by Anila Siraj, VP Kalibrate Strategy Group
There are several ways for deregulation to unfold, because markets evolve differently and will be impacted by specific changes to regulation and specific characteristics relevant to that market.
KALIBRATE'S STANCE ON INTRADAY PRICING: A PRIMER
PART 1: HOW DEREGULATION UNFOLDS FOR FUEL RETAIL MARKETS
By Anila Siraj, VP Kalibrate Strategy Group
When it comes to maturity, fuel retail markets can be generally characterized into four phases: Stable, Unstable, Competitive and Volatile. As retailers and the markets in which they exist progress ...
ALTERNATIVE FUEL SOURCES AND YOUR BUSINESS
By Anila Siraj, VP Kalibrate Strategy Group
The global trend toward alternative fuels is more than just a trend. The current state of alternative fuel vehicle and infrastructure development indicates that in the relatively near future, we will be able to accurately refer to this as a full-on movement leading to an eventual shift.
ALL RETAILERS NEED BETTER TRAFFIC COUNT DATA
By Kyle Spinuzzi, TrafficMetrix Account Manager
Ask any large retailer about the most important factors that contribute to site selection, and "accurate traffic count data" will almost always make the top of their list. After all, understanding the amount and flow of vehicles passing by any prospective site is critical to success;
WHAT'S YOUR FUEL RETAIL NETWORK'S VOLUME POTENTIAL?
By Kent Schlesselman, Solutions Consultant
The Open Championship of golf will take place this month at Royal Birkdale on the northwest coast of England (not too far from Kalibrate headquarters in Manchester, UK). At the conclusion of the competition — a contest that thoroughly tests the abilities of each golfer — the well-deserved title of the “Champion Golfer of the Year” will be announced. Those who play golf and follow the tournament will be reminded of the gap between your own skill level and that of the Champion Golfer.
USING FUEL STORE RELATIONSHIP TO MAXIMIZE TOTAL SITE PROFITABILITY
By Anila Siraj, VP Kalibrate Strategy Group
From discovering product affinities and designing appropriate promotions to optimizing facility health and capitalizing on aesthetics, there are countless ways to drive in-store sales. One that stands out is the link between fuel and store: specifically the relationship between fuel sales and in-store sales to help you understand how much is spent inside for each additional gallon (or litre) sold.
WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF RETAIL PERFORMANCE?
WHAT CAN A QUADRANT ANALYSIS DO FOR A RETAIL FUEL NETWORK?
by Janet Tooke, VP Strategy Group
How can you establish where opportunities for growth exist in your retail fuel and convenience networks? Where should you spend your capital to maximize return on network investments? Which sites in the network have potential to pump more volume or generate more shop revenue? Which sites are damaging your brand because they are situated on the wrong piece of real estate?
SUMMER FUEL PRICE OUTLOOK FOR 2017
by Scott Barrett, VP Business Development
“Summer lovin', had me a blast. Summer lovin', happened so fast!” For all you Grease fans out there, summer is just about here and so is the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Short-Term Energy and Summer Fuels Outlook for summer fuel prices.
E-BOOK: UNDERSTANDING HOW TO ACHIEVE FUEL PRICING MASTERY
by The Kalibrate Team
There's a lot more to pricing mastery than just responding to the prices of crude oil. There's a lot more to it than choosing a new technology to power your decisions. And if you expect to get better results simply through purchasing any pricing system — without considering each component of your pricing strategy — you run the risk of being sorely disappointed when you run the numbers and find out your pricing changes haven't really contributed to volume or margins.
So what should you consider?
THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT CYCLE FOR FUEL FORECOURT AND CONVENIENCE RETAIL SUCCESS
by Anila Siraj, VP Kalibrate Strategy Group
The continuous improvement cycle is about more than just constant development. Continuous improvement is a detailed and exacting process with a momentum entirely dependent on executing with best practices top of mind. Though it can be applicable across many business types and objectives, we'll focus here on its value in forecourt and convenience retail success.
7 WAYS AUTOMATED PRICING PROCESSES HELP BOOST FUEL PROFITS
WHY YOU NEED TO START FORECASTING MERCHANDISE PROMOTION RESULTS
by Adam Kaplan, Business Analyst, Kalibrate Merchandise Group
Have you ever chosen your order quantity for a promotion based solely on the quantity you sold during your last promotion for that item? This practice commonly results from and perpetuates a "wait and see" mentality — a mentality that larger retailers have had to move beyond as SKUs increased, though it has not yet disappeared from traditionally smaller SKU count convenience stores.
WHY SHOULD RETAILERS USE A PREDICTIVE MODEL FOR NEW SITE SEARCH?
by Debbie Miggins, Vice President, Location Services
Retailers have to make a site selection in order to grow their business. With so many available properties and so many factors to consider, how should one go about selecting the best locations?
QUALITY ACQUISITION ANALYSIS FOR FUEL RETAIL NETWORKS
by Janet Tooke, VP Strategy Group
Market volatility, such as low oil prices but attractive downstream retail margins, lower cost to borrow capital and perceived or actual demand erosion can all be reasons for the spike in acquisitions in the fuel retail market. Private equity investors, for example, have been active in seeking out under-valued investment opportunities in the downstream fuel market. Investors are disciplined in their approach, targeting future returns, not just current performance. When it comes time to dig in and understand whether or not a site or network is the correct acquisition for your company, due diligence isn't always enough. A quality acquisition analysis extends far beyond current volume or competitive awareness.
THE REAL MEANING OF TOTAL SITE PROFITABILITY
by Ian Thompson
When you focus day in and day out on fuel pricing, it's easy to see pricing as the panacea to every convenience store and fuel ill. After all, when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. But Total Site Profitability is more than the sum of its parts, and so, pricing — or any other element — cannot stand alone.
AUTOMATION IN FUEL PRICING: AS SIMPLE AS AN OUT OF OFFICE?
By Ethan Walker, Solutions Consultant
Utter the word "automation" in a room full of people with diverse careers and histories. Some will shudder. Some will ignore. Some will start to get excited at the possibilities. Utter it in a room full of best-in-class fuel pricing analysts, and they're liable to start clapping. While automation is sometimes perceived as threatening, scary or "too difficult," it is absolutely essential from an overall efficiency standpoint. And at the end of the day, it equates to increased revenue, which analysts and executives alike happen to enjoy.
SIGN OF THE TIMES: PROSPECTIVE ACQUISITIONS AND ROI
by Scott Barrett, VP Client Success, Americas
As I take a minute to ponder current industry happenings, I’m reminded of the lyrics from one of my favorite songs… “Sign, sign, everywhere a sign” (by Five Man Electrical Band). The industry is currently full of signs, especially signs of how it is continually changing. In a recent discussion with a client, I asked what keeps him awake at night. Surprisingly, his biggest concern was whether or not a new acquisition his company had purchased was going to meet ROI requirements.
WHY DON’T CONVENIENCE STORE RETAILERS MEASURE MERCHANDISE PROMOTIONS?
By Aaron McHugh, Kalibrate Merchandise Group Business Development
John Wanamaker, a U.S. merchant who opened the first department store in Philadelphia in the late 1800s, coined the popular phrase, “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half.” Though referring specifically to advertising dollars, Wanamaker’s statement is every bit as applicable to convenience store retailers trying to measure the effectiveness of their merchandise promotions.