How do your customers carry their merchandise as they shop? The method of transport can reveal much about the retailer’s customer service personality. Having a variety of carts available – from traditional grocery to kid-friendly to small and manageable – tells the customer you know that everyone has different preferences, and your goal is to meet them. Regardless of the style, carts should always be stacked neatly in a designated lane. A tangle of carts is not only an eyesore, it’s a message to customers that you either are not properly staffed or don’t care about how your retail floor looks. Install a cart railing if you find you’re constantly trying to organize the carts.
Carry-all baskets and tote bags are other options for customer purchases and are the preference for many smaller boutiques. Make sure they are lightweight and manageable. Bags with shoulder straps or easy-to-grab handles are welcomed by customers with armfuls of merchandise. Brightly colored baskets or bags also signal “fun” to the consumer, while serving as a bit of an anti-theft device for you. It’s more difficult to get out of the store with a bright pink bag filled with clothes than a neutral one. Again, have a convenient rack or shelf for these bags and baskets so they are neatly stacked or hung. If you’ve chosen to place cart or bag stations throughout the store so that as customers shop, they can have easy access to a carry-all, then you have double diligence duty to keep all areas neat. Make it easy with portable storage options or hanging hooks. Your professional store fixture wholesaler can give you some storage options so that all of the carts, bags, baskets and stands reflect your store’s personality and welcome your customers.