Most Owners Chase Sales. I Chased Strategy.
When I ran my convenience store, I wasn’t in love with selling candy bars and energy drinks.
But I was obsessed with figuring out how to get the most out of every transaction.
That meant upselling.
That meant understanding human behavior and not just margin.
You can’t just sell whatever people will buy.
You need to sell what brings people back.
The Lottery Trick That Wasn’t About Profit
Here’s one of my favorite moves:
When someone bought $13 worth of snacks and handed us a $20 bill, we didn’t just give them $7 in change.
We gave them an opportunity.
“Want to grab $7 in scratchers instead of the cash?”
That tiny question made us more money than you’d think.
Not because lottery tickets had huge margins—they didn’t.
But because they turned a cash refund into engagement.
When someone scratches off a ticket, they’re invested.
They’re in the game.
If they win, they don’t pocket the money—they roll it into more tickets.
More snacks. More visits.
It became a loop.
But here’s the part most owners miss:
We turned shopping into an experience.
People weren’t just grabbing Gatorade and gum.
They were at the counter, scratching feverishly, heart pounding, hoping to match that third symbol.
That moment? That adrenaline? That’s retail theater.
It became something to talk about.
Something to look forward to.
Something that made our store more than just another stop.
So here’s the question:
What gets your customers excited when they shop with you?
What’s your version of the scratcher moment?
Because if your store doesn’t create emotion, it won’t create loyalty either.
Stop Selling and Start Steering
Retail isn’t just about moving product. It’s about influencing behavior.
What gets someone to stay longer, buy more, or come back?
Sometimes it’s a discount.
Sometimes it’s a sample.
Sometimes it’s a damn scratch-off ticket.
You’re not just trying to make a sale. You’re trying to start a cycle.
Real Talk
Selling more isn’t the answer if you’re selling stuff that doesn’t move the needle.
Know your numbers. It’s important. But more importantly, know your customers.
What they like. What gets them talking. What gets them back in the door.
Build systems around that. Not what you think should work.
The Action List (For You, The Owner)
- Use small offers to build long-term habits
- Train your staff to suggest something extra, every time
- Focus less on profit per item, more on profit per customer
- Reinforce behaviors that create repeat business
- Create excitement. Give people a reason to remember you
TL;DR
- I turned people’s change into scratchers—not for margin, but for momentum
- Scratchers weren’t profitable, but they created return visits
- Upselling isn’t about the product; it’s about the pattern
- Shopping became an experience, not a transaction
- Emotion drives loyalty. Figure out what triggers it in your store