ATMs customer magnet for c-stores

Automated Teller Machines (ATM) can help boost revenues of convenience stores as they bring more customers into the stores and entice them to spend their ready cash there, according to a CSP Daily News report.

This has been the experience of Alon Brands Retail, which operates more than 300 7-Eleven stores in central and west Texas and in New Mexico and has recently partnered with Cardtronics’ Allpoint surcharge-free ATM network.

Having ATMs does not only drive foot traffic to Alon’s c-stores but also makes their customers buy more than what they originally planned.

Moreover, customers who visit ATMs located at c-stores will usually end up spending their cash at the stores, said U-Gas/Dirt Cheap COO Perry Cheatham.

ATM fees can also add up to c-store revenues generating an average of $922 per store per month in 2015 or more than $11,800 per year, according to NACS State of the Industry Report of 2015 Data.

And as customers pay cash withdrawn from the ATM, they will be less likely to use credit card, which will then save c-stores from credit card fees.

That is why U-Gas and Dirt Cheap offer a 5-cent-per-gallon discount when customers pay cash for gas purchases and Alon will tap ATMs for its upcoming marketing campaign.