Every facility has a limited amount of space, though some certainly have more or less than others. Knowing this, every item you bring into your store should be put there for a reason. Without proper discretion, your location can quickly become overwhelmed by products and resources that interfere with your customers and employees rather than aid them. When it comes to stocking your store with shopping carts, you always have to think about how much space these vessels consume and whether or not they’re benefitting your bottom line. If you offer too few carts, your customers won’t be able to shop as easily; if you offer too many, everyone inside will have a harder time navigating your store. 

Of course, the quantity of carts isn’t the only aspect to consider here. The size and shape of each of your shopping carts have spatial implications as well. Double basket shopping carts, for instance, are designed for verticality, allowing customers to place objects in an upper and lower section rather than a single larger basket. The notion of “doubling” a shopping cart in this way might raise the question, though: “Are double steel basket carts too big for my store?” In order to answer that question, you must take many factors into account, which we’ll explore below.

How to Tell if Double Steel Baskets Are Too Big

Keep Storage Capabilities in Mind

Aside from your location’s busiest periods, it’s highly unlikely that all of your shopping carts will be in use simultaneously. For the most part, a significant number of your carts will always be stored just outside its entrance (whether outdoors or inside). But just as your store’s floor space is limited, so too is its storage space. When wondering whether double basket carts are too big for your store, then you must first figure out how much storage capacity you have. If you don’t have enough space to store all of your carts, you’ll run into several problems. Fortunately, double basket carts are relatively slim and easily lodge themselves into one another for tight storage. In the same amount of space, you can store a far greater number of these two-tiered basket carts than standard carts, as the latter tend to be wider and longer. In this sense, double steel basket carts will often save you space rather than take more of it up.

Are Your Aisles Narrow or Wide?

After you have your storage needs sorted out, you must think about how much space double shopping carts may consume as customers do their shopping. The more narrow your aisles are, the less viable larger/wider carts become. And even if your aisles are plenty wide, the more carts you can comfortably fit in them at a given time, the better. In other words, slimmer, taller, and/or smaller carts often have a spatial advantage over larger, wider carts when it comes to navigation. Once again, double basket carts are beneficial in this case.

Consider the Products You Sell

While double steel basket carts might be easier to get in and out of aisles and past other customers, however, they might not hold as many items as a larger single basket cart. This depends on the basket size of either cart, of course. Fortunately, the advent of two baskets (one above and one below) in a double shopping cart usually provides ample space for the average shopper. Still, the types of products you sell can help inform which types of shopping vessels you offer your customers. For instance, if you sell primarily bigger, taller, heavier items, double steel basket carts might actually be too small for your customers, as they might struggle to squeeze their stuff into either basket. On the other hand, large baskets might not be necessary if you mostly sell smaller products, even in large quantities.

Understanding Your Customers’ Needs

This brings us to one of the most important considerations regarding shopping cart selection: customer preferences and needs. Not only must your carts be able to fit in your location and contain the types of products you sell — they must also provide a comfortable and convenient experience for each and every shopper. If a customer can’t easily maneuver their shopping cart, your business can take a hit in more ways than one. And, as mentioned earlier, if you don’t provide an adequate number of carts for your shopping base, you’ll greatly dampen their experience and see a reduction in sales. Generally speaking, double basket carts provide a solid solution to all of these potential problems — they’re not too large or heavy but still offer plenty of carrying capacity, they’re relatively easy to maneuver (compared to larger single basket carts), and it’s easier to provide more of them because of their enhanced storage capabilities.

It’s All About Versatility

It’s also worth mentioning that some double basket carts can be easily disassembled so that the baskets themselves can be removed from the frame. This level of versatility opens up even more space and resources. Customers who don’t wish to push around a cart can simply grab one of the baskets, and employees can use the frames as helpful restocking mechanisms. This adaptability is great for your bottom line and your spatial concerns.

The Bottom Line

So, are double steel basket carts too big for your store? In most cases, the answer will be no. In fact, double basket carts are often some of the best shopping carts for saving space and resources while keeping your customers happy. Of course, you have to be the judge since every store and situation are different. At Good L Corp, our steel urban double basket cart has dimensions of 26”L x 22”W x 39.5”H, and weight of 36 lbs, a 7” nest, with a single skid containing 28 carts. As for our standard basket cart, the dimensions are 17.5”L x 14.8”W x 36”H with a nest of 6.8”, weight of 16 lbs, and a skid that holds 34 carts. Check out our products for more details and specs on our double basket cart offerings.

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.