Investigating Consumer Expectations of Convenience-Store Attributes in Emerging Markets: Evidence in Chile

Convenience stores (c-stores) constitute a successful format in developed markets such as North America and Europe, but there is scant research in the retailing literature. Even less is known about convenience-store behavior in emerging markets. This study attempts to provide a better understanding of consumer expectations regarding convenience stores in a Latin American context. Interviews were held with Chilean consumers to identify salient convenience-store attributes. Further, a survey was applied to 400 consumers and results show that the salient attributes for Chilean consumers are related to the access dimension of convenience such as access to the store, parking facilities, and hours of operation.