In the past year, numerous apps and different types of software have been developed to help owners take their business to a new level of efficiency. As a hard working c-store owner, you need every piece of technology to save time, money, and keep your business running smoothly. Take a
The winners of the largest consumer-voted award for product innovation in 2016 have now been announced[i]. Take a look at the innovative products that actually sold last year, new items being introduced this year and those predicted to do well in 2017.
Mastercard and Visa have moved the liability shift for EMV at the fuel pump from October 2017 to October 2020. So what can you do to fight fraud and protect your customers now without EMV technology? The first step in fighting fraud outside of your c-store is understanding how fuel
2016 was a successful year for the convenience retail and gas station industry. Now 2017 is here, and soon, a new President will be inaugurated. Most citizens are expecting change, but many are not sure what kind and to what extent. For many business owners, whether small or large, new
One of the number one customer generators is “word-of-mouth” referrals. As the way that people communicate with one another continues to evolve, we find ourselves a long way away from the days of a true face-to-face recommendation. Now your business’ continued success is depending on the conversations of the internet,
The prepaid cards industry is often overlooked and underestimated by c-store owners. With over $76.7 billion loaded collectively just in 2014, now is the time to consider selling a product to the 10 million Americans without a checking account may be looking for in your store[i].
Consumers are inundated daily with marketing messages, all competing for their attention. From social media feeds, to TV commercials, billboards along the street, and store signage – so much visual clutter can result in overload. Consumers may just tune out the noise and disengage, limiting opportunities for retailer engagement.
We live in a world of “right now”. We also live in a world of rapidly evolving mobile technology that makes “right now” a reality. With the average person using their smartphone about one-third of the time they are awake, it’s as though humans have the world literally right at
2017 will be a race to the top for loyalty integration into mobile payments. Due to the coming wave of branded mobile wallets, Apple and Android Pay’s days as top wallet are numbered. Banks and financial institutions in the US are aggressively rolling out branded mobile wallets. Heavy competition
With 58% of business leaders expecting definite convenience industry growth in 2017[i], it is crucial that owners continue to uphold and enhance their c-store image. This will help you retain old customers, attract new ones, and boost sales in 2017.
In 2015, 12% of all c-stores underwent renovations[i] ̶ because re-inventing your store’s design is one of the best ways to draw in new customers. Throughout the year sales can rise and drop, so it is very important to make sure you are continually trying to make your store the best that it
“With gas prices down, many major gasoline retailers are finding new and improved ways to make the traditional refueling experience more efficient and enjoyable for consumers.”[i] In an industry with heavy competition, it is important to stay informed about what other store owners are doing differently. Consider making some of
“Convenience stores don’t just serve communities — they invest in them. With this large investment, they have a stake in the community’s success and seek to enhance it”[i]. As a c-store owner, there is constant pressure to have a business that is up-to-date. This can cost you a lot of
Sixty-four percent of c-store owners have labeled new store concepts as a strategic priority for 2017[i]. With innovation around every corner owners are striving to balance an improved shopping experience with expanded offerings. Some of these offerings could include innovative ideas like remote-controlled POS systems, digital fuel sign software, or
94% of people cite Wi-Fi as the most important amenity a business can provide[i]. Providing internet access for your customers is an easy upgrade to make that will not only transform your c-store, but also give you an edge against competitors. Set yourself up for success in the new year
Along with the cold weather comes the need for new seasonal products. Whether it’s a holiday snack trend or a beverage to keep them warm, customers are wanting new and different products to satisfy their winter cravings.
