If you run a retail business or grocery store, your main priorities are customer satisfaction and sales. Providing customers with functional shopping carts and baskets serves both of these purposes. These tools make it easier for customers to shop around the store while incentivizing them to purchase more items by filling their baskets as they go.

But there are always ways to increase sales. Providing carts and baskets is just one piece of the puzzle. Placement matters, too. Strategic placement of shopping carts and baskets can boost sales numbers. Customers who initially enter the store with just an item or two in mind may decide to make a bigger trip if a basket or cart is handy along the way. Even mini shopping baskets placed around the store help customers contain their items so they don’t drop and encourage them to grab a few extra things before leaving.

If you want to make some extra sales, you need to think about where you’re placing your carts and baskets, and why. Let’s take a look at some ideal placement choices that help businesses make more sales.

Where to Put Shopping Carts to Improve Sales

Parking Lot

Placing shopping carts in the parking lot is more of a necessity than a strategic choice. However, businesses can use this space to their advantage. Large retailers often install shopping cart corrals in their parking lots to give customers a convenient place to drop off their carts after unloading them. Specific employees then round up these carts and bring them back inside to designated areas.

However, it’s not a bad idea to leave some carts in the corrals. This will happen naturally on busier days as the customer-to-employee ratio becomes unbalanced and carts start piling up in the lot. But even during slower times, leaving some carts in the parking lot area serves some strategic purposes.

First, it signals to customers that others have been shopping. This subtle cue may prepare some customers to purchase more once inside. Second, and more importantly, this placement provides the earliest opportunity for a customer to grab a cart. If they were on the fence about grabbing one, they might decide to take a cart from the parking lot for sheer convenience. Immediate cart access also helps customers load in their bottles, cans, or other returns.

Entrances

Entrances are the most obvious places to prominently feature shopping baskets and carts. This is where customers begin their shopping journey. Some will know right away whether or not they need a cart or basket, while others might not decide until faced with the convenience of them upon entry. Either way, having enough of them at every entrance will start the customer’s experience off on the right foot. When customers are in a good mood, they tend to be a bit more liberal in their spending and take more time walking around the store. These factors are crucial for making more sales.

Exits

In many stores (especially smaller ones), entrances and exits are located in the same places. Regardless, every exit should also have plenty of carts and baskets on display. This might seem counterintuitive at first. After all, if someone is leaving the store, they’ve probably already purchased what they need, with or without a shopping cart.

However, at one point or another, all of us will forget an item (or several) after going through the checkout line. Customers who notice they’re forgetting something before they leave will usually re-enter the store to avoid an extra trip later in the week. If they’re carrying several bags from the previous trip, they might want to grab a cart or basket to lighten the load as they rush back in to grab those forgotten things. In this way, exits provide an important area for a business to make more sales, even for items they would have sold anyway.

Key Points Around the Store

Customers don’t always enter a store with a plan in mind. Even those who come equipped with a detailed list often find themselves gravitating toward additional purchases, or perhaps doubling up on items to prepare for inclement weather. If these customers start grabbing items left and right without a cart or basket on hand, they may find themselves in a pickle. They’ll either have to put everything back and return to the store entrance to grab a cart, or potentially make a mess while attempting to carry a large load.

Whatever the case, business owners are wise to place some extra baskets and small shopping carts around the store. This way indecisive or unprepared customers can still easily find a place for all their stuff without the hassle. The trick is determining the most strategic places for these baskets and carts. Store owners should consider things like which areas receive the highest traffic, which areas feature the largest or heaviest items, and what’s the most common route for customers to take when shopping. Each of these factors can help inform a store of the optimal placement for in-store carts and baskets. Making these tools accessible throughout the store won’t just improve the customer experience, but also increase sales.

Increase Sales with Better Baskets and Carts

Strategic shopping cart and basket placement helps stores make more sales by providing their customers with convenient options for carrying as many items as they need. Of course, the tools themselves must be functional, mobile, and comfortable for use. Good L Corporation is an American manufacturer that provides high-quality, customizable shopping carts and baskets to retailers around the country. Whether your business needs new large baskets, small carts, or anything in between, we have the resources to help you provide your customers with the best shopping experience possible. We can customize your carts and baskets with your company logo to increase brand recognition and boost sales. Then, it’s up to you to find the perfect place for your perfect carts and baskets. For more information on us, our mission, and our products, call us today at 855-823-6349!

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.