CONVENIENCE STORE SIGNS

In the infancy of SUN SIGN COMPANY, owner, David Williams worked almost exclusively with a chain of convenience stores.  It’s where he cut his teeth in the sign business and really learned the importance good  and bad signage has on these chain stores.  Williams learned that when gas prices are high margins are especially thin, and every dollar that can be saved counts.  At the same time stores can't let skimping and saving money drive them into the poor house.  The image of the brand has to be protected and a cheap, poorly designed sign package may not be sufficient to result in a positive customer experience.  Simply put, it's disastrous for a brand when signage is confusing and a store looks unkept.  Why? Because  signage and stores  that are unmaintained are unappealing to not only  potential patrons but existing ones..

Let’s face it. 

The extent to which Convenience stores  thrive can be measured by the quality of their signage. 

What does Good Convenience Store Signage look like?

Good Convenience Store Signs enhance the visibility of stores, reinforces branding, guides customers, promotes sales, ensures safety, and contributes to a positive overall experience.

Lets look at each of these in more detail.

Visibility and Branding:

Visibility: Bright and easily recognizable signage  helps customers locate gas stations and convenience stores on busy routes, especially from a distance. Once on the lot,  bright, clear signage guides motorists into specific traffic flows  that prevent confusion. 

Branding: Effective signage reinforces a brand's identity.   Brightly illuminated, well-designed Convenience Store Signs create a memorable impression, one which encourages patrons to visit again and again. Customers tend to seek out and return to brands with which they have familiarity and positive experiences. As a result, good branding through signage can lead to an increasing number of loyal customers.

Guidance and Wayfinding:

Gas stations and convenience stores often have multiple on-premise services.  Signs with arrows, symbols, or written instructions known as Wayfinding Signs direct customers to specific areas. For example, these signs guide visitors to the convenience store counter area, lotto machines, beverage coolers, gift shop, showers,  restrooms and changing stations, car wash, and more recently EV charging stations to name a few.

Proper Convenience Store Signage ensures consumers have a smooth experience navigating the property.  Thus, adequate wayfinding signage reducing frustration and aids in enhancing the  overall satisfaction of patrons.

Promotions and Sales:

Well-placed Convenience Store Signage calls attention to promotions, discounts and special offers. Whether it’s a deal on snacks or a discounted car wash, eye-catching signage encourages impulse purchases and drives sales.

Digital Convenience Store Signs allow for updates in real time, making it easy to showcase the everchanging promotions and limited-time offers for which convenience stores are famous.

Safety and Compliance:

Clear signage contributes to safety in convenience stores and gas stations. For example, signs indicate areas  where smoking is prohibited, the location of  emergency store exits and where fire extinguishers hang.  Convenience Stores and gas stations  also need good pump signage and displays related to fuel types, pricing and safety precautions in the event of a fuel spill.

Convenience Stores have a ton of  Compliance Signs and with good reason.  These signs assist consumers in  having a safe experience, and they help convenience stores promote regulations to keep themselves out  of libelous situations. 

Positive Customer Experience:

It's already been stated that trustworthy and recognizable signage can make a significant difference in where a consumer decides to shop. Not only that,  but A well-lit and organized gas station or convenience store with clear signage contributes to a positive impression, and we all live and die by the reviews and ratings we receive. This can’t be overemphasized.  Well kept facilities that can be seen above ground  give customers confidence that the fuel they can’t see in tanks  below ground hasn’t been contaminated from neglect.

Well kept facilities and  signage contributes to an overall pleasant experience, which can lead to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth. The opposite is also true.  Faded colors, burnt-out bulbs, and  malfunctioning displays screams“if the store doesn’t value its own property it surely won’t value me or my property.

In a competitive market, gas stations and convenience stores need to stand out. High-visibility signage attracts passing motorists and pedestrians, encouraging them to choose one station over another.