As a payment service provider, your retailers view you as a trusted partner. By assisting your retailers in developing a loyalty marketing strategy, you can become a partner in profitability as well as payments. Many payment service providers offer branded loyalty programs, an excellent strategy to increase merchant loyalty
Preparation is the biggest factor when transferring your store to a family member. After spending countless hours to improve your business and maximize your income, the last thing you want is a lengthy and stressful transfer once you are ready to pass on your store. With your future in mind,
80 to 90 percent of all businesses are family-owned, -run, or –managed, and 63.1% of all c-stores in the U.S. are owned and operated by just one person[i]. We understand how hard it is to run your own convenience store. After working 60+ hours per week, long term success and transferring your business may
An effective loyalty program is a must-have for today’s retailers. To remain relevant, retailers of all sizes must be able to provide their customers with an engaging, personalized shopping experience. As a payment service provider, you’re in an ideal position to help your retailers develop a strategy that is
In 2014, 31.8 million US consumers had their credit cards used in fraudulent transactions – three times more than in 2013. Now more than ever convenience and small grocery store owners are at risk for fraudulent activity at their business. This makes fraud protection important for store owners to practice.
Payment innovations and consumer trends are changing every aspect of retail sales. This effect is especially evident in the rapidly growing market of unattended retail. No longer the domain of simple vending machines selling candy bars and soda, unattended retail has developed into a high-growth, multi-layered and profitable segment
In 2013, fresh produce sales in the United States reached an estimated $43 billion1. As consumers continue to seek out healthier meal options, this number continues to rise. Unfortunately, while convenience stores make up 33.9% of all retail locations in the U.S., they account for less than 1% of the
Store owners in the convenience store industry obviously rely on convenience to succeed. However, some fail to realize that in today’s retail landscape, convenience is a priority of every business. Most retailers are making changes to the standard retail store to improve the customer experience. Today, the fight to keep
The exchange of currency has been changing continuously and rapidly since it first began, and in today’s technological world, it’s evolving at an amazing rate. As touch screens and even wearable communication devices become “the norm”, the standard POS has morphed into a multi-faceted business-building, communication, and organization tool. Owners
Contactless technology is ushering in a whole new way to think about payments. It’s not just about a set of procedures at the point of sale. Rather, contactless technology is part of a paradigm shift in consumer and merchant interactions. By understanding how contactless technology fits into this new
The convenience store industry is demanding and continuing to grow and evolve as time goes on. While c-store ownership holds a lot of appeal, it also presents quite a few challenges and lifestyle changes. Today’s convenience store owners, whether they own one or many stores, work very hard and have
Here in the US, we have an endless appetite for the latest and greatest in technology: smartphones, tablets, and even wearables. But there is one area where the US lags far behind: contactless payments. By looking at the status of contactless technology in the rest of the world, we
The Millennials. The generation made up of people who are now between the ages of 18 and 34 years old and the largest, most influential group of people in today’s society. This generation was raised in an age of technology and financial struggle. They are considered to be the
As a convenience or grocery store owner, you likely rely on a number of other companies and vendors to keep your business running. With an accountant, product distributor, insurance provider, and credit card processor at minimum you already have several different third parties playing a role in your business’ success.
NFC is more than just a payment technology. When combined with mobile wallets and loyalty apps, NFC becomes an avenue for added value, for both merchants and consumers. Once merchants realize the benefits contactless payments bring to their business, they will be eager to adopt this technology.
The payments industry is evolving at an incredible rate of speed. Social media and online accessibility have revolutionized the way consumers and businesses interact. In our connected culture, it’s crucial to understand the ever-changing data security challenges merchants face. Adhering to protocols such as EMV and PCI are a start,
Convenience stores often experience a very high turnover rate and are usually severely understaffed. Store owners have a hard time finding and keeping reliable and dedicated employees, especially in small single-location businesses. Of course, there are common human resources struggles in the hiring process and the fact that many people
We’ve spoken with a lot of our goEBT merchants via surveys and focus groups in an attempt to learn as much about the convenience and small grocery industry, and their unique businesses in particular. We know that for the store owners and operators of these small stores, life is filled
Seasonality is not only an opportunity to capitalize on different variations of products, but a chance to remind your customers that you’re paying attention to what they need and want. A changing season is a great time to shift your store strategy and keep traffic and sales booming throughout the
We always keep our eyes and ears open for what’s next and what’s important in the convenience and small grocery store industry. We also enjoy sharing this information with the store owners and operators that need it. Of course, what may be most helpful to you and your business might be different
Near Field Communication (NFC) is a truly innovative, secure payment method, and it’s here to stay. NFC harnesses the benefits of secure EMV protocols, low cost, fast transaction speed, and the convenience of tap-and-go payments. But if NFC is so great, why has it been so slow to gain traction
Pay-at-the-pump technology was a game changer for the gas station and convenience store industry. Because of this advancement, today’s average fuel consumer only has to spend about five minutes filling their tank and paying at the pump, and never has to wait in a line or walk into a building.
