If you want to keep your customers around, it’s important to provide them with the right resources for their shopping trips. Shopping carts and baskets are vital vessels for helping shoppers carry their stuff around before finally checking out and loading up their vehicles. However, not all carts and baskets are created equal. Not only do these objects come in a range of sizes — they also come in a range of shapes and functions, some better suited for certain situations than others. As we’ve discussed in previous articles, small baskets might work well for a boutique shop, but larger baskets might be necessary for grocery stores. For some shoppers, carts are far more convenient than baskets due to their enhanced mobility and carrying capacity. But what about shoppers who can’t make up their mind, or who prefer a different kind of shopping vessel entirely? Enter rolling shopping baskets (roller baskets, for short).

As their name suggests, roller baskets are shopping baskets with wheels. These objects aren’t quite carts, however, as they only feature two wheels and can still be carried like a regular basket if desired. The hybrid nature of these devices has made them mainstays for several retail and grocery stores, even if customers only have access to a small supply of them. If you’re looking to buy shopping baskets to restock your store, roller baskets might sound appealing. Before making the final decision, however, it helps to know both the good and the bad about these vessels. Let’s outline the various pros and cons of roller baskets.

Roller Basket Benefits:

Let’s begin with the advantages offered by rolling shopping baskets.

Roller Baskets Are Roomy

Rolling basket carts might not be as extensive as standard carts, but they can often hold more than standard baskets. Whereas typical baskets are wider than they are tall, roller baskets reverse this, providing a deep carriage that’s perfect for carrying taller items as well as stacking decent-sized hauls.

They Don’t Take Up too Much Space

Rolling basket carts may be larger and deeper than regular baskets, but this doesn’t mean they take up an inordinate amount of space. On the contrary, roller baskets aren’t excessively wide, and one side is rather slim, making it easy to carry or roll them around a store without bumping into displays or other shoppers. Moreover, roller baskets are easily stacked for simple, non-obstructive storage.

Built to Last

Because rolling shopping baskets are designed in part to roll across floors, they are built to withstand more wear and tear than the typical shopping basket. With urethane wheels (with actual bearings) and high-impact Polypropylene compositions, roller baskets can take more than just a hit, standing the test of time, so you don’t have to worry about replacing your fleet for a long time to come.

Best of Both Worlds

The biggest perk of roller baskets is their ability to act as both a basket and a cart. This dual capability gives your customers more flexibility when it comes to their preferred shopping method. For instance, a customer might come in only expecting to grab a few things, only to realize they would rather get their week’s worth of groceries while they’re there. Instead of walking back to change out their basket with a cart, they can simply pull out the telescopic handle of their roller basket and roll it when things get too heavy. Providing these options will yield greater customer satisfaction and retention.

Roller Basket Setbacks

It’s not all smooth sailing with rolling shopping baskets, however. Here are some tradeoffs to keep in mind before settling on this type of vessel for your store.

Bulkier Than Most Baskets

Sure, rolling basket carts are stronger and more spacious than regular basket carts, but these attributes also equate to a bulkier build. These vessels might not take up as much space as a typical cart, but they aren’t quite as easy to carry around as a basket, either (large baskets aside). So, if your store mostly smells smaller objects, it might be more practical to offer small and standard baskets as opposed to larger roller baskets.

Not Always as Convenient as Carts

Roller baskets come in handy in crucial situations (like the one described above where a customer needs to pick up some extra items). That said, a greater number of shopping scenarios call for a cart from the get-go. In fact, it’s usually easier for a given customer to push a cart than it is for them to pull out the handle of a roller basket and pull it along, assuming said shopper has a plan of attack in mind. Simply put, shopping carts may be more immediately useful for a greater chunk of your audience than roller baskets.

More Moving Parts

There’s nothing high-tech about roller baskets, but these vessels do feature more components than a typical basket or cart, such as the wheels, bearings, regular handle, and telescopic handle that pulls out for ergonomic reasons. If any of these features break down or go missing, the roller basket suddenly loses its primary advantage: its hybrid capabilities. Durability aside, nothing lasts forever, and you might find it difficult to repair damaged roller baskets.

The Verdict

There’s a lot to love about rolling shopping baskets, but everything comes with tradeoffs. If your customers would benefit from more versatile shopping vessels, roller baskets might be right for your store — but if you’re doing fine with standard baskets and carts, you might stick to the status quo instead. Whatever your specific basket or cart needs, Good L Corp. has you covered. 

Good L Corporation delivers innovative shopping cart and basket solutions for retailers on a global scale. Good L Corp. can configure the right carryall strategy to boost your retail business, from a fleet of new custom carts to launch your store opening to replacement baskets that supplement your existing shop supply. Let’s get started! Contact us today for a no-pressure sales quote!