Scattered shopping carts create a huge inconvenience not only for store owners, but for customers as well. When carts are not stored in the proper location, they are not available for customer use and are often strewn across the parking lot, requiring store personnel to run and collect them. Lost carts found throughout the city are a public nuisance because ordinances are being implemented requiring stores to manage their shopping carts or they will be fined. Each collection solution has advantages and disadvantages that are detailed later.

There are several effective ways that stores can retrieve their carts. Stores may use a piece of equipment called a cart pusher, puller, reclaimer, or cart manager. Stores may also hire additional staff to physically retrieve shopping carts scattered throughout the parking lot. Reward systems are also used to offer customers incentives to return to the appropriate destination after they have finished using them. Corrals and search teams can also be used to help control stray cars. Lastly, a pull rope can help employees retrieve shopping carts more efficiently than picking them up individually or just a few at a time.

A motorized cart pusher, also known as a puller, reclaimer, or cart manager, makes retrieving shopping carts safe, fast, and easy. Here’s how one type of available retriever works: First, you place the rear wheels of the cart effortlessly into the nesting cups of the cart stand. Some systems require the cart to be bolted onto the pusher, but the nested cup option protects the shopping cart from the damage that can occur when bolting and gives you availability to use your entire fleet at any time. The rest of the fleet is then collected and nested in the first one sitting in the nesting cups of the cart’s cradle. A safety strap is placed over the entire row and attached to the first one in the nesting cups so that everyone can be safely pushed to their destination. Some of these pushers use a remote control to push the row in the designated direction. Many motorized retrievers are built with a strobe light and brake light to provide greater visibility to surrounding cars and pedestrians. These reclaimers can reclaim a large volume of carts and it only takes one person to operate one. Powered pushers can retrieve 3-4 times more shopping carts than a single person, thus reducing store labor costs. Reclaimers also reduce liability for injuries, as employees can recover carts effortlessly with the use of this type of equipment. There is no effort when pushing or pulling a full row. The initial cost of purchasing a machine is quickly recovered from reduced labor and liability costs.

Another method of picking up the shopping carts is to hire additional staff to tour the parking lot to retrieve the shopping carts by hand and take them back to the appropriate location to make them available for customer use. However, this method is more time consuming due to the fact that the store manager cannot retrieve a large amount at one time. Having less control over shopping carts can also lead to potential damage to the carts themselves or to surrounding vehicles. This method increases responsibilities and can be physically exhausting for the person assigned the task of collecting and clearing the parking lot. The additional personnel that collects in the parking lot are also not available for customer needs in the store while they are recovering the carts.

An additional option to take back shopping carts is to provide store customers with an incentive to return the carts. Prize systems that include a counter and a target can be used. The counter is used to keep track of the number returned to a destination. The goal is the number of carts the store wants to count when it is returned to a designated area. In each of the shopping carts there is a sensor. The sensor detects the return of the same to the designated area. When the count of returns reaches a predetermined amount, an alarm is triggered indicating that a prize will be awarded to the person who brought the count to the designated target number. Although this system provides an incentive, many clients do not even know that the system exists and the client who brings the count to the target number is rewarded solely on the basis of chance.

Cart corrals provide customers with a more convenient direction as to where shopping carts should go after they are done using them. Customers often bring the shopping cart to their cars to easily transport their merchandise. After transporting their goods, they tend to leave the carts in the parking lot near where their car is rather than bother with pushing them all the way back to the store and then walking all the way back. Placing cart playpens around the parking lot provides customers with a convenient and effortless alternative. Cart playpens provide a solution to help keep parking lots clutter-free. Cart pens still require additional store personnel or a cart puller, pusher, or retrieval equipment to transport shopping carts from the cart pens back to the store.

Shopping carts can be expensive to replace. People removing carts from store property create a need for stores to buy more or must hire a search team or salvage company to scour the city to retrieve the shopping carts that have been recalled from their stores. property. While hiring a company to recover lost items is effective, the cost can add up quickly, as costs are often based on the cart recovered. Stores may also be responsible for any seizure fees placed by the city if the city has already found and collected them. The risk, there is also no way to guarantee in what kind of condition each one will be returned, since they often end up in waterways or have been used by the homeless population.

Lastly, pull ropes can help employees pick up more carts at a time. One end of the rope is attached to the last car while the employee stands at the other end of the row using the rope to help pull the rope. More shopping carts can be collected at one time, however the physical nature of this method increases injury and liability for stores.

Abandoned carts left by shoppers create crowded parking lots, resulting in fewer parking spaces available for customer use, as well as increased vehicle and shopping cart damage. Cluttered parking lots also increase liability issues for retailers. It is extremely important that stores find an effective method of cart recovery to provide clutter-free parking, decrease liability, and increase the number of shopping carts available for customer use. A pusher, puller, retriever, or cart manager appears to be the most effective solution by providing the fastest, easiest, and most cost-effective way to keep store customers and retailers happy.