Better Shopping Carts - A Working Focus Group
On Thursday, November 2, 2023, Danny Summers hosted a working Focus Group on the subject of Better Shopping Carts. Long-time Group Sponsor, R.W. Rogers' CEO Bob Rogers, joined the session to participate in this idea session and share new perspectives on what modern day needs are for helping to produce higher average sales. This is a working group which will have a continuing series of discussions and reviews as new prototypes are produced. A special THANK YOU to everyone participating.
A new eList has been developed for this focus group called BetterCarts. Group Centers can subscribe by logging in and go to MY PROFILE, then MY FEATURES and eLists. Once there, simply select the BetterCarts eList Subscribed button to turn on. You will receive an email confirmation.
The following is the recorded session of November 2nd.
Prior to the session above, Sid Raisch offered these notes that he has developed for his consulting clients:
Here’s my input as learned and earned over the decades because there’s not much new in shopping carts, except the website carts.
Most of this is not opinion, it is PHYSICS, and if not that, pure business PRINCIPLES. The laws of physics do not bend nor do many principles of business. There are no exceptions. You can break the laws and principles at your own peril. Exceptions are usually soft leadership.
It’s not personal to me so don’t take anything you don’t like here personally. It’s just business that pays wages and profit, or doesn’t because it never shows up if the carts aren’t right.
1. Gravel is pavement, but has to be smooth, well drained, and compacted. You shouldn’t be able to feel rocks under your feet in soft sole shoes. Botanic garden paths are what I’m talking about. The wheels need to be bigger and wider to roll more smoothly. Pneumatic flat proof or solid.
2. Brakes are sometimes necessary, due to inappropriate retail locations on slopes. Sloped land costs business. That’s why chain stores are never on slopes. 1-3% grade is okay. Over that it is a problem you can’t see the cost of.
3. Cup holders - We’re now a society of coffee drinkers, thank you Starbucks and others. People like to shop casually with coffee in hand or in the cup holder.
4. Bag Holder Hooks - a purse ties up $50 of space. Of course there should be hooks for handbags.
5. Size Matters - nobody gets to choose at Walmart. What they “like” isn’t what really matters, it’s your revenue that matters. If average transaction isn’t over $100 now its missed opportunity. Do the math, what would the extra dollars do for profitability? I’ve seen people go backwards on this due to pressure from people who “like” smaller carts. Get over it.
6. Flats? What flats? Foam filled, all foam, tire sealer, whatever it takes.
7. More Carts. A customer can’t buy what they can’t carry. It is necessary to have enough carts for every customer on the busiest days. This should be a minimum of one cart per parking space (including overflow). They will pay for themselves in as little as one day of full use which is 10X used on average, okay so 2 days is profitable.
8. Stocking Carts for Staff - BIG ones. Zero tolerance using customer carts for staff use.
Good effort here with this meetup. OR just do what is right as many have already done (especially if they listened to their consultant) and reaped the benefits for years.
Best Regards,
Sid
Sid Raisch
Horticultural Advantage
C: 937-302-0423
[email protected]