CSP's 2021 Outlook Survey

CSP needs your help to better understand how convenience-store retailers feel about the future of the industry. To this end, we ask that you please take a few minutes to complete this survey. Your responses will remain confidential and be combined with other responses to report industry averages.

The results of this study will be published in the November issue of CSP magazine.

Business Conditions

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* 1. How would you describe current business conditions?

Excellent

Good

Flat

Poor

Please explain ...

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* 2. How do you anticipate your total 2020 sales will compare to 2019 (including fuel and in-store)?

Much higher

Somewhat higher

The same

Somewhat lower

Much lower

Please explain ...

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* 3. What do you expect will happen to business conditions in 2021?

Great improvement

Some improvement

Remain the same

Somewhat decline

Greatly decline

Please explain

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* 4. What are the top three biggest business challenges you face today? (Select three)

COVID-19 safety concerns

Ability to ensure compliance with COVID-19-related government mandates

Credit-card fees

Growing traffic/store visits

Ability to hire and retain necessary workforce

Wage inflation

Employee turnover

Increased competition: c-stores

Increase competition: food, drug, mass, dollar

Increased competition: e-commerce

Regulatory pressures

Fuel margin volatility

Gas prices

Other (please specify)

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* 5. The following items will have [positive/negative/no] effect on my business in 2021.

	Positive	No effect	Negative
COVID-19 safety protocols	COVID-19 safety protocols Positive	COVID-19 safety protocols No effect	COVID-19 safety protocols Negative
Decreased foot traffic	Decreased foot traffic Positive	Decreased foot traffic No effect	Decreased foot traffic Negative
Continued industry consolidation	Continued industry consolidation Positive	Continued industry consolidation No effect	Continued industry consolidation Negative
Labor market	Labor market Positive	Labor market No effect	Labor market Negative
Tobacco/vape regulatory issues	Tobacco/vape regulatory issues Positive	Tobacco/vape regulatory issues No effect	Tobacco/vape regulatory issues Negative
New and/or higher taxes	New and/or higher taxes Positive	New and/or higher taxes No effect	New and/or higher taxes Negative
EMV compliance at fuel pumps	EMV compliance at fuel pumps Positive	EMV compliance at fuel pumps No effect	EMV compliance at fuel pumps Negative
Online retail	Online retail Positive	Online retail No effect	Online retail Negative
On-demand delivery services	On-demand delivery services Positive	On-demand delivery services No effect	On-demand delivery services Negative

Other (please specify)

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* 6. What amenities do you plan to offer in 2021?

Delivery

Curbside pickup

Drive-thru

Mobile ordering

Frictionless transactions

Other (please specify)

COVID-19 Pandemic

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* 7. Has the COVID-19 pandemic made you concerned about the financial stability of your business?

Yes

Somewhat

If yes, please explain ...

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* 8. Do you require customers to wear masks in your store(s)?

Yes, it is required by state.

Yes, based on our corporate policy.

No.

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* 9. Have you installed plexiglass barriers at checkout in your store(s)?

Yes.

No, but it's in our plans.

No, and not planned.

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* 10. Thinking back on when the pandemic first hit your area, did you close the following self-service options? (Check all that apply.)

Roller grill

Bakery

Soup/chili

Dispensed beverages

Coffee bar

Not applicable

Other (please specify)

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* 11. How do you expect the COVID-19 pandemic to affect your sales and traffic in 2021?

Positive effect on both

Positive effect on sales, but negative for traffic

Positive effect on traffic, but negative for sales

Negative for both

No effect

Labor

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* 12. Have you struggled to hire employees in 2020?

Yes

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* 13. Have you struggled to retain staff in 2020?

Yes

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* 14. Have you held hiring events to increase traction in your labor pool?

Yes

If not, why not?

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* 15. Do you believe the increased unemployment benefits from the CARES Act have contributed to the c-store industry's hiring struggles in 2020?

Yes

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* 16. How do you expect your labor pool and hiring issues to unfold in 2021?

Great improvement

Some improvement

Remain the same

Somewhat worsen

Greatly worsen

Please explain ...

Fuel & Tobacco

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* 17. Is your behind-the-counter category threatened by current measures to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products?

Yes, I expect more cities and states will ban the sale of flavored tobacco and vape products.

