In theory, all shopping baskets are handheld shopping baskets – that is, they’re designed to be carried, unlike carts which are pushed around on wheels. However, some baskets are easier to handle than others. If you were to conduct a thorough supermarket shopping basket comparison, you’d see a disparity in a range of factors, including material composition, size, shape, flexibility, durability, weight, carrying capacity, and much more. When it’s time to refill your grocery store’s stock of shopping baskets, you must take all of these factors into consideration before selecting your products. With so many options available, finding the optimal handheld shopping baskets for your location is no small task. Allow us to steer you in the right direction.

Here are some crucial details to look for when seeking the best handheld shopping baskets for your grocery store.

What to Look for in Handheld Shopping Baskets

Comfortable, Collapsible Handles

Everyone’s shopping experience is unique. Some customers will be in and out of your store in no time, perhaps skipping the basket entirely. Others will take their time and load up, opting for a cart to fulfill their needs. The customers that fall between these ends of the spectrum will often reach for a basket. Within this category, certain shoppers will also take their time, holding onto their basket for extended stretches as they fill it up. If the basket’s handles are unwieldy or angular, these shoppers will likely endure hand pain during and after their trip, which will reflect poorly on your store. And when things become too uncomfortable, some customers might cut their trip short, reducing your potential sales. Conversely, a basket that features comfortable handles will encourage your customers to prolong their journey, all the while improving their overall experience. As such, comfortable handles constitute the first feature to consider when looking for new shopping baskets.

Sturdy yet Lightweight Frame

There’s a reason most of the shopping baskets you see share a similar latticework design. Constructing a basket in this way reduces the amount of material required to put it together – not only does this save resources, but it also dramatically reduces the weight of a basket. Offering lightweight baskets to your customers is beneficial all around. When shoppers aren’t overly burdened by the weight of their baskets, they can move more freely throughout your store, and they’re incentivized to pack their vessel with additional items. Ideally, the frame of a shopping basket should be practically weightless while still being able to contain significant loads of items without breaking apart. Achieving this balance between breeziness and durability is made possible with the right materials and design. High-quality plastics tend to be lighter than most metals, and a reinforced latticework design fortifies a basket without tacking on unnecessary weight.

Significant Carrying Capacity

When we think of handheld devices, we’re often thinking of relatively small objects that can fit into our pockets and bags, like smartphones and portable gaming systems. That said, a shopping basket that shared this diminutive status wouldn’t be very useful. This isn’t to say that small shopping baskets don’t have their place – these smaller vessels are perfect fits for smaller stores and stores that sell a wide variety of tiny items. But even smaller baskets must be big enough to carry a significant number of products. Otherwise, customers would just as well carry their goods around your store without any kind of vessel. Keep in mind that large baskets are handheld baskets, too, even if they’re bulkier than most other objects we’d consider “portable.” Some grocery stores are better off providing larger baskets to their customers, too, so long as they’re not too heavy or cumbersome to carry. Ultimately, the best handheld shopping baskets for your store are those that suit the typical shopping habits and the average size of items found at your location. If your baskets can’t easily carry a standard haul for your store, your customers will have a hard time making these larger purchases.

Convenient Storage

Like any other item in your grocery store, shopping baskets take up space. And if you only have so much room to work with, you must carefully consider how many baskets to purchase, where to place them, and how to store them when not in use. When properly manufactured and maintained, shopping baskets are designed to nest inside one another in accessible, sturdy stacks. This vertically allows you to conveniently store shopping baskets without taking up excessive floor space – basket stacks are also highly visible, making it easy for customers to know exactly where to pick up baskets upon entry and where to leave them when they’re done.

Customizability

The important handheld basket features we’ve covered up until this point have all been practical. That said, it’s important to consider aesthetic matters when selecting baskets, too. After all, your grocery store’s baskets are assets that reflect your overall brand. You want your shoppers to positively associate your baskets with every other aspect of your business. By offering handheld baskets that match your business’ color scheme and brandish its logo, you create a more cohesive atmosphere and reinforce your brand. Moreover, should a basket be misplaced, your company’s colors and logo will make it easy for anyone to realize to whom it belongs, protecting your assets.

The Verdict

The best handheld shopping baskets for your grocery store will feature comfortable and functional handles and a durable yet lightweight frame; they’ll be the optimal size for your particular store and easily stacked when not in use; finally, they’ll match your business’ branding with custom colors and visible logo placement. If you’re wondering where to find such ideal baskets for your location, look no further than Good L Corp.

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!