Though your customers may take them for granted, shopping baskets are a pivotal part of the overall shopping experience. These convenient handheld vessels allow shoppers to pick up several items in a single trip without worrying about dropping them all over the floor. Baskets also provide a helpful alternative to shopping carts. After all, not every customer will want or need to push around a cart, especially if they’re only picking up a handful of things. By providing your customers with baskets, you not only improve their experience — you also increase your sales.

As great as baskets are, there will come a time when your current arsenal needs an update, if not a complete overhaul. This eventuality may be years in the distance, but it’s important to keep an eye out for the telltale signs that indicate it’s time to purchase some new baskets. Here are six signs you need to replace your shopping baskets.

Do You Need to Replace Your Shopping Carts?

1. You’ve Lost Count

How many baskets should your store have at its disposal? It’s an important question, the answer to which depends on a number of factors: how many customers are typically in your store at a given time, how many of said customers use baskets, where are the optimal locations to store and display your baskets, how large is your store, etc. Whatever the ideal number is, you want to make sure you maintain that appropriate amount of shopping baskets for your customers at all times. So, if your stock has dwindled over time due to theft, damage, accidental losses, etc., it’s crucial to restock as soon as possible.

2. Your Baskets Have Seen Better Days

Maybe you have plenty of baskets to spare. If said stock is in disrepair, however, you might want to replace it — at least the baskets that have undergone the most damage. Baskets that are worn down might be an eyesore (which can tarnish your reputation), but they can also pose a threat to your shoppers. Too much weight can cause the bottom of baskets to fall out, broken handles and sharp edges can pinch fingers and scratch the skin, and so on. For these reasons, it’s important to avoid purchasing cheap shopping baskets that will fall apart within the span of a few years or less. Buying high-quality baskets will keep you from needing to replace your stock so frequently.

3. Your Baskets are the Wrong Size

The baskets you provide for your customers should be well-suited to carry the types of products you sell. Of course, you might sell a variety of products that range in size, weight, and shape. Generally speaking, though, consider the standard shopping habits of your customers. Do you tend to sell a lot of a particular large item? If your baskets aren’t big enough to accommodate said item, customers may have to use a cart instead, which may frustrate them. On the other hand, if you offer large baskets but primarily sell smaller items, shoppers might get annoyed by having to carry around such a big vessel for such a small purchase. The bottom line is this: if there is a mismatch between the size of your baskets and the size of your best-selling products, it may be time to replace your stock, or at least buy alternative options.

4. You Can’t Meet All Your Customers’ Needs

Speaking of frustrated customers, you’ll wind up with plenty of them if your business doesn’t accommodate every type of shopper that walks in. Simply put, some customers have particular preferences and/or needs that standard baskets cannot always entertain. There is, of course, no way to please everyone all the time. That said, the more options you offer, the better your reputation will be. You might consider investing in some rolling shopping baskets which act as hybrids between baskets and carts. When one of these vessels gets too stuffed, the customer can set it down and roll it along the floor for convenience and comfort. These specialty baskets don’t have to replace your standard stock, but they might make a strong addition to your arsenal.

5. You’ve Changed Your Brand

Though shopping baskets primarily function to facilitate the shopping experience and, in turn, boost sales, they also serve as real estate for your company name and/or logo. If your business has recently undergone a brand change, you’ll have to do something about those baskets that still feature the old brand image. Unless you plan on placing decals over the previous logo, your best bet is to get rid of your old baskets and invest in new custom shopping baskets that reflect the color and image of your updated brand. It’s best to get ahead of the problem and plan to purchase new baskets before the brand change is public so you can update your entire store all at once.

6. Your Sales Have Dipped

As mentioned earlier, shopping baskets play a vital role in maintaining and increasing sales. A decline in sales could be the result of various factors, but your baskets (or lack thereof) could be a bigger culprit than you might initially think. One way to push your numbers back up might be to relocate your baskets to encourage certain types of purchases and make it easy for shoppers to grab more than they had planned when entering the store. Beyond relocation, however, it might be wise to replace your baskets, investing in new, bright vessels to capture customer attention and encourage use. There’s no guarantee that buying new baskets will increase sales, but this approach could have an impact.

Is it time to replace your shopping baskets? Make sure you buy shopping baskets that are eye-catching, versatile, and built to last.Good L Corporation delivers innovative shopping cart and basket solutions for retailers on a global scale. From a fleet of new custom carts to launch your store opening, to replacement baskets that supplement your existing shop supply, Good L Corp can configure the right carryall strategy to boost your retail business. Let’s get started! Contact us today for a no-pressure sales quote.