Over the holidays, the number of shoppers visiting retail stores jumps dramatically. This happens for many reasons. Customers view in-store shopping as an exciting part of the season and want to experience the festivities, decorations, music, and overall ambiance. Many also want to avoid shipping mishaps that might delay the arrival of their gifts. And many also like to see, touch, compare, and choose among products and items in person before committing to a purchase.

Unique in-store events can also draw more people into a retail outlet over the holiday season, which owners and managers can leverage by ensuring that once the customer steps inside, their store’s shopping carts and hand baskets are clean and in good shape.

When your carts wobble or won’t move because of a faulty wheel, or shopping baskets are bent, broken, or completely absent because they’re in use, you can risk losing business from customers who’ll simply abandon a cart and those who’ll decide to shop elsewhere. Preparing your shopping carts and baskets for the holiday season can be a great strategy for optimizing purchase follow-through, additional impulse buys, and overall revenue.

Let’s break down how to prepare your carts and baskets for the holiday rush.

Start the Holiday Rush With Clean and Functioning Shopping Equipment

As part of your grocery holiday prep, give those carts and baskets a thorough cleaning. For your shopping carts, a standard degreaser can lift debris, while a thorough power wash with hot water will leave them gleaming and ready for use.

Prevent wobbly wheels, broken handles, or rust from interfering with the shopping process by checking your carts prior to the standard rush. Replace wheels that are damaged, fix any handle problems you detect, and use an anti-rust treatment to remove signs of wear and tear.

This same idea applies to shopping baskets. Staying ahead of problems is one of the most valuable basket maintenance tips you can implement. Your baskets should all look clean and sanitized, and be in tip-top shape, so shoppers can fill them to the brim without fear that their items will come crashing to the floor. Optimize placement of your carts for easy customer access and to maintain clear pathways through your store for extra purchase assurance.

Addressing issues early is faster, safer, and more cost-effective than rushing replacement orders during peak season.

At Good L, we supply 100% American-made carts and baskets you can rely on. Our carts are sturdy and durable, and our baskets are made from recycled materials, making them incredibly strong and sustainable. 

Evaluate Your Cart and Basket Inventory

The key to optimizing purchases during the holiday rush is maintaining an adequate inventory of shopping carts for the holiday season. During the holidays, demand spikes as shopping makes more last-minute gift runs and more trips to the grocery store to prepare for meals and parties. This is generally where strategic basket inventories can optimize revenues. It’s these smaller but more frequent runs that generally call for a basket, which can then turn into last-minute impulse buys to fill it.

As they undergo more demanding conditions, keep an eye out for cracks or broken handles and replenish stock as needed. If you anticipate an extra busy season, ensure you’ve placed supplemental orders in time.

Finally, during the busiest shopping stretches, ensure all staff are prepared to retrieve baskets strewn about your store and return them to the ends of aisles and to the entrance of your store for easy and convenient access.

These steps can all support retail operations during busy times, so you and your staff benefit from all your conscientious prep and maintenance work once the season is over.

Finish Strong With the Right Basket and Cart Partner!

At Good L Corp, we’ve spent more than three decades manufacturing high-performance baskets and carts built to withstand the heaviest store traffic. Our products are made at our plant in La Vergne, Tennessee, crafted by local workers who take immense pride in producing quality products and supporting our retailers nationwide.

When you partner with Good L Corp, you’ll not only be ready and prepared for the holiday shopping rush, but you’ll also be investing in long-term quality for reliable in-store efficiencies.

Ready for the upcoming shopping rush? Contact Good L Corp today for a free quote on carts, rolling baskets, and hand baskets of all sizes. Shop local and get exactly what you need with Good L Corp.