NEWTON, Mass., June 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Paytronix, the leader in guest engagement solutions for restaurants and convenience stores, today announced the release of the Paytronix 2026 C-Store Online Ordering Insights Mini Report, which finds that 67% of geofenced food purchases are incremental revenue. The report provides new insights into how c-store operators are leveraging mobile ordering, geofencing, EV charging, and retail media strategies to drive incremental revenue and customer engagement.
Download The Paytronix 2026 C-Store Online Ordering Insights Mini Report
Geofencing Delivers Big Impact
The report finds that convenience stores implementing comprehensive geofencing strategies are achieving measurable business impact, including:
- 23% increase in average basket size for geofenced customers
- 31% higher visit frequency among app users receiving location-based triggers
- $2.30 additional revenue per fueling transaction through food cross-sell
- 18-month average payback period on geofencing technology investments
Perhaps most significantly, the report reveals that 67% of geofenced food purchases represent completely incremental revenue, indicating customers would not have purchased food without the location-based prompt.
“This isn’t simply about shifting existing demand,” said Bonnie Woods, C-Store Strategist Manager, Paytronix. “Operators who master geofencing are fundamentally reshaping convenience retail economics by converting fuel visits into food and loyalty engagement opportunities.”
EV Charging Creates a New Revenue Model
The report also highlights electric vehicle charging as one of the most underutilized growth opportunities in convenience retail. While traditional fuel transactions typically last between three and five minutes, EV charging sessions average 20–45 minutes, dramatically expanding the opportunity for food purchases, loyalty engagement, and premium service experiences.
Industry data cited in the report shows EV customers generate 340% higher in-store revenue per visit compared to traditional fuel customers.
Mobile Ordering Drives Faster Conversion
With an average customer decision window of 90 seconds or less, C-store mobile experiences must prioritize speed and simplicity.
Key recommendations for successful mobile ordering interfaces include:
- Favorite items displayed prominently above the fold
- One-tap access to recent orders
- Streamlined category navigation
- Weather-triggered recommendations
- One-click checkout with stored payment methods
- Fuel-integrated transactions
- Automated loyalty redemption suggestions
Mobile ordering also creates valuable behavioral data that enables improved demand forecasting, inventory optimization, and personalized marketing.
“Operators who master mobile-first ordering don’t just increase convenience,” the report notes. “They fundamentally alter the economic relationship with customers, turning sporadic fuel purchasers into engaged, loyal, and highly profitable food customers.”
Retail Media Emerges as High-Margin Revenue Stream
In addition to mobile engagement and loyalty strategies, the report identifies retail media partnerships as a rapidly growing source of incremental revenue for convenience operators.
According to the report, c-store retail media campaigns generate 8–12 times higher click-through rates than traditional digital advertising because messages reach customers at critical purchase consideration moments.
Industry leaders cited in the report are generating between $0.15 and $0.35 per customer visit through retail media partnerships, representing approximately 5–8% incremental revenue with minimal operational overhead.
For high-traffic locations, this can translate into $50,000 to $150,000 in annual advertising-related revenue.
About Paytronix
Paytronix, an Access Group company, is a cloud-based digital guest engagement platform for the hospitality industry. Our innovative, unified platform provides loyalty programs, online ordering, gift cards, branded mobile applications, and strategic insights to more than 1,800 leading restaurant and convenience store brands. Our valued clients leverage the power of Paytronix across 50,000 sites globally to create seamless, personalized and brand-authentic experiences that foster lasting relationships with their customers. For more than 20 years, Paytronix has been a trusted partner helping brands maximize the lifetime value of their guests and grow more profitable businesses. For more information, visit www.paytronix.com.
Media Contacts:
Calen McGee
Paytronix Systems, Inc.
Calen.McGee@theaccessgroup.com
