Our approach to shopping carts is radically different from other companies. Here are answers to some of the common questions about our carts and what they can do.
Why do they cost more than other carts?
Bemis carts cost more because they're better. And when we say better, we mean more durable, longer-lasting, and lower maintenance. If you are evaluating your equipment purchases on strictly lowest upfront price, we can direct you to the manufacturers that make the carts you want. But, if you evaluate based on strategic, long-term total cost of ownership, our carts cost much less than other carts.
When you analyze your true cost considerations like annual maintenance and asset life, and also think about the positive brand experience of a better cart, we are definitely the cart that will maximize value for you and your store, and you'll end up spending less than you do now. You can download a Total Cost of Ownership calculator here.
When you analyze your true cost considerations like annual maintenance and asset life, and also think about the positive brand experience of a better cart, we are definitely the cart that will maximize value for you and your store, and you'll end up spending less than you do now. You can download a Total Cost of Ownership calculator here.
Isn't plastic bad for the environment?
Any responsible retailer is working hard to reduce the amount of single-use plastic items like bags and straws that they use. But durable goods made from plastic can be a better choice for our planet – fewer resources are used in the lifecycle of a plastic cart than a metal one. And plastic’s durability makes it a better choice for long-life products like the plumbing in your home, the car you drive...and shopping carts. To see our third-party certified sustainability report, click here.
Are they stolen less than other carts?
Short answer: yes. Every retailer that has used Bemis carts that struggled with theft has seen a reduction in their theft rate. Bemis carts can be heavily branded so if someone steals a blue cart with your store's name on it in size 72 font on both sides of the cart...it's quite noticeable. We've also encountered stores where they have video footage of pickup trucks entering their parking lot at night and loading up carts to sell for scrap. Bemis carts completely eliminate this type of theft.
Despite these advantages, carts still get stolen. Realizing this is a problem for many retailers, Bemis has invested in cost-effective GPS tracking technology that can be embedded into our carts. By using this technology, we've learned common theft patterns and popular destinations for carts that may surprise you.
Despite these advantages, carts still get stolen. Realizing this is a problem for many retailers, Bemis has invested in cost-effective GPS tracking technology that can be embedded into our carts. By using this technology, we've learned common theft patterns and popular destinations for carts that may surprise you.
I've tried "plastic" carts before - what makes these different?
We’re from the Midwest, and we were raised to be polite. So we don’t talk badly about our competitors. But it is fair to say that other cart manufacturers, whose expertise is in steel and wire, don’t know as much as we do about engineered polymers.
If you’ve tried a “plastic cart,” you've probably really tried a hybrid cart – a plastic basket in a metal frame. There are two problems with a hybrid cart. The first is that the steel frame has all of the drawbacks of steel, mainly rusting and bending. The second is that the plastic basket is not well-engineered. There are many types of plastic in the world as there are types of apples in your produce section - the Bemis cart is a carefully-cultivated Honeycrisp, and a hybrid's plastic basket is made by folks who still think Golden Delicious are pretty great.
Bemis has been engineering polymer solutions for products since we started making plastic nuts and bolts during World War II to save brass for the war effort. Our all-polymer carts use a patented frame design that will never rust, never lose its alignment and holds over 1,200 lbs. There has never been a shopping cart produced that could say that until Bemis. You can see our test lab and read more about our frame here.
If you’ve tried a “plastic cart,” you've probably really tried a hybrid cart – a plastic basket in a metal frame. There are two problems with a hybrid cart. The first is that the steel frame has all of the drawbacks of steel, mainly rusting and bending. The second is that the plastic basket is not well-engineered. There are many types of plastic in the world as there are types of apples in your produce section - the Bemis cart is a carefully-cultivated Honeycrisp, and a hybrid's plastic basket is made by folks who still think Golden Delicious are pretty great.
Bemis has been engineering polymer solutions for products since we started making plastic nuts and bolts during World War II to save brass for the war effort. Our all-polymer carts use a patented frame design that will never rust, never lose its alignment and holds over 1,200 lbs. There has never been a shopping cart produced that could say that until Bemis. You can see our test lab and read more about our frame here.
Are your carts' annual maintenance costs really less than $2 per cart?
If your store is like most, the majority of the costs you incur for shopping cart repairs are due to wheel replacement and third-party labor. The average fleet of 200 carts will require 70-100 wheels replaced every year. Metal cart repairs typically require a crew of two people or more from a service company performing time-intensive, specialized tasks.
Because Bemis’ cart never bends, there is never uneven stress or wear on wheels, meaning you will replace wheels only 10-15% as often as with metal. And because of our modular design, repairs are much more efficient, requiring less labor and only simple hand tools – no grinding, welding, or re-coating required. Removing all of these unnecessary costs all results in a dramatically lower repair cost.
We also offer the option to prepay for maintenance when you purchase carts. This allows you to actually budget for maintenance costs instead of signing a blank check every year.
Because Bemis’ cart never bends, there is never uneven stress or wear on wheels, meaning you will replace wheels only 10-15% as often as with metal. And because of our modular design, repairs are much more efficient, requiring less labor and only simple hand tools – no grinding, welding, or re-coating required. Removing all of these unnecessary costs all results in a dramatically lower repair cost.
We also offer the option to prepay for maintenance when you purchase carts. This allows you to actually budget for maintenance costs instead of signing a blank check every year.
Do they nest with my current carts?
If this is your question, you're looking for reasons not to buy a Bemis cart - you've skipped over the durability, sustainability, and superior customer experience of our all-polymer cart. They do not nest with other carts. However, if nesting and de-nesting is a major concern, because our carts don't bend like metal carts, your shoppers will never have to struggle to pull a metal cart bent to the left out of the back of a metal cart bent to the right. Our carts always nest and de-nest smoothly, for as long as you have them.
