational change. As I wrote in my previous article, implementation requires a focus on composable architecture (characterized by API-first, modular systems). Cross-functional teams made up of IT, business and operations team members must also be established, and high-impact cases where unified commerce delivers a clear ROI should be prioritized. Additionally, teams must overcome any organizational fragmentation, such as separate technology budgets or competing priorities, that exists between digital and in-store operations.
How can business leaders map out the best path to achieving unified commerce? Here are three considerations to keep in mind.
If you are leading the transformation, ensure that the platform you select will centrally manage cash registers, self-checkouts, payments at the fuel pump—everything in the convenience chain’s technology stack. Instead of the disparate, individual processes and applications that characterize many convenience stores today, this can help benefit from end-to-end processes and unified management of all business areas.
Modern systems rely on an open, modular architecture, with microservices and standardized interfaces to extensions. No two retailers are alike, and cloud-native technology can help ensure that custom workflows are implemented quickly and flexibly. Customization shouldn’t interfere with the core technology. That way, operators can respond quickly and flexibly, as the business environment and consumer expectations change.
AI is not a future technology; it’s here now, and convenience operators deploying it must make sure they do so strategically. AI-enabled consumer engagement and loyalty solutions can be particularly effective when they are built on a unified technology foundation. Connecting the POS, payment system, loyalty program and promotional platform gives AI access to a more complete view of customer interactions, helping retailers deliver more relevant offers and more consistent experiences across touchpoints. By analyzing customer preferences, purchase history and inventory data in real time, AI can support personalized promotions that encourage in-store purchases while strengthening long-term customer relationships.
More than ever, convenience store operators must be able to move customers from the pump to the store in order to take advantage of new growth opportunities. Unified technology won't eliminate macroeconomic pressures, but with the right approach, it can help give convenience operators the visibility and flexibility to respond more effectively while creating more value from every customer visit.
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