How come everything at a "convenience store" is so expensive?

Answer 1

The marriage of gas sales with convenience-store sales has created a much bigger problem for the small gas/convenience store operator. He/she seems to be paying more for almost everything he/she purchases, whether it be gasoline, beverages, cigarettes, candy, potato chips and so on.

The thing to remember is that a manufacturer or wholesaler is required to sell to competing retailers at the same per unit price, unless the lower price is cost justified (which it seldom ever is) or to meet competition, which defense also seldom applies for a variety of practical reasons.

Thus, the small gas station/convenience store operator sees his/her profits stolen by the lower prices and consequent advantage given to the larger stores and chains by what seems to be almost every manufacturer and wholesaler.


[Excerpt from "Small Gas Stations and Convenience Stores - Paying Higher Prices for Gas, Drink and Food Inventory - A Suggested Solution"]

http://www.lawmall.com/rpa/rpa_gas.html

Answer 2

The idea of the convenience store is to offer the public the opportunity to purchase whatever they need. This is usually set up so that the customer can purchase items over any 24 hour period of time. Most of these places offer the lottery which is a big money maker more for them than for the public. They just love it when you "give" them the money. Odds are that you won't win, but they will make a percentage off of every winning ticket that they sell. These places are well lit and well guarded, even though you may not always see the security that is in place there. If you want a newspaper, a nice sandwich and something to drink, you will find it there. It's like going into your own kitchen but having someone else prepare what you require. An extra bonus is that you will have no dishes to wash. Remember this, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" - Romans 8:31. Peace and God Bless.

Answer 3

Because it is convenient. You pay for convenience... Even in the grocery store the convenient prepared food is more expensive like the deli or the premade meals in the freezer.You pay for ease just like you pay for having someone paint your walls for you instead of doing it yourself. If you did it yourself you would only pay for the paint and not the labor. Same with convenience food. Besides they charge what the market allows them to. If noone would buy at those prices they would not sell at those prices...

Answer 4

Agree to all the above.
you're paying for the convenience.
You can buy a case of bottle water for about $4 bucks at the grocery store. But you buy out of the vending machine b/c it is convenient.
Why do you think your road trip ends up costing so much.

Answer 5

Usually people will go to a convenience store when the grocrey store is closed and they know that so the prices are higher the other day I payed $1.99 for a can of noname mushrooms.

Answer 6

Convenience costs.

Answer 7

They order in small quantities. They know that we are lazy, and for the convenience we will pay a higher price when we don't want to go shopping. Guess they have us figured out since we are dumb enough to pay those high prices. They are getting rich because we are lazy and in a hurry all the time!

Answer 8

A convenience store isn't there to offer deals. A convenience store offers CONVENIENCE only. So, since they are so CONVENIENT they can charge wahtever the heck they want!

Answer 9

Because they are usually situated in highly populated places where most other stores are closed before midnight, hence you pay extra for the utilities and other extras they pay for. They are also usually open 24/7 so their night time employees need to be paid more. We, the consumers, cover those expenses for them so that they can still make money after all the operational expenses they incur. :)

Answer 10

Because they don't get a volume discount for buying in bulk like a grocery store. Also most items in a convenient store are "single" serving items, which are taxable, as opposed to larger quantity items found in a grocery store..