When it comes to convenience stores and their inventory, owners and managers should always keep in mind that the goal is to satisfy customers and be profitable. This usually means stocking items that sell well and provide a good amount of profit for you.
There’s no actual specific secret recipe to finding the most profitable items for your convenience store, but here are ten best-selling retail items that are always great to have on stock.
Cigarettes/Tobacco Products
For some strange reason, the first entry on the list is cigarettes and tobacco products. Maybe it’s because I’ve never owned a convenience store, but it does seem a bit strange to have cigarettes at the top of a list for best-selling retail items.
Cigarettes, however, are a big part of the convenience store industry and deserve a spot on this list. It’s also one of those products that customers will never stop buying, which is why it’ll always be highly profitable for your store!
Energy Drinks
Although cigarettes are unique because customers will always buy them, energy drinks aren’t. However, you’d be surprised how much a good pour of an excellent energy drink can add to your bottom line. Energy drinks may not sell as fast as cigarettes or tobacco products, but when they’re on, they’re on!
That’s why it’s always a good idea to keep some of those high-demand energy drinks in stock. You can officially claim that you run the best convenience store ever when people come into your store and end up leaving with a case of Red Bull!
Bottled Water
Although water doesn’t give anybody a buzz, it’s still a profitable item. Depending on the season and climate, bottled water can be one of those products that never stops selling. It’s also something that customers will always buy, which is why it belongs on this list!
Candy & Snacks
Let’s face it: everybody loves candy. Nobody can resist a sweet treat from time to time. It’s the same reason why candy and snacks always top children’s lists of best-selling retail items. Even though they’re mainly for kids, adults still go crazy over them as well. It doesn’t matter how old you are.
Candy and snacks are consistently popular items for any convenience store to have on hand. There’s a reason why grocery businesses put them closest to the cashier. This is especially true if you want to keep the kids coming back for more!
Bottled Drinks
Bottled drinks are worth checking out another entry on this list that isn’t an actual food item.
Especially in warmer weather, people tend to get thirsty and look for a cold bottled drink to quench their thirst. This is why you should always make sure that your store has a good supply of different drinks available in bottles, such as juice and carbonated beverages. Not only will customers come back again and again, but it’s also another way for your store to add on an additional layer of profit!
Health Drinks/Chews
Another entry on the list that isn’t a food item is that health drinks and chews are still great in stock. It doesn’t matter whether you own a convenience store or not. People are always looking for items that can help them stay healthy. So if you don’t want them leaving your store to go somewhere else, then you might want to start stocking up on some of those health drinks and chews that are hot in demand!
Coffee and Tea
No convenience store is complete without a wide selection of coffee and tea items. Whether they’re hot or cold, people love having the choice at their fingertips when they go to a convenience store.
If you don’t want your business to suffer, you need to ensure that coffee and tea always have a strong presence on your store’s shelves!
Gums and Mints
Although they’re not technically food items, gums and mints deserve a spot on this list. These products are pretty convenient to have around because everybody loves having gum or mints on hand when they feel the urge to freshen their breath or chew something up.
So no matter how old your customers are, there’s always a good chance that they’ll be buying gum and mints if you keep them in stock! Major plus: they’re cheap and easy to sell, which automatically makes them some of the best-selling retail items you should always have on stock!
Batteries
Another product that’s definitely on the list of must-have convenience store items, batteries are a gold mine for all kinds of reasons. First off, everyone always needs AA or AAA batteries; it’s just a part of everyday life.
Secondly, they’re also another of those products that people will always come back to buy if you keep them in stock! Batteries aren’t going to make you rich overnight, but it is an additional source of profit that you definitely shouldn’t ignore!
Toiletries
Everybody needs toiletries. People always come to convenience stores to buy some toiletry items, whether they’re looking for shampoo, toothpaste, shaving gel, or razors.
So if you want your store to keep its customers happy, then it’s worth it to keep a decent stock of toiletries available to them at all times!
You can never go wrong with candy, bottled drinks, health drinks/chews, coffee, gums and mints, batteries, and toiletries. These items are some of the best-selling retail items that will keep your customers coming back again and again! You always need to have on stock for your convenience store are.