Convenience stores & gas stations: Update cameras with a few clicks!

The gas stations & convenience stores industry in the U.S. is still growing, but changing dramatically. As the demand for cigarettes, travel direction advice and in the very near future gasoline is falling, operators have to look for new directions for their small businesses.

Gas stations & convenience stores - Numbers, trends & challenges

• The retail segment is worth more than $650 billion in sales
• 93% of U.S. Americans live within just a few minutes of a convenience store
• About 80% of convenience stores in the U.S. are also gas stations
• More than 60% of convenience stores are independently owned
• Fewer people smoke, buy fuel or need to ask for directions
• Successful gas and convenience businesses focus on food and speciality retailing

Source: CNBC

As the number and density of convenience store chains increases in the U.S., so does competition in the industry. To survive in the long term, retailers must be more creative in identifying and occupying attractive niches and finding new ways to deliver superior customer experiences. 

The latest video technology can help make store operations more efficient and reliable. To achieve this, in many cases, existing surveillance cameras simply need to be empowered with AI.

Smart Video Analytics for convenience stores and gas stations using security cameras equipped with the latest AI technology helps business managers ensure safety and security inside and around their stores. Smart camera systems also help optimize retail operations and customer experiences to drive sales. AI Video Analytics turns IoT cameras into real business all-rounders.

Azena helps convenience store owners get more out of their surveillance cameras. By installing camera apps from our Application Store with just a few clicks, you can add new AI features and start using them right away, just like you're used to on your smartphone.

Smart store shelves inventory management

Store operations can be challenging for staff. With just a few people, manning checkouts, keeping the store clean and maintaining stock on the shelves reaches its limits, not only during peak times. Security cameras equipped with object recognition can support staff to monitor inventory on shelves continuously and report gaps in real time.

Source: Easyflow

Technology insight: Through machine learning, cameras using video analytics for object recognition are able to analyze shelves from different angles and distances and reliably detect gaps. The camera system "knows" which products are offered and which quantities should be maintained and reports if the deviation exceeds a specified value.

Improve in-store product placement & store layout

The question of where to place products on the sales floor in the best possible way so that they are noticed and purchased by customers is often guesswork, even in small stores. In order to find out whether store layouts work and where there is potential for improvement, continuous monitoring of customer behaviour is required. Staff who have to care for customers can't do that, but smart cameras with video analytics capabilities can.

Source: Link Analytix AS

Technology insight: Retail Analytics for Surveillance Cameras in convenience stores and gas stations not only enables operators to monitor customer behaviour in real-time but also provides statistical analysis over time to optimize store layouts. "Heat maps" visualize behavioural data and illustrate, for example, areas highly frequented and also blind spots that should be upgraded.

Comply with the maximum number of customers in the store during the pandemic

Keeping hygiene rules is a challenge that will haunt store operators for a while. The larger convenience stores become, the more difficult it is for staff to keep to the number of people permitted to be in the store at one time. It is more efficient and safer to leave the counting of people entering and leaving to video technology.

Source: DeepSolutions

Technology insight: Smart video cameras at store entrances are able to reliably count people without violating data privacy because they do not recognize faces. And more: if required, faces and personal characteristics of customers can even be made unrecognizable in videos.

Extra: Outdoor video analytics applications for gas stations

convenience stores that also sell fuel face additional requirements for security and safety outside. Security cameras, which already help operators detect exits without paying, for example, can take on even more advanced tasks using AI video analytics.

Here are just a few applications for which you find powerful apps for security cameras in the Azena Application Store.

• Smoke & fire detection: Automate monitoring and emergency calls
• Gun & weapon detection: Recognize and report threats as they happen
• Prevent leaving without paying: Track thieves by their license plates
• Detect Vandalism: identify suspicious behaviour and property damage

Since you can install a variety of apps from our Application Store on any of your cameras running our camera OS, the possibilities are almost endless.

Start using Smart Video Analytics for convenience stores & gas stations now!

Upgrading existing camera systems with AI technology has never been easier. All you need are cameras running our camera OS and you can start installing new retail features from our Application Store. Let us know if you need any assistance!