C-store IQ Payment Solutions Report
Look, no hands: Convenience shoppers prefer to tap and pay
Cash is no longer king, having been dethroned by shoppers opting for contactless payments at the c-store level.
Fittingly, a primary driver is overall convenience, as shoppers seek quick and easy ways to pay, whether in store or at the pump, according to Convenience Store News Canada’s proprietary research report C-store IQ: A National Shopper Study.
C-Store IQ is the first convenience and gas specific study that delves into the wants, needs, perspectives and habits of Canadian consumers.
Of course, these days contactless isn’t just the word for tapping to pay with a credit card, debit card or mobile app—it’s a strategy to help combat the spread of COVID-19.
According to C-store IQ research, the definition of convenience, for most shoppers, is an experience that ultimately saves them time and effort: 41% of those surveyed said it purely comes down to having a “convenient” experience and 34% define this as a “quick stop/in and out.”
This need for speed extends to the checkout experience, where tap and pay rules. It’s the method of choice for 67% of Canadian c-store shoppers when asked: “How did you pay for your purchase during your most recent in-store visit to a convenience store?”
- 35% used a debit card
- 31% used a credit card
- 30% reached for cash
- 1% opted for mobile payment
- 1% used a gift card
- 0.3% used a retailer’s mobile app
Of course not everyone has access to a debit or credit card, which highlights another key payment option—prepaid reloadable cards issued by credit card companies. In most cases, these are sold by c-stores alongside a wide-range of gift cards. The prepaid cards are convenient for everyday spending and suitable for people who might not qualify for a credit card, budgeting, privacy or for children as an allowance card. C-store IQ data shows that 6% of shoppers purchased a gift or prepaid card during their most recent visit—that's more than those who purchased wine (3%) or e-cigarettes (3%).
Overall, research shows younger shoppers demonstrate higher usage of debit and mobile payment compared to older generations. As a result, convenience stores will continue to feel the pressure to offer more digital or frictionless shopping, payment, and promotional solutions.
That pressure is mounting in the era of COVID-19, with customers across multiple generations getting on board to minimize handling cash and the hand-to-hand contact involved with payment and making change.
The future is frictionless
Whether spurred by convenience or precaution, C-store IQ findings are in line with overall payment trends across Canada.
New technology and payments innovation are transforming the way Canadian consumers make payments, according to Payments Canada’s annual Canadian Payment Methods and Trends report: “In pursuit of more convenient, faster and secure payment experiences, Canadians are rapidly adopting newer digital channels, such as contactless (tapping card or mobile), e-commerce, mobile and online transfers.”
- Contactless payments grew 30% year-over-year from 2017-2018 with a total of 4.1 billion contactless payments (card and mobile) worth $129.9 billion at the point-of-sale.
- Debit represents almost 60% of volume of these contactless payments
- Debit, often viewed as a convenient substitute for cash, overtook cash for the first time
- Mobile devices were used by nearly 35% of Canadians for contactless payments on a regular basis
“We are at a pivotal moment, with a number of key driving forces that are accelerating the transformation of Canada’s payment environment,” Cyrielle Chiron, Payments Canada’s head of research and strategic foresight, said in a statement. “Evolving technology and industry innovation are changing the game, fuelled by consumer and business demands for friction-free, fast and secure payments.”
To be adaptable is to be mobile
While mobile payments represent a slower uptake than contactless cards overall, nowhere is this more apparent than at the c-store level, according to data from C-store IQ. However, the 1% of shoppers who paid with their mobile during their last c-store visit doesn’t tell the whole story. Broken down by generation: 4% of millennials used a mobile payment or a retailer’s mobile app, compared to 1% of Gen X and less than 1% of boomers.
Survey participants said they used mobile payment apps far more frequently during transactions with other retailers, such as grocery stores, big box and restaurants. This indicates the issue might be one of the payment option simply not being widely available at the c-store level.
In fact, when shoppers did have the opportunity for mobile payment at a convenience store, more than 80% rated their experience as satisfied or very satisfied. This further implies that speed and value are primary expectations of c-store shoppers.
According to Global Payments, merchants who “start accepting digital wallets in an ecommerce environment consistently realize meaningful benefits. These include a familiar experience for consumers, enhanced security and a flawless customer journey that minimizes payment friction.”
There are generally two approaches at the c-store level:
- Accept payments via mobile wallets, such as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay. Basically, this means ensuring your terminal is programmed so customers can tap and pay with their mobile phone.
- Create a branded mobile app with in-app payment functionality. This is an effective way to build brand loyalty and engage with customers through rewards and special offers. Starbucks does a great job of this.
Overall, mobile payments represent a massive opportunity at the c-store level, especially when it comes to satisfying younger shoppers. And, in most cases, this doesn’t require a whole lot of work at the operator level if your terminal is already enabled for contactless card transactions.
Cash on demand
While digital payment methods are growing in scope, it’s worth noting that cash still has a valuable role to play on the c-store landscape—after all, it usually accounts for 30% of transactions.
The Canadian Bankers Association emphasizes that while consumers are increasingly turning to digital channels and electronic payment methods (especially during the COVID-19 crisis) cash remains important.
In fact, in recent months, the Bank of Canada stepped in, “strongly” urging retailers to stop refusing cash payments to ensure everyone could access the goods and services they need. “Refusing cash could put an undue burden on people who depend on cash as a means of payment,” the central bank said in a statement.
Convenience stores also play an important role in ensuring Canadians have easy access to cash. Of the ancillary services offered by c-stores, ATMs came out on top, with 24% using an in-store ATM, according to C-store IQ data. In this case, millennials (29%) are more likely than boomers (20%) to use the ATM.
The bottom line, according to data from C-store IQ, is convenience stores that prioritize simplifying the shopping and purchase steps are more likely to see rewards with increased traffic and basket size. This means operators of all sizes can benefit from offering multiple payment solutions spanning credit, debit, mobile and prepaid card acceptance. Whatever the motivation—speed or safety—as more consumers go contactless, they're opting to shop at c-stores and gas sites that accommodate these payment solutions.
