The Heat Is On

Everyone loves that summer is here, but don’t let inadequate planning for the heat ruin your plans.

July 4th made it even more official than it already was: summer is in full swing.

It seems like an age since we’ve felt free to move around the country. Getting outside in the fresh air and warm sun has never been more alluring. Hiking. Camping. Boating. Not to mention the Good Old American Road Trip, a tradition the c-store industry supports and has helped fuel in more ways that one.

About that last one: a word of caution to road trippers. There’s much to celebrate about sunny weather, but the heat can turn on the unprepared in a minute. You don’t want to be out of water or running low on nutrients. And you certainly don’t want to be staggering along the side of an isolated road on your way from L.A. to Death Valley because your car is out of gas, or has been neglected in some other way you failed to foresee. Remember, you can’t always count on finding an oasis like this:

So while c-stores may be a road tripper’s best friend—a place to find roadside travel kits, gourmet-to-go (if you’re inclined to partake of a BBQ Sundae or Kombucha on tap under the stars), not to mention candles and incense (for when the tent gets a little, er, ripe)—you’ve got to know where you’re looking. Especially in rural areas, where supplies for coexisting with the heat aren’t always readily available (this store in the Ozarks being a notable exception).

A well-rounded convenience store, even one on the periphery of a tourist route, should be in the position to serve the needs of heat challenged customers—perhaps through the expansion of its HBA (Health and Beauty Aids) category to include sunscreen and other protective lotions that might be bought in tandem frigid treats from other departments: ice cream, spiked slushies…the possibilities are endless.

Of course, summer doesn’t last forever, and it’s inevitable that the sales of those special summer supplies will begin to wane. This speaks to the importance of maintaining a deft, yet assertive touch in attending to your item mix as it passes through seasonal trends. Technology, the kind provided by SSCS, can make monitoring and managing inventory a more exact science while rendering it a less exasperating task. If you’d like to know how, please give us a call at 1-800-972-7727.