Operations

Shopify Inc.

With convenience stores and micro markets declared essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic, your site likely adopted a stricter cleaning routine to prevent the virus spread.

Devin Mahaffey, president of the CTM Design, has seen a lot of changes first hand in the c-store space.

The inaugural C-store Solutions Directory is positioned as a valuable resource for convenience operators across Canada.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has had a dramatic impact on how consumers shop.

Some businesses reopening with pandemic protocols in place have said they won't accept cash for the time being, potentially accelerating what the Bank of Canada describes as a decade-long shift away from the banknote.

  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.

Entrepreneurs who are struggling to keep their businesses alive amid the demands of COVID-19 or feel underserved by the country's financial institutions are about to get a helping hand from Shopify Inc.