The mobile payments industry in the US is evolving at a fantastic rate. Contactless payments at the point of sale, using technology such as NFC, are a fast-growing segment of this industry. By 2017, contactless payment transactions will reach $61.75 billion, with 50.2 million users. These revenues have an
For decades, store owners in the convenience and small grocery store industry have been primarily focused on meeting the needs of the customer on-the-go. In years past, this customer has sought out the usual bag of chips, candy bars, bottled soda, or even quick-serve hot foods like hot dogs or
CDE, the payment industry’s leader in customized POS support solutions, has recently partnered with Castles Technology Co, Ltd. Together, they will provide merchants in the United States access to secure and innovative devices like the PaySaber MP200, and other affordable EMV-ready solutions. CDE’s P2PE capabilities make them the ideal partner
As the year passes by, seasons and holidays continue to pass and the habits of consumers continue to evolve. Convenience stores have a unique advantage when it comes to optimizing for the various times of year and altering their store and strategy as needed. As the place where many consumers
The payment processing industry has seen many developments in technology and security since its early days. In the past 50 years or so, we’ve watched the processing of credit and debit cards evolve from a manual process requiring clunky equipment and long processing times, to transactions that can happen in
Are your customers pulled to be loyal to your store beyond physical convenience? One problem goEBT customers have described is the difficulty of gaining new loyal customers, besides the ones that live nearby. One goEBT customer said, “Most of my customers are people who live within 100 feet of my
In your typical C-Store or small grocery store, every item on every shelf has an image and writing on it and the same goes for everything on your walls and windows. With all that visual “white noise” consumers report noticing virtually no signage in a typical c-store or small grocery
You’ve probably found that the way in which people shop, including the way they pay, has evolved a great deal over the last decade. Likewise, it’s no secret that mobile devices have changed the way we do almost everything in our lives. You can order food on your phone, change
As a total solutions provider, we handle POS devices from purchase all the way to the time that they have to be recycled. We understand the importance of maintaining security throughout the entire life cycle of a device. We also understand that there are a lot of factors that
One key factor in maximizing your sales is paying close attention to the trends in your sales as the day goes on. In the c-store industry, the different times of the day have long been referred to as “dayparts” and they have been the cornerstone upon which many stores have
As an entrepreneur, your goal is to see your business thrive and of course to make more money. One of the key ways to boost sales, is to increase foot traffic inside your store. When you increase the visits to your store, you also have the opportunity to increase the
As the year 2016 has continued on, we’ve seen a number of changes to the convenience and grocery industry. From the use of the new “chip card” technology to the growing popularity of grab-and-go meals and foodservice, the convenience store as we knew it before is pretty different. One thing
Like most companies do, CDE had recently reached a point in time where it was clear that some “refreshing” was definitely in order. The team was looking for a new, vibrant, up-to-date look to liven up our image and match the work that’s being done in the business. Technology was
Are you outsourcing parts or all of your hardware management operations such as procurement, inventory management, deployment, etc.? Are you using several different vendors to handle different steps in the process? If so, then you probably experience the difficulty of trying to keep track of all your equipment, parts, and
As a small store owner, it can often seem like you’re in a deadlock when wanting to add to your store and build your business. Obstacles often present themselves in a number of ways. We’ve heard from merchants that site property limitations, small budgets, legal hurdles, security concerns, and even
In the past few years, millennials, their habits, and their influence on the world have become hot topics. The term “millennial” has become a way for the earlier generations to stereotype their younger counterparts and almost an ongoing joke about the behaviors of 20-somethings today. Although the prevalent narcissism and
CDE has remained a family owned business for over 25 years. As a fairly small business, with about 65 employees, we maintain a pretty close-knit environment. We believe in doing things that allow all employees to connect with each other while doing something fun or rewarding. We have monthly birthday
