The car wash industry is steadily expanding. In 2021, the industry grew to over $15 billion in the U.S. and nearly $30 billion globally, and further industry growth is expected during the next decade.

If convenience retailers are thinking about adding a car wash to an existing site or looking into new build locations that would incorporate a car wash, NACS has published a free white paper on the current landscape of car washes. The paper, “Leveraging Car Wash Potential in Convenience Retail,” provides insight on:

• Car wash types and site selection criteria
• Wash tiers and subscription models
• Marketing efforts, building car wash loyalty and customer expectations 
• Wash maintenance and labor requirements
• Handling customer complaints 

According to the paper, operating a car wash is a high-margin, low-labor venture for convenience retailers, and interest in tunnel washes is growing among con- venience retailers with available space, particularly at new build locations.

Vehicle maintenance and upkeep levels are higher because consumers are keeping cars longer, particularly since March 2020. Plus, increased personal vehicle ownership for gig-economy work is prompting owners to take better care of their vehicles to create a more polished image. 

NACS offers recommendations for retailers who don’t own car washes on how to set them up, what type to implement, how to have a frictionless wash experience and more.

Find out how convenience retailers are leveraging car washes to drive traffic and deliver growth by downloading the free white paper today at www.convenience.org /carwash.