Top 5 Ways to Make Shopping Trolleys Last Longer.

Copyright 2014, www.shoppingtrolleys.ie 

Shopping trolleys are the first point of contact between the retailer and their customer. Surveys show that customers who have a bad experience with a poorly maintained shopping trolley, will hesitate in returning to that store in the future.

The Challenge

The challenge for all retailers who provide shopping trolleys in their stores, supermarkets, garden centres and other outlets is how to ensure that their trolleys remain in good working order, that they minimise the maintenance costs of the trolleys and avoid having to replace trolleys on too frequent a basis.

The Top 5 Solutions:

There are a number of steps that can be taken to both reduce the ongoing repair costs and extend the life of the shopping trolleys. These are our top 5:

1. Regular review and preventative maintenance. Mark a regular date in your diary to check all the trolleys. If you keep to this routine you can note faults and wear and tear before they become a major issue, take action to prevent further damage and prolong the life of your trolleys.
2. Keep them out of the rain. Although trolleys are generally pretty hardy by their nature there are fittings that will eventually be damaged by water (Locks, chains) So if possible try and keep this to a minimum. Store them outside in a trolley bay or inside overnight.
3. Quality Components used in manufacture. The old saying “You get what you pay for!” makes a lot of sense. Don’t think that by buying cheap you are saving money! Think long term and buy the best quality you can afford. It will have a longer life with less maintenance costs.
4. Avoid too much weight Get the right trolley for the job and don’t overload it. Trolleys are designed for specific functions and if they are misused it will affect their longevity, not to mention the health and safety issues! Even when you are moving a number of trolleys together, try not to move more than 10 together, to lessen the strain you are putting on the chains connected to the locks.
5. Consider using Eco Trolleys in place of your Steel Trolleys. Plastic trolleys are still a slow burner in Ireland but are extremely popular across Europe. They are lighter and so easier for the customer to use, more attractive, environmentally friendly and very strong, with less than 1/10th of the maintenance cost of a comparable steel trolley. Mann Engineering have supplied plastic trolleys all over Ireland and the feedback is positive

Research Findings.

Extensive research has been carried out by Trolley manufacturers such as Plastimark in Europe and they highlight the inefficiencies of some stores when looking after their trolleys. They clearly show that a more proactive approach to trolley maintenance and monitoring of trolley use will lengthen trolleys lifespans and lead to a reduction in broken trolleys.

Conclusions:

Companies large and small can make considerable savings and improve efficiencies by implementing the solutions outlined above. Mann Engineering Ltd has been maintaining and supplying shopping trolleys to the Irish and UK market for over 40 years and continue to grow from strength to strength. If you have any other suggestions or queries we would be delighted to hear from you at info@mannengineeringltd.com or by phone on +353 (0)51 388159