If you’ve been a goEBT retailer before the start of 2016, you’ve probably noticed a few changes. We’re staying true to our original promise of doing our best to help you grow your business, and in order to do so, we’ve been asking a lot of questions and adjusting our
If you’re the owner of a grocery or convenience store, having loyal customers is probably a priority of yours. If not, it should be. When you have customers that value your business and actually prefer to spend their money at your store, your overall success is much more likely. The
No matter the business, the customer always come first. Sure, it may sound cliché, but this is actually important to keep at the top of mind when caring for merchants and their needs. When your customer base continues to grow, it’s easy to begin worrying about just simply running business
One of the key strategies that payment solutions companies often use to build business, is investing in new technology. In a world of continuous research and development that leads to continuous advancements in technology, these investments are typically necessary. However, there are times when acquiring the latest devices or implementing
Technology’s constantly evolving for one reason or another. When it comes to technology in the payments industry, it’s usually for one of two reasons: security or convenience, sometimes both. When these changes take place, it’s generally a necessity for businesses to upgrade accordingly and avoid vulnerabilities or the stigma that
Hardworking entrepreneurs rely on the vendors they use for various services, including payment processing, to provide the quality service they need to continue building a successful business. In today’s world, businesses rely heavily on electronic payments to process their daily transactions and make money. When you are the owner and
Even as electronic payment processing continues to evolve with the use of cards, and now even contactless payments, cash transactions are still very important. As cash continues to be a need for consumers, ATMs remain an important piece of technology as well. Businesses can benefit a great deal from having
Now that you’ve decided to become an authorized SNAP retailer through the USDA and FNS, your first step is filling out the application. FNS has made this process pretty simple by putting the whole application into an easy to navigate website portal. That means, you don’t even have to worry
If you are like the large majority of us, you probably expect a certain level of quality in every product or service you pay for. As you can imagine, the managers and owners of businesses are dedicated to seeing their businesses succeed and want to be sure that they
After over 25 years in the business, CDE remains a family owned business with employees that value a close-knit culture. As a CEO, Mr. Joe Barna takes great pride in ensuring that his employees are healthy and happy, both inside and outside of the workplace. One of his key initiatives
Food Stamps are provided by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP (a program provided by the USDA), to help people in need purchase groceries for their household. Many people only view SNAP as a way to provide help to members of the community in need, but business owners do
Part of accepting EBT or SNAP payments in your store is making sure that you are carrying the right food and beverage products to not only remain an authorized SNAP retailer, but also keep cardholders satisfied. Adhering to the USDA’s regulations on SNAP eligible items and also meeting customer demands
CDE was founded with the dedication to changing the ways businesses handled the acquisition, distribution, and maintenance of their critical point of sale terminals. This spirit of innovation has remained in the company for over 25 years and is still alive today. Part of our most recent efforts to
The decisions about how to process payments electronically is a difficult one. With the ever-changing technology of both hardware and software, the continuously evolving habits and demands of consumers, and all of the “moving parts” of transactions, making these choices can become overwhelming. Despite all of the complexities of choosing
Bluefin became the first North American company to receive PCI validation for a P2PE solution in March 2014 and today offers P2PE products for retail, mobile, kiosk, and call center environments.
It’s 2016, and just like any other year, many of us are starting off the year with new goals and new plans to accomplish them.
The United States has officially made the switch to EMV technology. For all of the country’s businesses, this means there will be a number of changes and adjustments to be made. Although changing anything about the way you do business or collect payment may seem like a troublesome task, there
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