Motorist Behaviour and Implications at the Service Station: Germany

Based on a survey of over 1,000 motorists, this brief outlines the key changes in German motorists' attitude towards fuel and non-fuel motoring expenses including fuel prices, value added services, shop products, and grocery and oil company brands.

Introduction

Verdict has conducted a study of over 1,000 motorists in eight European countries to assess how their behaviour changed over the second half of 2010. High oil prices and growing need for convenience are driving a major shift in motorists' buying behavior and they consider various factors such as fuel price, value added services, shop products, and retailer brand, before deciding where to fill up.

Scope

• Make well-informed investments in value added services by identifying the most important and frequently used services/features at service stations.
• Tailor marketing campaigns to effectively target consumers by understanding the profile of your forecourt customers.
• Develop a lucrative convenience shop offer by uncovering the product categories for which consumers want more variety.
• Plan strategies to protect your market share by understanding the behavior of motorists who are switching between oil company and grocery brands.
• Plan ahead of your competitors by uncovering the measures being adopted by motorists to reduce their motoring expenses.

Scope

In Germany, one in two motorists look at service station pricing boards closely before deciding where to fill up. Retailers can attract price-conscious motorists by providing indirect price discounts through loyalty schemes.

Value added services such as food service and convenience grocery offer became more important for German motorists in 2010 compared to 2009. Food service was indeed the most frequently used forecourt service in Germany.

One in five German motorists increased their car usage in 2010. BP-owned Aral and Shell were jointly voted as Germany’s favorite fuel retailers by motorists.

Reasons to Purchase

• What measures are motorists taking to hedge against rising fuel prices? Are they comparing forecourt price boards or using online comparison websites?
• Are my customers switching to supermarkets for cheaper fuel? What other services should I provide to maintain my customer base?
• How does my customer base split by age, gender, marital status, and frequency of use of car, so that I can develop a suitable service proposition?
• Which products should be included or excluded from a forecourt shop's mix so that maximum value can be generated from the available shelf space?
• Which fuel retailers are considered the best by motorists in terms of value for money for fuel, quality of shop offer, and customer service?