If your store sees regular activity, your shopping baskets can get put through the wringer. Despite your best efforts to take care of these assets, there’s no telling what a given customer may do to one of your baskets, let alone what the effects of ongoing wear and tear will be. Shopping baskets are seldom treated gently, often banging into other surfaces, holding heavy loads, and being dropped unceremoniously back into storage. Unless you want to replace your baskets on a frequent basis, however, you must find ways to protect these vessels from serious damage. The best way to ensure the longevity of your shopping baskets is to invest in heavy duty options from the outset. Plus, the more durable your baskets are, the more satisfied your customers will be.

But what’s the most durable kind of shopping basket, exactly? As you might imagine, there’s no single answer to this question. A better approach to seeking sturdy baskets for your store would be to understand which factors play into basket durability — so, let’s begin.

What to Know About Durable Shopping Baskets

Why Basket Size Matters

The size of your shopping baskets certainly matters in terms of convenience — size also plays a role in determining durability, though perhaps not in the way one might assume. Conventional wisdom would state that bigger baskets are inherently more durable, but this is only partially true. While large baskets are constructed from more material than their smaller counterparts, they’re also more susceptible to impact due to their larger size (it’s much easier to ram a big basket into walls and aisles as opposed to a small one). However, this isn’t to say that smaller baskets are more durable, either. Smaller baskets are typically easier to warp and break since they’re not reinforced with as much material as larger baskets. Ultimately, then, there’s no clear answer as to whether smaller or larger baskets are the most durable. The size of baskets you select for your store should depend on the types of items you sell, the amount of space you have inside your store, and the shopping habits of the majority of your customers.

The Function Factor

A basket’s design also has to do with its overall durability. Most shopping baskets share a similar design philosophy, featuring one or two folding handles for shoppers to comfortably grasp as they walk around the store, gathering goods off the shelf. Some baskets, however, feature wheels as well, making them more a hybrid between basket and cart. These rolling shopping baskets may be more durable than traditional baskets for a few key reasons. First, their ability to be carried and rolled on the ground allows customers to more easily maneuver a given store without crashing into things. Second, roller baskets are taller (and therefore deeper) than standard baskets, allowing them to comfortably hold more items — and since they can be rolled along the ground, the additional weight will not put extra strain on the basket’s handle. And finally, roller baskets are constructed from more materials to accommodate their additional functionality. All else being equal, then, roller baskets are among the most durable kinds of shopping baskets available.

Storage Considerations

At first, it might seem like basket storage has little, if anything, to do with basket durability. Consider, however, that a basket’s location and resting position can contribute to its condition over time. For example, if your shopping baskets don’t properly stack on one another when stored, they’re bound to take on various scuffs and scratches. Likewise, if your store is too small to store your baskets inside, these vessels will have to endure sunlight, rain, wind, and other outdoor threats. To keep your baskets in great shape, then, you must pay attention to how and where they’re stored when not in use.

Materials Make All the Difference

When it comes to basket durability, the importance of size, function, and storage pales in comparison to that of material. It should come as no surprise that the primary determinants of your shopping baskets’ durability are what they’re made of. Cheap plastic shopping baskets may get the job done for a little while, but it won’t be long until you need to invest in new baskets yet again. Metal baskets can withstand impact and abrasion fairly well, but they’re susceptible to oxidation (rust) when exposed to moisture. Ultimately, high-quality, eco-friendly plastic is the best, most durable material for shopping baskets. Before purchasing new baskets from a manufacturer, it’s worth asking them about their production process, the materials they use, and why they operate the way they do. High-quality baskets may be more expensive than their lower-quality counterparts, but they’re more likely to stand the test of time, making them a better long-term investment.

The Verdict

The most durable kind of shopping basket is one that’s optimized for the store in question (both in terms of size and function), properly stored, and built from high-quality plastic (and other quality materials, if applicable). If you’re looking to buy shopping baskets for your store, it’s imperative to keep the factors mentioned here in mind.

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!