Shopping carts are essential to your store, no matter if you’re a small boutique or a large grocery chain. However, it can be difficult to determine which cart is better for the needs of your clientele. We hope to give you the rundown of what the different kinds of shopping carts are, so that you know how to best accommodate your customers. A happy customer means a happy bottom line, so let’s discover the best cart for your needs below.
Why Is Having Variety So Important?
Having a variety of grocery carts is important for any store because more variety can fit the needs of any customer. A customer who only has a few items might only need a handbasket. Alternately, a customer with a short list may need a two-tier basket.
In addition to this, you can accommodate the type of store you have. A small boutique is most likely to use two tier-carts because it doesn’t need a conventional sized cart. On the other hand, large grocery stores are likely going to have roughly all the carts mentioned below for the sake of accommodating customers’ needs.
Types of Carts
There are many kinds of grocery carts that you can use, but the major players will be introduced below. They’re each used to accommodate the needs of their customer effectively so that a wide variety of customers can use them. Everyone is different and comes into the grocery store for different reasons. It’s your job as a business to make sure everyone has the cart that best allows them to get the different types of shopping carts they need.
Conventional Carts
These are your standard metal or plastic buggies that you find in most stores. You’re likely to find them in the parking lot corral or when you first walk into the store. This is because these are the carts that most people use. They’re far bigger than handbaskets, and they come in small, medium, and large sizes.
This helps make them the most versatile and one of the most important carts on this list. When people have long lists of items that require more room than two-tier carts or your store’s handbaskets, conventional carts are the ideal choice.
Handbaskets
Handbaskets are perfect for customers who only need a few things. Consider this: would you want to push around a heavy grocery cart just to get some bread and snacks? You probably wouldn’t, and it’s important to view things from your customer’s perspective. Try to imagine that they might be in this exact situation. Although conventional carts are a good option for those with large amounts of items, those with less could feel they are too cumbersome. These types of baskets are also excellent for smaller stores and boutiques. In those cases, you might be able to get away with only having grocery handbaskets or even bags since customers might not ever buy enough product to justify a larger cart.
Rolling Handbaskets
This is the same as your standard handbasket, but it rolls on the floor like a regular cart. This makes it a bit easier on the hands. It is perfect for people that just want to move their basket around easier. The wheels are the best part of this cart. For many people, rolling your cart along the floor is easier than lugging it around in your hands.
Two-Tier Carts
Two-tier carts are perfect for customers who have a short grocery list. These carts are typically used by bigger grocery chains and franchises that have a large variety of items as an option to larger carts. Some people call them “convenience carts” as they are quick and easy to maneuver. There are many places where you can get shopping carts like this—you just have to learn where to buy shopping carts—luckily you can get many refurbished versions of them online.
Mobility Scooters
Having even a few mobility scooters in your store opens you up to a whole new group of people: people who for whatever reason cannot walk around your store. Typically, people use these scooters because they have a physical disability. There are any number of reasons why a person can’t walk around your store, and scooter carts are designed to accommodate them. As a matter of fact, disabled people will be more likely to frequent your store than others because not everyone carries them: your store will become memorable.
Types of Materials
There are two different kinds of shopping carts that are used in most stores: metal and plastic. They each have a slew of pros and cons. We’ll examine some of the major ones below.
Metal Carts
Metal carts are durable and far more likely to hold many items. Metal wire frames are also easier to fix if damaged. If the cart has parts broken off or bends, you can simply weld it together. Overall, steel carts are also less expensive to repair. Believe it or not, they’re also lighter than plastic carts. However, they do tend to make a lot of noise as customers move around the store, and that can distract customers.
Plastic Carts
Plastic carts are more customizable. You can paint them your logo’s color. This cements a brand identity that your customer remembers. You will stay fresh in the customer’s mind, making them want to buy from you when it’s time to get supplies or groceries. Plastic carts also make less noise overall. You’d be surprised how annoying metal carts can be for customers, so the fact that plastic naturally dampens sound waves is a boon for customer experience. That said, while they’re far more durable than metal carts, they are also difficult to repair.
Which Is Better?
Both carts have their benefits and drawbacks, so it’s not like one is best. Which one you choose depends on your needs. If durability, branding, and noise is a concern, go with plastic. If costs, mobility, and lightness is important, get some metal carts for your store. Alternately, you could get a mixture of both and accommodate everyone’s needs.
In short, there are many different carts for many different purposes, and getting a lay of the land is essential when it comes to accommodating all your customer’s needs. We hope that this examination of most types of shopping carts has helped you determine which you need most. Here at Carriage Trade Service Co, we pride ourselves on our large selection of shopping carts! Shop Carriage Trade today!
