At the beginning of October, London became the center of attention for the future of convenience retail for three days straight. During the annual Retail Technology Conference hosted by Invenco by GVR, international industry players gathered to discuss trends, innovations, and above all, opportunities within the fuel retail sector. Among them was Duco Veltkamp, Head of Business Development at Mokobouw Fuel Systems.
Article from Move On Magazine | Text: Birgitta van der Linden
“What stayed with me most,” says Duco, “is that media at the pump is finally delivering on its promise. Not as a nice extra, but as a serious growth driver for fuel stations.” In London, Duco saw how the conversation around customer engagement is becoming increasingly concrete. “In the past, screens at the pump were mostly seen as a promise. There were a few isolated pilots, but the infrastructure and scalability simply weren’t there. Now, cloud connectivity and smart integrations have completely changed the game. The question is no longer if this matters, but how to use it effectively.”
"The question is no longer if this matters, but how to use it effectively.”
A moment of attention
According to Duco, the real strength of digital media lies in its context. “When someone is refueling, they spend two to four minutes at the pump. During that time, they are literally connected to the dispenser and fully focused on the screen in front of them. Research shows that almost everyone watches, a large percentage then walks into the store, and around forty percent end up making an unplanned purchase. That is huge. This is not about superficial advertising, it’s about influencing customers right before the purchasing decision. For retailers, that is incredibly valuable.”
"This is not about superficial advertising, it’s about influencing customers right before the purchasing decision."
Complexity as the main obstacle
At the same time, he notices that many retailers are still hesitant. “The biggest barrier isn’t willingness, but fear of complexity. How do you create content? How do you manage dozens of screens? Who is going to handle all of it? That’s where things often stalled. Retailers are not media companies, they want simplicity and support.”
That is exactly why Duco finds the latest developments surrounding the Media Management System by Extendas so interesting. “At the request of a major Dutch retailer, Extendas joined forces with the engineers at Gilbarco in Salzkotten to develop a solution. The result is an intuitive cloud-based platform that finally makes screen management easy. You can upload videos, images, and messages and connect them to specific customer actions. If someone fuels with diesel, for example, an AdBlue promotion can automatically appear. If someone fuels with Euro95, the screen might display a windshield washer fluid promotion. You can even schedule campaigns by time of day: a breakfast offer early in the morning or a sandwich deal around lunchtime. And all of it can be managed with just a few clicks.”
Responding to the moment
According to Duco, the power of such a system lies not only in its simplicity, but especially in its flexibility. “Imagine the temperature suddenly rises to thirty degrees. As a retailer, you want to instantly launch an ice cream promotion on the screen. Or think about sporting events, holidays, or local happenings. In the past, making those adjustments was complicated; now it can be done almost instantly. That allows retailers to respond to the moment and significantly increases the chance that customers will enter the store after refueling.”
Tailored communication
The platform also creates new opportunities for networks with multiple locations. “You can configure campaigns per location group. An unmanned express site can display premium fuel campaigns, while attended locations with a convenience store can focus on soft drink or sandwich promotions. It becomes true customization, without the operational complexity.”
Media as a growth engine
For Duco, it is clear that media at the pump is evolving from an experiment into a structural revenue model. “We are only at the beginning, but the growth is happening fast. The market is already growing at double-digit rates every year, and that will continue because retailers increasingly see the value it delivers. The beauty is that results are measurable: how many people watch, what they do afterward in the store, and how revenue develops. That makes the impact tangible.”
Driving the industry forward
He emphasizes that success depends heavily on reliable partners. “It is fantastic that the technology is finally mature, but retailers primarily want convenience and reliability. The Extendas platform, combined with Gilbarco’s multimedia dispensers, delivers exactly that. At Mokobouw, we see it as our role to initiate and help realize projects like these. Ultimately, these are the innovations that move the industry forward.”
"Ultimately, these are the innovations that move the industry forward.”
From conference to reality
“The conference in London clearly showed that the fuel retail industry is in a transitional phase,” Duco concludes. “We are moving from isolated experiments to serious, measurable customer communication. It was inspiring to see international players discussing these developments together, but I am especially focused on what comes next. The technology is here, the infrastructure is ready, and the use cases are convincing. Now it is up to retailers to put it into practice. Those who embrace this effectively will gain a tremendous competitive advantage. Media at the pump is no longer an idea for the future, it is an opportunity for today.”
