Application Assignment #1:

Category Management Principles: An Immersive Convenience Store Learning Experience

RMG806 Winter 2024
______________________________________________________________________________

Background Information
This immersive learning experience is a Virtual Reality environment of an existing Circle K
convenience store. The products used within the VR store are actual Private Label and National
Brands that are available at Circle K. The aisles, shelves, categories, products and in store
atmosphere were designed to replicate (as closely as possible, there are some limitations with
VR technology) the shopper experience within a Circle K convenience store.
This immersive VR Convenience Store Learning Experience is developed to provide TRSM
students with a current, realistic, engaging and immersive retail learning experience. In
collaboration with Circle K, a global convenience store chain, this learning experience focuses
on Category Management, a growing practice within retail, that offers employment
opportunities at all levels across the value chain (i.e., retailers, vendors, third party service
providers) with competitive compensation and career advancement opportunities (Category
Management Association, 2023). Even though Category Management practices are
commonplace in grocery, convenience and mass channels, entry level positions are difficult to
fill because of the special skills and preparation required to be “work ready” and the lack of
Category Management education at post-secondary institutions. Working in Category
Management requires critical thinking, decision making, an understanding of the key
stakeholders that operate within the retail environment, and the ability to transform insights
into actionable solutions for an exceptional shopper experience. This VR Circle K Convenience
Store facilitates the real time application of core Category Management principles (pricing,
promotion, product and placement), with the ultimate goal of developing high quality and job
ready Category Management talent from the Ted Rogers School of Retail Management.
The VR Circle K Convenience Store was made possible with funding by the Government of
Ontario and through eCampus Ontario’s support of the Virtual Learning Strategy.
Project Lead: Dr. Janice Rudkowski
VR Simulation Technical Development & Implementation: XpertVR
Circle K Lead: Leslie Gordon, Director of Proprietary Brands
Product Images: GS1 Canada
TMU Immersion Studio Lead: Michael Carter-Arlt

RMG806 APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT #1 1

Assignment #1 Questions:
The following questions require you to do the following: 1) visit a bricks and mortar Circle K
Convenience Store, 2) experience the VR Circle K Convenience Store within the TMU Library
Immersion Studio, and 3) visit the Circle K website. Answer the questions based on your
observations and experiences in each of the three settings.
PART A (to be completed in Week 2)
1. Visit a bricks and mortar Circle K Convenience Store and answer the following
questions based on your observations:
a. Format & Target Consumers: (2 marks)
i. How is a convenience store different from a large format grocery store?
From your observations, what types of consumers shop at Circle K?
b. Product/Assortment: (2 marks)
i. Walk through the entire store. Select one category within the store and
describe it. What products and brands are contained within it? Identify
the national brands and the private label brands.
c. Pricing: (2 marks)
i. Provide some examples of how the products within the selected category
are priced. Select one national brand product and one private label
product within the category and compare their prices. Explain if it’s
regular and/or promotional pricing. What pricing strategy is Circle K
trying to achieve?
d. Placement: (2 marks)
i. Explain where the selected category is placed within the store. What
categories are adjacent to it? Note where the products are placed within
the aisle, on shelves and/or within fridges (if relevant). Note where the
national brand products are placed vs. the private label products.
ii. What places within a convenience store are best for impulse purchases?
iii. What places within a convenience store are more prone to theft?

e. Promotions: (2 marks)
i. Describe the promotions, if any, that are taking place within the selected
category. What products/brands are being promoted (remember to
consider the sizes and formats of the products)? Are they national brand
products or private label products? Do you think this is an effective
promotion? If there are no current promotions happening, explain why
you believe products within this category are not currently being
promoted.

RMG806 APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT #1 2

 2. Visit the Circle K website and answer the following questions:
a. Format: (3 marks)
i. From your observations, what is the purpose the Circle K website? How is
their website different from the bricks and mortar convenience store?
b. Product/Assortment: (3 marks)
i. Describe three different products that Circle K features on their website.
c. Promotions: (4 marks)
i. Describe one of the current contests running on the Circle K website in
your region. Who is the main target market of this contest? What are
three different goals that Circle K is likely trying to achieve by running this
contest?

3. Experience the Virtual Reality Circle K Convenience Store in the Immersion Studio and
then answer the following questions:
a. Product/Assortment: (2 marks)
i. Select one of the following categories: Salty Snacks (chips, nuts,
popcorn…), Milk, Confectionery (candy) or Beverages (energy drinks, iced
teas…). What products and brands are contained within the selected
category? Identify and describe the national brands and the private label
brands within the selected category.
b. Pricing: (2 marks)
i. Provide some examples of how the products within the selected category
are priced. Select one national brand product and one private label
product within the category and compare their prices. Explain if it’s
regular and/or promotional pricing. What pricing strategy is Circle K
trying to achieve?
c. Placement: (2 marks)
i. Explain where the selected category is placed within the store. What
categories are adjacent to it? Note where the products are placed within
the aisle, on shelves and/or within fridges (if relevant). Note where the
national brand products are placed vs. the private label products.
d. Promotions: (2 marks)
i. Describe the promotions, if any, that are taking place within the selected
category. What products/brands are being promoted (remember to
consider the sizes and formats of the products)? Are they national brand
products or private label products? Do you think this is an effective
promotion? If there are no current promotions happening, explain why
you believe products within this category are not currently being
promoted.

RMG806 APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT #1 3

PART B
4. Week 3: More questions to come in Week 3 when you get access to Retail Pipelines
Data
a. Access information and questions will be provided in Week 3.

Instructions for completing Application Assignment #1

- You may use this document to complete the assignment, and simply answer each
question below the question.
- Please delete the Background Information section before handing in your assignment.
- Please write in full sentences, and use proper grammar and punctuation.
- Your answers are based on your personal observations.
- This is an individual assignment. You may discuss your observations with your
classmates, but you must complete and write the assignment on your own.
- Please include a cover page, that includes your first and last name, course code, name of
assignment, the date and your student number.
- Part A is completed in Week 2 class; Part B is completed in Week 3 class.
- Submit Application Assignment #1 to the correct D2L dropbox by Wednesday January 31
at 11:59pm.

RMG806 APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT #1 4