The recent low gas prices have made a lot of consumers happy. According to a NACS article published this week, 91% of consumers say that the lower gas prices are good for the economy, and 95% said that the lower gas prices make it easier for them to go on vacation. This is good news for petroleum marketers, who prosper when fuel consumption increases.

Even with lower gas prices, though, consumers still want to find the best deal on fuel. A survey conducted by NACS and reported by CSP indicates that 71% of consumers said that price was the most important factor in deciding where to buy gasoline. What’s more, NACS reports that 63% of consumers were willing to drive 5 minutes out of the way to save 5 CPG, 72% were willing to pay cash, and 65% pay with cash or use a loyalty card to save money.

What are consumers doing with the money that they are saving at the pump? According to the Wall Street Journal, consumers are saving about $60 per month from lower gas prices, but these dollars are not all translated into increased discretionary spending. As stated in the PYMNTS.com article titled “Americans Pocketing Gas-Price Savings,” about 25% of the monthly savings are being spent on groceries, clothing, and fast food. Given that about 35% of gas customers claim to also go into the store to make purchases after fueling, these fuel savings may bring more consumers into the retail stores.

Intevacon offers two products that can help attract customers looking for the best deal, but even better, our solution provides a level of loyalty that keeps consumers returning to your sites. With the Intevacon fleet card, petroleum marketers can sign up businesses to fuel exclusively at their sites. To attract these customers, the petroleum marketer may choose to offer CPG discounts, cost plus pricing, or any other discount arrangement to achieve the business. With online access, all fleet users can manage their accounts and view transactions in real time.

For consumers, petroleum marketers can offer the Intevacon Prepaid Card that can be loaded and reloaded with cash (or any other method of payment). POP discounts at the pump provide the CPG discount at the time of the transaction. Given that about three quarters of the consumer population bases their selection on discount potential, this card will attract loyal customers while also increasing cash flow.

Intevacon is in business to see the petroleum marketer succeed, and we design our products to achieve this result.  Our fleet cards and prepaid cards can help increase volume and keep margins high.  If you want to find out more about Intevacon or talk to someone on our team, please call 678-739-4450 or email moreinfo@intevacon.com.