Yes, because I operate in an area where the sale of such products is already banned.

No, it's not a concern at this time.

Other (please specify)

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* 18. What are your long-term expectations (10+ years out) for fuel demand?

Strong growth (more than 5%)

Slight growth (1%-5%)

Flat

Slight decline (1%-5%)

Large decline (more than 5%)

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* 19. What do you think will have the greatest (positive or negative) effect on future fuel demand?

Fuel prices

Regulations (fuel economy, emission standards, etc.)

Electric vehicles

Autonomous vehicles

Ridesharing economy

Urbanization

Changing consumer behavior/preferences

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* 20. What changes do you plan to make to your fuel offering in 2021? (Choose all that apply.)

Add ethanol-free gasoline

Add E15

Add E85

Add diesel

Add biodiesel

Add compressed (CNG) or liquid natural gas (LNG) fueling

Add electric-car charging stations

Remove alternative fuels

Change fuel brands

Revamp or expand fuel islands

Upgrade pumps to EMV specifications

Add new marketing technology at the pump

Not planning any changes

Other (please specify)

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* 21. What are your plans for upgrading your pumps to EMV chip-card compliance by the April 2021 deadline?

We have already upgraded.

We are in the process of upgrading.

We do not plan to upgrade.

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* 22. If you have upgraded to EMV compliance or plan to, what is the main reason?

Avoid liability risks

Protect against skimming

Differentiate from competitors

Introduce new payment technologies (NFC, barcode, etc.)

Introduce new pump features (TV, ordering interfaces, etc.)

Not applicable

Other (please specify)

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* 23. If you do NOT plan to upgrade by the deadline, what is the main reason?

Do not have the financial means to pay for it

Poor return on investment

Sites are not vulnerable to skimming

Upgrade crews not available

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 24. Thank you for participating in our survey!

To enter yourself in a drawing for a $100 American Express Card, please enter your email address here. Click here for rules.

CSP's 2021 Outlook Survey

Question Title

* 1. How would you describe current business conditions?

Question Title

* 2. How do you anticipate your total 2020 sales will compare to 2019 (including fuel and in-store)?

Question Title

* 3. What do you expect will happen to business conditions in 2021?

Question Title

* 4. What are the top three biggest business challenges you face today? (Select three)

Question Title

* 5. The following items will have [positive/negative/no] effect on my business in 2021.

Question Title

* 6. What amenities do you plan to offer in 2021?

Question Title

* 7. Has the COVID-19 pandemic made you concerned about the financial stability of your business?

Question Title

* 8. Do you require customers to wear masks in your store(s)?

Question Title

* 9. Have you installed plexiglass barriers at checkout in your store(s)?

Question Title

* 10. Thinking back on when the pandemic first hit your area, did you close the following self-service options? (Check all that apply.)

Question Title

* 11. How do you expect the COVID-19 pandemic to affect your sales and traffic in 2021?

Question Title

* 12. Have you struggled to hire employees in 2020?

Question Title

* 13. Have you struggled to retain staff in 2020?

Question Title

* 14. Have you held hiring events to increase traction in your labor pool?

Question Title

* 15. Do you believe the increased unemployment benefits from the CARES Act have contributed to the c-store industry's hiring struggles in 2020?

Question Title

* 16. How do you expect your labor pool and hiring issues to unfold in 2021?

Question Title

* 17. Is your behind-the-counter category threatened by current measures to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products?

Question Title

* 18. What are your long-term expectations (10+ years out) for fuel demand?

Question Title

* 19. What do you think will have the greatest (positive or negative) effect on future fuel demand?

Question Title

* 20. What changes do you plan to make to your fuel offering in 2021? (Choose all that apply.)

Question Title

* 21. What are your plans for upgrading your pumps to EMV chip-card compliance by the April 2021 deadline?

Question Title

* 22. If you have upgraded to EMV compliance or plan to, what is the main reason?

Question Title

* 23. If you do NOT plan to upgrade by the deadline, what is the main reason?

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* 24. Thank you for participating in our survey!To enter yourself in a drawing for a $100 American Express Card, please enter your email address here. Click here for rules.

* 24. Thank you for participating in our survey!

To enter yourself in a drawing for a $100 American Express Card, please enter your email address here. Click here for rules.