Ireland’s convenience and forecourt stores offer a level of service, quality and range that surpasses that of other European markets, according to a study produced by him! International ahead of next week's Checkout Conference.
The study found that 49% of Irish shoppers visited a convenience store at least once in the past month, compared to an EU average of 28%. In addition, 43% visited a forecourt store, compared to an average of 22% across Europe.
Respondents were asked to grade convenience stores out of ten under a number of different criteria; with Irish stores outperforming those in France, Germany and the UK in many categories.
Irish c-stores scored highest in terms of ‘friendly service’ (6.68, compared to 6.34 in Germany, 6.12 in France and 6.45 in UK); ‘speed of service’ (6.50, compared to 6.06 in Germany, 6.13 in France and 6.30 in UK); and ‘understanding customers’ (6.16, compared to 5.77 in Germany, 5.80 in France and 6.06 in UK).
Irish outlets also performed strongly in terms of ‘overall shopping experience’ (6.09, compared to 5.27 in Germany, 5.69 in France and 5.95 in UK).
However, Irish outlets placed second when it came to customer perceptions of ‘value for money’ (5.17, compared to 4.84 in Germany, 5.07 in France and 5.36 in the UK).
him! International Managing Director Tom Fender will be among those presenting at the 2016 Checkout Conference, which takes place at The Mansion House, Dublin, on Tuesday 2nd February.
“I’ve always thought that Ireland has some of the best convenience stores in Europe,” said Tom Fender, managing director, him! International. “Our research now confirms this. I am looking forward to sharing some of the research findings with the conference delegates and highlight other areas for focus and development by understanding what’s going on around the world.”
Also presenting at this year’s event are: Andrew Yaxley, Chief Executive, Tesco Ireland; Tom Keogh, Managing Director, Keogh’s; Maggie Timoney, Managing Director, Heineken Ireland; Jim Power, Economist, Jim Power Economics Limited; Simon Twigger, Trading Director, Poundland and Julian Baldwin, Sales Effectiveness Director, Nielsen UK & Ireland, to name but a few.
The Checkout Conference is considered a ‘must-attend’ event for top-level executives in the trade, both due to the high calibre of speakers and its status as a premium networking opportunity.
To secure your place at the must-attend retail event of the year, contact Colette O’Brien at 01 2365 823 or email [email protected]. Tickets are priced at €325 + VAT per ticket, inclusive of three-course lunch in Fire Restaurant. Discounts available for multiple bookings. Alternatively, tickets are available to purchase online through the Checkout website.
© 2016 - Checkout Magazine by Stephen Wynne-Jones
