Convenience Store Definition & Example | Retail Dogma (2024)

What is a Convenience Store?

A convenience store is a small retail store that sells a limited line of merchandise, that includes snacks, beverages and tobacco, as well as everyday grocery items such as bread, milk, coffee and cheese. Some convenience stores are stand alone, and others are attached to a gasoline station.

Convenience stores are also know as C-Stores, cold stores, bodegas, mini-markets and corner shops.

Why is it Called Convenience Store?

It is called convenience store because it is open in a convenient location that is close to customers, so they don’t need to drive or make a special trip to shop essential items. Another reasons for this name is also the fact that many c-stores are open 24 hours, making it convenient for customers who have an urgent need for an essential item and want to buy it on the spot.

Convenience Store Vs. Supermarket

A convenience store has a much limited product assortment than a supermarket. Even for the same category of products that they would both carry, a c-store would have a lower breadth (i.e varieties) than a supermarket. This is dictated by the small area of the c-stores, as most of them are smaller than 5000 square feet.

Convenience Store Definition & Example | Retail Dogma (1)

Convenience stores are also more expensive than supermarkets, due to the fact that they source products in smaller quantities, so they pay a higher cost price. Another reason is that customers typically are open to pay up for convenience, because for the customer, driving to a hypermarket represents a cost in the form of time and money.

C-Store Examples

7-eleven is a famous example of a convenience store that is operating 24/7.

The chain has more than 70K retail locations that are either operated by the company or franchised to other operators. It is present in 19 countries, and has more than 130K employees.

Another example of a convenience store that was able to stand out in the market is Trader Joe’s.

In fact, Trader Joe’s started as a response to 7-eleven’s expansion, which has urged its founder to come up with a different kind of a convenience store. Watch the full story in this video.

Trader Joe’s succeeded in differentiating its store, by nailing down market segmentation, and using it in making buying & merchandising decisions that have set it apart from the competition.

  • In-depth retail management courses
  • Learn the best practices of the industry
  • Download ready-to-use professional templates
  • Get certificates of completion for each course
  • One membership = Access to all courses

More Resources

Thank you for reading this article on convenience stores. We believe you might also find the following free resources useful:

Convenience Store Definition & Example | Retail Dogma (2024)

FAQs

Convenience Store Definition & Example | Retail Dogma? ›

A convenience store is a small retail store that sells a limited line of merchandise, that includes snacks, beverages and tobacco, as well as everyday grocery items such as bread, milk, coffee and cheese. Some convenience stores are stand alone, and others are attached to a gasoline station.

What are convenience stores with an example? ›

A convenience store, bodega, convenience shop, corner store or corner shop is a small retail store that stocks a range of everyday items such as tea, coffee, groceries, fruits, vegetables, snacks, confectionery, soft drinks, ice creams, tobacco products, lottery tickets, over-the-counter drugs, toiletries, newspapers ...

What is the meaning of convenience retail store? ›

noun. a retail store that carries a limited selection of basic items, as packaged foods and drugstore items, and is open long hours for the convenience of shoppers.

Is a retail store a convenience store? ›

A convenience store is a type of retail store that is open long hours and sells a wide variety of items, such as food, snacks, drinks, and cigarettes. Convenience stores are often located near busy areas, such as bus stations and highway exits.

What is the definition of a retail store? ›

A retail store is a physical or virtual establishment where businesses offer a selection of products or services directly to consumers for purchase. Retail stores, also known simply as “retailers” or “shops,” are physical establishments where products or services are sold directly to consumers.

What is an example of a convenience shop? ›

C-Store Examples

7-eleven is a famous example of a convenience store that is operating 24/7. The chain has more than 70K retail locations that are either operated by the company or franchised to other operators. It is present in 19 countries, and has more than 130K employees.

What are 3 examples of convenience goods? ›

Examples of convenience products are bread, soft drinks, pain reliever, and coffee. They also include headphones, power cords, and other items that are easily misplaced. From the consumer's perspective, little time, planning, or effort go into buying convenience products.

What is the legal definition of a convenience store? ›

NACS defines a convenience store as a retail business that provides the public with a convenient location to quickly purchase a wide variety of consumable products and services, generally food and gasoline.

What is a convenience store classified as? ›

445120 Convenience Stores: This industry comprises establishments known as convenience stores or food marts (except those with fuel pumps) primarily engaged in retailing a limited line of goods that generally includes milk, bread, soda, and snacks.

What makes a store a convenience store? ›

Convenience stores offer speed of service to time-starved consumers who want to get in and out of the store quickly. These shoppers recognize this channel of trade for its convenient locations, extended hours of operation, one-stop shopping, grab-and-go foodservice, variety of merchandise and fast transactions.

What business category is a convenience store? ›

NAICS Code: 445120 Convenience Stores | NAICS Association.

What business structure is a convenience store? ›

Nearly all convenience store owners structure their businesses as one of the following: Sole proprietorships. Partnerships. Limited liability companies (LLCs)

What is different about a convenience store? ›

Differences between Convenience Stores and Supermarkets
BasisConvenience Stores
Store SizeConvenience stores are smaller, making shopping faster.
Product RangeConvenience stores have a limited selection, focusing on immediate needs.
Shopping FrequencyConvenience stores are for quick, frequent purchases.
2 more rows
Jan 23, 2024

What is the legal definition of a retail store? ›

Definition: Retail means selling things directly to people who will use them, instead of selling them to other businesses. It's like when you go to a store and buy something for yourself. This is different from wholesale, which is when businesses buy things in large quantities to sell to other businesses or stores.

What is retail and examples? ›

Retail is the sale of goods or services from a business directly to a consumer for their use. It can include physical stores, online stores, and mobile stores. Retailers range from large department stores to small, independent businesses.

What are considered convenience stores? ›

NACS defines a convenience store as a retail business that provides the public with a convenient location to quickly purchase a wide variety of consumable products and services, generally food and gasoline.

What is the most popular convenience store? ›

It's no surprise that 7-Eleven Inc. remains the largest convenience retail chain with 12,821 stores as of December 31, 2022, according to the 2023 NACS/ NielsenIQ list of the Top 100 Convenience Retailers.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Msgr. Benton Quitzon

Last Updated:

Views: 6158

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (63 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Msgr. Benton Quitzon

Birthday: 2001-08-13

Address: 96487 Kris Cliff, Teresiafurt, WI 95201

Phone: +9418513585781

Job: Senior Designer

Hobby: Calligraphy, Rowing, Vacation, Geocaching, Web surfing, Electronics, Electronics

Introduction: My name is Msgr. Benton Quitzon, I am a comfortable, charming, thankful, happy, adventurous, handsome, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.