5 ms·

I wonder if there is actually evidence that people buy more with a cart vs hand held basket, overall. Obviously they likely do for that trip. It seems to me tha

by cronix 4y ago

I wonder if there is actually evidence that people buy more with a cart vs hand held basket, overall. Obviously they likely do for that trip. It seems to me that if I only use a hand held basket, I'm making more trips to the store for my family of 4. Probably daily if not every other day. If I use a cart and purchase a lot, I go to the store less. But, did I actually purchase more or less food in a months duration? I'd bet it's about the same. It's not like I'm literally eating more depending on the method of procurement. I eat about the same, every day. But I would be spending more time standing in lines and wasting more gas by using a basket unless the market was within walking distance and I chose to walk over drive. Personally I don't really like going to shop for anything and buy as much as I can, whether it's food or clothes or anything else. It seems proximity to the store and the number of people you're routinely buying food for would be the bigger predictors of who would use a cart over a basket, as well as lifestyle. I mean, some people choose to drive even if they live next door to the market.

bentcorner 4y ago
I'd be interested to know too. My guess is that you're right that people would shop more often, but I think they'd focus on the essential goods.
adrianmonk 4y ago
Maybe it boosts sales of non-food items. If your hand cart gets full of groceries, you might not pick up other stuff on that trip, like light bulbs, ballpoint pens, a potted plant, or a toy for your kid. After you've left the grocery store, you still need those things. So you go to the hardware store, office supply store, nursery, or toy store because that's where you prefer to buy that stuff if you're making a separate trip anyway. Grocery stores get those purchases because of convenience. Take away the convenience and they might lose the purchases.
- Izkata 4y ago
  This is it. I walk to the grocery store and used to use a basket, carrying food home. Non-food was delivered by Amazon. Then near the end of 2020 when so many trips per week was getting to be too much a hassle, I bought a personal cart that I bring to the store with me. Now Amazon is more of a hassle for plenty of non-food items, because it's so trivial to add it to the cart, so I've been getting less online and more from the store.
dmurray 4y ago
People probably consume about the same, but their other trips could be to different stores. You want someone to do all their shopping in your store! If there's really no competition nearby, you won't be the first to invest in new technology like shopping carts.
- hackernewds 4y ago
  It seems more natural that people would buy more stuff since now they can carry more stuff. It's impractical to carry as many normal shopping carts items, due to their weight, in a hand basket. One needs only a trip to Costco (wholesale bulk purchase store in the US) to see the average shopping cart
  - monkeybutton 4y ago
    I feel like people wouldn't buy as much liquids (soda etc.) without a shopping cart. Tea, coffee, cocoa powder are all small and light in comparison, and milk was delivered.
rglullis 4y ago
They buy more and they waste more. US/Canada are leaders in food waste.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
albertgoeswoof 4y ago
One big trip is less overhead for the store, so if you consume the same amount, it’s better for the store that you only come once. Not to mention that if you have a big trolley, you’re going to fill it and buy more, whether you need it or not
golergka 4y ago
> If I use a cart and purchase a lot, I go to the store less. Even that is already a win for the store — you're spending the same amount money in total, while spending less of cashier's time and other store's resources.
ulrikrasmussen 4y ago
I generally shop once a week using a cart, and then only do small trips in between using a basket if I forgot something. I would definitely buy MORE if I only did daily shopping with a basket, because I would be exposed to the risk of impulse buying 5-7 times as much, simply because I would be walking the aisles more often.
rmason 4y ago
If I run out of something mid-week I will go to a convenience store. It was always a bit awkward to approach the counter with my arms full. Now a local Lansing chain has added plastic baskets at the door. That single thing has made me chose that chain over its rivals.
ajsnigrutin 4y ago
I usually zig-zag across the whole store, and if I have a basket, i usually don't buy any sodas, because they're heavy, I say "i'll pick them up at the end of the zig-zagging", and then don't because I'm already at the cash register, and they're "far away". With the cart, I just put them in when I pass by them.
hemreldop 4y ago
telesilla 4y ago
I purposely don't pick up a basket, let alone a cart, when shopping but bring my own bag or better yet, go without out if I'm just getting something quick. It's very easy to come out every time with food you don't need but the supermarket has placed so perfectly to tempt you. Yes I get strange looks laden with bread and bananas and whathaveyou cradled in my arms but it's a proven money saver when I can't easily pick up that delicious box of somethings as well as keep the necessities.

