For anyone shopping in a super shop such as Walmart, Kroger, or Albertsons, chances are pretty high that you have used a shopping cart to pick and keep products securely. Although the shopping cart may appear a simple tool, it isn’t so.
Also, information on how much does a shopping cart costs might seem overwhelmingly surprising to you since it often exceeds our imagination. Yes, make no mistake that these little carts come at a lower price.
Hence, today, we are going to discuss some unknown and interesting facts about shipping cart costs.
So, let’s begin it.
A Brief History of Shopping Cart
Although we are all familiar with the shopping cart, how many of us know its history? I guess almost none. I admit, even a week ago, I was in the same league as you.
So, it’s better to put some light on the topic first.
A shopping cart is also sometimes called a shopping trolley. Usually, supermarkets supply the carts to their customers within the premises of their stores. Customers walk around the shop with the cart and keep their purchased merchandise on the cart before heading toward the billing point.
In some supermarkets, the carts are designed to go in the parking lot where customers can easily pick up their goods and keep them in their vehicles. A cart serviceman will then return the cart to the shop’s premises again.
The first official record of a supermarket using a shopping cart was registered on June 4, 1937, in Oklahoma at Humpty Dumpty Supermarket. Sylvan Goldman, the owner of the supermarket, had invented the shopping cart to help his customers move freely with their picked goods within the shop premises.
His first built cart was inspired by a wooden chair that has added wheels on the leg and a basket on the chair. He, along with a repairman, helped to transform the idea into a metal cart.
How much Does A Shopping Cart Cost?
The shopping cart cost varies severely, thanks to its array of added features, design, and convenience. However, we found that an average shopping cart will cost around $75 to $150. It is high-end pricing compared to the simple design that carts have.
However, surprisingly, some high-end shopping trolleys will cost as much as $300-$400. You will see them in expensive supermarkets and have some added features.
However, some plastic shopping baskets are also available in superstores. They will cost about $25 to $40 on average.
How Much Is a Target Shopping Cart?
A shopping cart is a trolley that works as a helping hand for the customer at any super shop like Target. The typical price for a shopping cart varies. Though generally, one can get a shopping cart from any of the super shops at around $75 to $400. The inexpensive and less durable shopping cart will cost less than those with better durability.
Moreover, the size of the target shopping cart also matters. Because bigger carts need to have more metal than smaller ones. In target, one can buy carts for children as well, so the price of these carts also hovers around $20 to $30. The price of the toy carts also varies as the functionality of the toys varies.
How Much Is a Walmart Shopping Cart?
Walmart, one of the largest super shops, offers shopping carts from $55 to $90. The price always moves around these numbers. One can purchase from the official website of Walmart, or one can simply go there to purchase one. Online purchasing eliminates the hassle of buying, but it has some downsides as well.
Downsides such as the product quality may not be as it is shown online. Along with that, customer satisfaction varies from customer to customer, and that’s why the reviews are not always helpful.
What is the Lifespan of a Shopping Cart?
The lifespan of a shopping cart or any other product depends on the materials used during manufacturing. Generally, a shopping cart is made of stainless steel, and they are made to carry a heavy load. Apart from the location, the shopping cart is being used, generally, a shopping cart can last for over 5 years. Shopping carts don’t require that much maintenance if these carts are maintained properly.
Why Do Shopping Carts Have Holes?
Shopping carts have holes in them, as it reduces the number of metals, thus the cost associated with the carts. Also, these holes help the products to stay properly on the cart. Moreover, the holes make the cart durable and light to carry around the shopping center.
The shopkeeper can see the products through the holes, and it is easier for them to count. Along with that, it is easy to keep the carts clean.
Reasons for Shopping Cart Expensive Pricing
You see that the carts used in the shops for merchandise product picking are no cheap things. So, what makes them so costly? The reasons may include:
- Most shopping carts’ structure is made with stainless steel to prevent corrosion. Therefore, the cost of such high-end steel adds up to the pricing.
- Also, cart designers focus on the maximum mobility of the cart with the least effort from the customers. Designing such a mobile and portable cart is no cheap alternative.
- Also, the plastics used on the upper head and, at times, a carrying handle further intensify the cost of the carts.
Problems with Shopping Cart Pricing
Since shopping carts are an expensive item, these days, many supermarkets face some practically severe problems with these carts.
The first problem they encounter is the theft of the carts from the premises and outside. In fact, it is estimated that around annually, $800 million equivalent of shopping carts costing is theft across the globe. And it is way higher than we imagined earlier.
And it is a significant loss for supermarkets. Moreover, due to the harsh handling of the carts, their wheels break down even before their possible lifespan. It further causes hassles and profit loss for the shops.
These days, various supermarkets have invented some unique ideas to prevent cart theft. These include:
Authorities use magnetic and electronic strips. This system allows the authorities to enable the cart to go to the parking lot, where customers usually pick up their groceries and merchandise in their vehicles. After that, the carts are electronically locked and are limited to leaving the designated area. It prevents theft.
Some supermarket allows carrying their carts to a specific area within a limited range from their store location. They do so to help customers maintain their merchandise to home who have come without any vehicle support. These supermarkets then use ‘cart retrieval service” to get back the carts on their premises by paying a low price to the service providers.
Some stores use a vertical post at their store entrance. It impediments the movement of the carts out of the store premises.
Conclusion
So, here goes our observation on the cost of a shopping cart. An average cart costs $75-$150 while the expensive ones may reach up to $400. Due to such high pricing, thieves are interested in this somewhat simple tool. And guess what, worldwide estimation of theft cart expense is $800 million. So, supermarkets use various techniques to prevent theft. Also, the pricing of the carts limits them from changing the carts even when necessary.
Related: How Much Does A Shipping Container Cost?
Hello, I’m a specialist in cost estimation. My name is Daniel and I have been in this field for 3 years. I estimate the cost, materials, and time needed to render a service or manufacture a product. It usually involves in-depth research and calculations, but with years of practice, I have become an expert cost estimator.
look at all the cart that are on street/homeless camp/along st/ highways