Experience a no pressure, live demo of our software.   Talk with our sales team

Request a Demo
Sign In
Request a Demo

Every Inside Transaction Lost 7 Cents in 2025. How Independent C-Store Owners Get Back in the Black 

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Here’s a number every independent owner should know. At the 2026 NACS State of the Industry Summit, NACS reported that profit per in-store transaction, after expenses, fell 8 cents in 2025. That means every transaction inside the average store lost 7 cents. 

That happened even though the average basket grew 24 cents to $7.69. The problem is cost: labor alone runs about $1.60 per in-store transaction, and NACS says direct store operating expenses have grown faster than inside gross profit for two years in a row. 

At Petrosoft, we run 22 gas stations of our own, so we feel this squeeze too. Here’s how independents can get back to making money on every transaction, using the same CStoreOffice®, SmartPOS, QwickServe, Retail360 and Eagle Eye tools we use. 

Lever 1: Grow the basket 

A bigger basket spreads labor and card fees across more profit. NACS reports foodservice now drives 38.9% of in-store profit, and one in three c-store customers visits a quick-service restaurant within 30 minutes of leaving a c-store. That’s a food sale you could have made. 

How Petrosoft helps: QwickServe self-order kiosks make it easy to add a food or drink to every visit without adding a clerk, and every order flows into CStoreOffice® so you can see what’s growing the basket. 

Lever 2: Price every item for margin 

NACS Convenience Voices data shows 39.8% of shoppers changed how they shop c-stores because of their finances, and 45% cut back on items they used to buy regularly, mostly in center store. With customers this price-aware, every item needs the right price. 

How Petrosoft helps: CStoreOffice® price-book and invoice management keeps costs current, flags low-margin items and pushes price changes to SmartPOS automatically. 

Lever 3: Get more from every labor hour 

At $1.60 in labor per transaction, small gains in speed add up fast. Faster checkout and simpler shift close mean your team spends time on customers, not paperwork. 

How Petrosoft helps: SmartPOS is built for c-store and fuel transactions, and CStoreOffice® automates shift reports and cash counts. Retail360 lets you check the numbers from anywhere. 

Lever 4: Stop the leaks 

The NRF reports businesses paid $198.25 billion in swipe fees in 2025, and the NRF and Loss Prevention Research Council found 50% of retailers saw more repeat offenders and 37% more walkout or pushout theft. When you’re losing 7 cents a transaction, shrink is the difference between profit and loss. 

How Petrosoft helps: Eagle Eye ties video to SmartPOS voids, refunds and no-sales, and CStoreOffice® cash and shift controls flag shortages the same day. 

Your profit-per-transaction checklist 

  1. Track average basket and margin per transaction in CStoreOffice® every week. 
  2. Add food and drink offers with QwickServe kiosks to grow the basket. 
  3. Review your price book against current costs and fix low-margin items. 
  4. Speed up checkout with SmartPOS and automate shift close. 
  5. Review voids, refunds and cash shortages daily with Eagle Eye. 
  6. Watch it all from your phone in Retail360. 

Frequently asked questions 

How much profit does a convenience store make per transaction? 

NACS reported that after expenses, profit per in-store transaction fell 8 cents in 2025, meaning the average inside transaction lost 7 cents. Results vary widely by store. 

What is the average convenience store basket size? 

NACS reported the average c-store basket rose 24 cents to $7.69 in 2025. 

How much does labor cost per c-store transaction? 

NACS reported labor costs about $1.60 per in-store transaction. 

How can a small c-store increase profit per transaction? 

Grow the basket with food and add-ons, keep prices aligned with costs, speed up checkout and cut shrink. Petrosoft’s QwickServe, CStoreOffice®, SmartPOS and Eagle Eye cover each of those levers. 

Why are c-store expenses rising faster than profit? 

NACS says direct store operating expenses have outpaced inside gross profit for two straight years, driven by costs like labor and record card fees of $21.3 billion in 2025. 

See how CStoreOffice®, SmartPOS and QwickServe help independents make money on every transaction. Book a live, no-pressure demo at petrosoftinc.com. 

Sources 

With just a few minutes of your time, see live and in action how Petrosoft increases profits and simplifies business operations. No pressure, ask any questions you like!