Technology
Mickey’s, an Ohio-based convenience retailer with 42 locations, has relaunched its loyalty program on the Patron Points platform, aiming for a stronger, more personalized rewards experience. The company transitioned all stores in under two months and has since enrolled over 25,000 new members, seeing higher spend per trip and a 35% increase in loyalty sales. Personalization is enhanced through participation in Altria Group Distribution Company’s Digital Trade Program at tier 4, offering customized tobacco discounts. CEO Dan Coles acknowledged the challenge of switching loyalty providers. The update follows Mickey’s settlement of a copyright lawsuit with Buc-ee’s over its mascot.
McLane Company has launched the McLane360 digital platform, integrating promotional ordering, delivery tracking, and business insights to help convenience store retailers make faster and smarter decisions. The platform debuted last week at the McLane Engage exhibition in Grapevine, Texas, where the company also introduced new foodservice products such as pizza, hot dog rolls, and ready-to-eat meals.
The convenience store industry is leveraging AI tools to optimize SKU planning, shifting from periodic, retrospective assortment decisions to continuous, data-driven ones. Experts from Boston Consulting Group, Bain, and Accenture note that falling technology costs are making these tools accessible to smaller operators, but final decisions still require human judgment. This article analyzes technology selection, financial returns, reliability, and common pitfalls.
Hop Shops announced the introduction of Mashgin AI-assisted checkout and Glory cash automation technology across its 15 convenience stores, aiming to speed up the checkout process while allowing employees to focus more on customer service.