What makes a good brand? Most of us inherently know the answer even if we don’t realize it. The best brands out there are instantly recognizable, memorable, and deliver a clear, consistent message about the values of a given company. In other words, a brand is essentially a company’s identity, at least as it is perceived by the public. This is why it’s so important for all businesses to establish a strong brand and ensure that it continues to accurately reflect the business, and vice versa — it is also why changing or updating one’s brand can be challenging. 

A brand update may be necessary due to previous poor public relations, outdated imagery or symbolism, change in ownership, legal complications, and/or to reinvigorate a stale business. Whatever the reason though, the implementation of a brand update is just as important as the update itself. All customers (whether old or new) should be able to quickly notice and understand the brand change so the new branding becomes just as recognizable (if not more so) than the previous version. To achieve this, you must cover all of your branding bases, which often involves updating the aesthetic and/or logo of your storefront(s) as well as key features inside, including your shopping carts and baskets. 

So, are you updating your branding? Here’s why you should not forget about your shopping carts and baskets, and how to include these vessels in your brand update.

How to Upgrade Shopping Carts & Baskets with Branding

Carts and Baskets: More Than Merely Shopping Vessels

We often think of shopping baskets and carts as little more than tools for carrying and transporting goods, facilitating the shopping experience from beginning to end. While this is true on a purely practical level, your business’ shopping vessels can also serve another purpose — namely, acting as vehicles for your brand. There is a reason some of the most successful retail stores feature carts and baskets that don the company’s colors and/or logo. By investing in customized shopping vessels, businesses provide their customers with a unified and unique experience that drives their brand home. Let’s dive deeper into how you can make your baskets and carts a part of your brand.

Color Your Carts and Baskets to Match Your Brand

As just mentioned above, many retailers and grocery chains deliberately match the colors of their custom shopping baskets to the colors of their brand. This action might seem superficial and insignificant at first, but consider the optics of having dozens of shoppers carrying their items in vessels sharing a single color. Then, consider the same scenario where the vessels are instead all different colors. The former situation represents strong brand recognition and unity while the latter is incoherent.

Let Your Logo Stay Top of Mind

Another way to strongly implement your new branding using your carts and baskets is by stamping your updated logo directly on them. Sure, most customers will already know the name and logo of the business in which they’re shopping, but prominently placing your logo on these vessels simply serves as another reminder to the customer in question and those around them. Large baskets are typically the best candidates for this type of branding since they offer plenty of surface area for a large logo and lettering.

Consistency Counts

If you neglect your carts and baskets (or anything else for that matter) when updating your branding, you can end up confusing customers and harming your image. Your brand update must be implemented holistically and, ideally, simultaneously. After all, updating your marketing material and storefront will fall flat if your old shopping carts and baskets are still representing the colors and/or logo of your previous branding efforts. If you want to deliver the best, most unified experience to your customers, you can’t overlook anything that relates to your branding. And unfortunately, carts and baskets are often brushed aside during a brand reset.

The Power of “New”

Though not always the case, brand updates are often inherently exciting because they present a fresh image. This novelty is naturally intriguing, even if businesses cannot bank on the “new” factor alone. Beyond offering a fresh image, though, brand updates tend to come with fresh physical elements as well, such as new paint jobs, signs, store layouts, products, and more. New shopping carts and baskets should be on this list as well. Indeed, a brand update might require the purchase of new shopping vessels anyway, especially if said update involves a change in colors and/or logo. Offering new carts and baskets to your customers not only reinforces your brand image but also conveys a renewed sense of success and care for your audience. It is difficult to ignore or dislike the tactile sensation of holding a brand new cart or basket, after all. In this way, investing in new carts and baskets as part of your brand update is good for both brand recognition and reputation.

Assess Your Audience

The types of carts and baskets you offer also play into your brand success. Customers have different shopping habits, and different vessels can help or hinder these preferences. If families with small children make up a large demographic for your business, you might improve your brand by offering kid-friendly carts and baskets. Or, if your store receives a large population of elderly or disabled folks, it may be wise to invest in motorized carts. Understanding your audience is essential in providing them with the best overall experience, and your carts and baskets play major parts in these efforts.

Updating your branding requires a multi-faceted approach. Make sure your shopping carts and baskets enter the equation.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.