In the high-frequency, high-choice world of US convenience retail, loyalty isn’t just another marketing tactic—it’s a business imperative. With millions of shoppers walking into c-stores every day, the opportunity to influence purchasing behavior is enormous. But with that opportunity comes fierce competition.
Here are five reasons why convenience loyalty programs are among the most competitive in all of retail:
1. Shoppers fuel up—and show up frequently
Convenience is in the name for a reason. US drivers fuel up 4 to 6 times per month, and nearly 40% of c-store shoppers visit at least twice a week. That adds up fast:
- Over 160 million transactions happen daily across US c-stores.
- The average location welcomes 1,100 shoppers per day, or 400,000+ per year.
- Consumers purchase 200+ billion gallons of fuel annually.
That kind of frequency gives retailers multiple touchpoints per week to reinforce brand loyalty—or risk losing it to the competition next door.
2. Loyalty members deliver outsized value
High-frequency retail breeds high-value loyalty—when done right. On average:
- Loyalty members spend 29% more and visit 1.5X more often than non-members.
- They’re more likely to go inside after fueling—57% of loyalty members enter the store after gassing up, compared to 38% of non-members.
- And, most notably, 15% of loyal customers generate 55 to 70% of total sales.
In a channel where someone turning left instead of right can mean losing a customer, loyalty is your best defense—and offense—for retaining customers.
3. Convenience is the biggest brick-and-mortar retail channel in the US
It’s easy to overlook just how massive and widespread the convenience retail industry is:
- 150,000+ c-stores operate across the country.
- 35% of all brick-and-mortar retail is convenience retail.
- 43% of Americans live within one mile of a c-store, and 86% of rural residents live within 10 minutes.
That makes convenience retail the most accessible format for nearly every American—and one of the most attractive playgrounds to test brand and retailer loyalty strategies.
4. You can’t fuel up online
While other retail segments battle with e-commerce disruption, c-stores hold a distinct physical advantage: fueling can’t happen online, and 80% of US c-stores sell fuel. That built-in foot traffic opens the door to incremental in-store sales—especially with younger, more digitally connected consumers:
- High-frequency c-store shoppers tend to skew younger.
- The industry experienced 1.5% year-over-year growth from 2023 to 2024, making it the fastest-growing brick-and-mortar channel in the US.
With fuel as the leading trip driver for c-stores, the key is converting pump visits into profitable in-store trips.
5. It’s a prime channel for brands
Convenience stores are often the place where new brands get discovered—and where brand loyalty is often won (or lost):
- 71% of consumers discover new brands and products in c-stores.
- 63% of c-stores are independently operated, making large-scale brand execution tricky—unless you’re working with a partner like PDI Offer Network, which powers offers for 60,000+ locations nationwide.
- C-store formats are ideal for single-serve trials, making them a powerful testing ground for new products.
For brands and retailers alike, convenience loyalty represents a high-impact, data-rich channel to build lasting relationships with consumers.
Final Thoughts
The US convenience industry is fast, competitive, and built for loyalty-driven success. With the right strategy—and the right partners—c-store brands can turn everyday transactions into long-term customer relationships.
PDI Loyalty is a flexible, integrated ecosystem that helps convenience retailers turn casual shoppers into loyal, repeat customers. PDI Loyalty makes it easy to engage customers wherever they are: at the pump, in the store, or on their phone. The result? More visits, bigger baskets, and stronger customer connections.
Looking to up your loyalty game? Let’s talk
Source: Industry statistics provided by NACS and PDI Technologies.
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