Know your consumer. It’s one of the fundamentals of successful package design. Much study and attention have focused on this cornerstone of good package design at mass merchandisers, grocery stores, and club stores, but relatively little research is available on a sometimes-overlooked but firmly entrenched distribution channel—convenience stores.

A study from Cole & Weber sheds some much-needed light on C-store shoppers, dividing them into four distinct groups. The findings are fresh from an August 2009 study, and among other points, they indicate that packaging considerations could be different for each group.

Shelf Impact! hears from those who have had success in C-store marketing that there’s more to it than simply downsizing the package and product quantity, and this study provides some tangible supportive proof. These are findings to study, and they can serve as the basis for more targeted C-store marketing strategies that revolve around packaging.