by cronix 4y ago

bentcorner 4y ago

I'd be interested to know too. My guess is that you're right that people would shop more often, but I think they'd focus on the essential goods.

adrianmonk 4y ago

Maybe it boosts sales of non-food items. If your hand cart gets full of groceries, you might not pick up other stuff on that trip, like light bulbs, ballpoint pens, a potted plant, or a toy for your kid. After you've left the grocery store, you still need those things. So you go to the hardware store, office supply store, nursery, or toy store because that's where you prefer to buy that stuff if you're making a separate trip anyway. Grocery stores get those purchases because of convenience. Take away the convenience and they might lose the purchases.

Izkata 4y ago
This is it. I walk to the grocery store and used to use a basket, carrying food home. Non-food was delivered by Amazon. Then near the end of 2020 when so many trips per week was getting to be too much a hassle, I bought a personal cart that I bring to the store with me. Now Amazon is more of a hassle for plenty of non-food items, because it's so trivial to add it to the cart, so I've been getting less online and more from the store.

dmurray 4y ago

People probably consume about the same, but their other trips could be to different stores. You want someone to do all their shopping in your store! If there's really no competition nearby, you won't be the first to invest in new technology like shopping carts.

hackernewds 4y ago
It seems more natural that people would buy more stuff since now they can carry more stuff. It's impractical to carry as many normal shopping carts items, due to their weight, in a hand basket. One needs only a trip to Costco (wholesale bulk purchase store in the US) to see the average shopping cart
- monkeybutton 4y ago
  I feel like people wouldn't buy as much liquids (soda etc.) without a shopping cart. Tea, coffee, cocoa powder are all small and light in comparison, and milk was delivered.

rglullis 4y ago

They buy more and they waste more. US/Canada are leaders in food waste.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

albertgoeswoof 4y ago

One big trip is less overhead for the store, so if you consume the same amount, it’s better for the store that you only come once. Not to mention that if you have a big trolley, you’re going to fill it and buy more, whether you need it or not

golergka 4y ago

> If I use a cart and purchase a lot, I go to the store less. Even that is already a win for the store — you're spending the same amount money in total, while spending less of cashier's time and other store's resources.

ulrikrasmussen 4y ago

I generally shop once a week using a cart, and then only do small trips in between using a basket if I forgot something. I would definitely buy MORE if I only did daily shopping with a basket, because I would be exposed to the risk of impulse buying 5-7 times as much, simply because I would be walking the aisles more often.

rmason 4y ago

If I run out of something mid-week I will go to a convenience store. It was always a bit awkward to approach the counter with my arms full. Now a local Lansing chain has added plastic baskets at the door. That single thing has made me chose that chain over its rivals.

ajsnigrutin 4y ago

I usually zig-zag across the whole store, and if I have a basket, i usually don't buy any sodas, because they're heavy, I say "i'll pick them up at the end of the zig-zagging", and then don't because I'm already at the cash register, and they're "far away". With the cart, I just put them in when I pass by them.

hemreldop 4y ago

telesilla 4y ago

I purposely don't pick up a basket, let alone a cart, when shopping but bring my own bag or better yet, go without out if I'm just getting something quick. It's very easy to come out every time with food you don't need but the supermarket has placed so perfectly to tempt you. Yes I get strange looks laden with bread and bananas and whathaveyou cradled in my arms but it's a proven money saver when I can't easily pick up that delicious box of somethings as well as keep the necessities.