Core-Mark Enhances SmartStock Program, Adding Advanced Data Analytics Capabilities

WESTLAKE, Texas — Core-Mark Holding Co. Inc. is enhancing its SmartStock program to help convenience store retailers further drive in-store sales performance across multiple product categories.

The "new" SmartStock program now encompasses 15 product categories and leverages data analytics to provide meaningful insights, such as identifying new products that appeal to a store's customer base, that are designed to grow sales and profitability.

"Long proven to help propel sales growth across product categories, SmartStock will now do even more for our customers," said Chris Murray, senior vice president of marketing for Core-Mark. "By leveraging new advanced data analytics capabilities, with real-time insights displayed on our PowerBI dashboard, retailers will make faster and smarter decisions that will further drive sales and improve consumer satisfaction."

SmartStock's latest upgraded merchandising and product selection capabilities offer:

• Advanced data analytics and item-level trend analysis using systemwide Core-Mark data from 40,000-plus outlets and syndicated IRI convenience retail scan data
• Optimized category planograms leveraging Blue Yonder Assortment Optimization recommendations and using such data analytics solutions as weighted analysis, targeted metrics and product ranking
• The cloud-based PowerBI retailer dashboard, which displays real-time, data-rich, item level details and category performance metrics to evaluate product sales performance vs. previous time periods and benchmarks
• Advanced ordering technology that is available on iOS and Android platforms to allow retailers to take advantage of key data points to make informed ordering decisions  
• Free, high-quality merchandising display racks for SmartStock category sets

Each SmartStock customer will receive an in-store visit from a Core-Mark consultant, who will share industry insights and review recent store performance via the SmartStock dashboard. Based on this analysis, the consultant will provide category management and merchandising recommendations.  

"Even before making these program updates, SmartStock stores grew at twice the rate of non-participating locations," said Nati Rezene, merchandising director of center of store, Core-Mark. "With these changes, we anticipate accelerated growth across all SmartStock categories. Combined with regular visits from Core-Mark experts, SmartStock enables data-backed solutions with a personal touch."

In just 60 days, more than 11,600 c-store retailers have signed up for the new SmartStock program, according to Core-Mark. For more information on SmartStock, click here.

Based in Westlake, Core-Mark is one of the largest marketers of food, fresh and broad-line supply solutions to the convenience retail industry in North America. It offers a full range of products, marketing programs and technology solutions to more than 40,000 customers in the United States and Canada through 32 distribution centers (excluding two distribution facilities the company operates as a third-party logistics provider).