Are your sales and traffic increasing? I read recently that visits to convenience stores increased by 4.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012 versus 2011. This was reported on CSPnet.com from data tracked by The NPD Group . A number of factors impacted the favorable trend including lower gas prices. According to CSPnet.com, “The afternoon daypart, between 2:00 and 6:00 p.m., continues to be the most popular daypart, with slightly more than 35 percent of c-store shoppers visiting then, a 1.7 percentage point growth over same quarter year ago.” Increased c-store sales mean trouble for vending If c-stores are increasing traffic, where is that growth coming from? In our channel, it is critical that we win beverage and snack...

Vending sale declines can be linked to structural changes in the work place. For example, more white collar employers allow their employees to work from home one or two days each week, a practice called "telecommuting" or "teleworking." In fact, the Federal Government has taken the lead in encouraging this trend. Congress passed and the President signed the “Telework Enhancement Act of 2010” which aims to expand the practice. (See, the Guide to Telework in the Federal Government, April, 2011) . Some experts estimate that 50 million people, 40 percent of the work force, can and will take advantage of teleworking to “improve the quality of their work-life.” Telework means smaller locations What does this mean for...

In my business, I see the value of a good email newsletter. It's helpful, thought-provoking and drives the publication to the top of readers' minds. These are benefits vending, micro market and office coffee service operators can also gain by using targeted, topic specific eNewsletters to communicate with their customers. First, let’s start with helpful. How can an operation-to-location eNewsletter be helpful? First and fore-most an eNewsletter should announce new products and services as well as special deals. Most consumers belong to corporate social media sites or sign up for retail newsletters in order to be notified of sales or receive coupons. While you might not be giving away "vending bucks," announcing the new product...

A recently published state of the U.S. Tea industry from the Tea Association of the U.S.A., Inc. reported not only how tea imports have increased in recent years, but how consumer demand is growing. According to Joseph Simrany, president of the Tea Association of the U.S.A., Inc., tea imports reached a record breaking 281 million pounds in 2011 with a dollar value for wholesale tea up 5 percent to $8.2 billion. The tea trend growing the most is ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages. "Within the tea industry there are segments that are faring better than others with RTD and Specialty Tea on top of the list," said Simrany in a prepared statement.   Ready-to-drink trend continues The RTD segment has been growing in the last few years...