In the history of supermarket chains two major inventions stand out. The net packaging (this stuff) allowing us to purchase 3 onions whilst minimising the inconvenience of carrying them individually… and the shopping cart.
This is a story about the trusted shopping cart and conventional logic. The shopping cart (the offline 4-wheeled variant) was invented to allow us to shop for more products. Now, we buy 2 bottles of milk rather than the 1 we could previously carry. We buy in volume as we now have the space available to us that the shopping basket couldn’t accommodate.
How much more do you spend when you grab a trolley compared with a basket at your local superstore? What a great invention it was. The story is covered in the excellent TED presentation from Bernadette Jiwa below:
This isn’t really a blog about shopping carts
Three weeks ago I was on holiday in Cornwall. We stopped at Morrisons (UK supermarket chain) on the return to our cottage. I’m not a regular frequenter of Morrisons, so I wasn’t aware of the secret guide to shopping there.
In order to shop, and when I say shop I mean purchase a volume of products greater than a shopping basket can handle, you need to carry a golden nugget. The £1 coin. You see, the shopping carts are locked together. In order to shop, you must unleash your shopping chariot using your golden nugget.
That’s correct. In order to shop you must deposit a £1 coin. I presume this decision was made to minimise the temptation to attach an engine to the metal contraption and ride off into the sunset. Personally, I don’t care for the logic. This astounded me. I didn’t happen to have a single golden nugget on my person. The carts don’t accept cards and my attempt to offer the cart a £5 note were in vain.
This is about the application of logic
I don’t care for the costs of lost shopping carts on a superstore’s P&L. The indirect costs of ensuring the carts are kept orderly matters little. I don’t particular care how many are lost to the hearty desires of bored teenagers. I care little about anything when I visit a superstore apart from my ability to purchase and the end desire of consumption. Me and 100% of the general public I presume.
I didn’t have a golden nugget. I was forced into a quandary. Stick to my principles and shop elsewhere or pander to the pleading faces of my two children whose dinner time was fast approaching. Naturally, the latter won. I entered Morrisons cart-less. Bought Tic-Tacs with my £5 note and returned to the car park holding my treasured golden nuggets to my chest. I was granted the ability to shop.
The customer’s always right, right?
I remember thinking at the time that I’d have to blog about this. It’s my main outlet for a lot of grievances I have. I never did. Until now. Why? Morrisons have just announced, today, that they’re now removing the locks from all shopping carts in the UK with the exception of those stores situated on hills (seriously, you couldn’t make this up)
Now – read this – 27% of Morrisons customers said they did not always have change for the lock. That’s 27%. That’s more than every 1 in 4 customers. That’s staggering. 27% of those looking to shop were restricted by their lack of a golden nugget. Morrisons needed to survey their customers to find out this mind-blowing data. Laughable?
There comes a time when logic has to apply. If you were potentially stopping 27% of your site visitors shopping (maybe you only offer Mastercard rather than Visa as there’s 0.5% less fees) what would you do?
The lock wasn’t about personal security. It’s not the same as depositing my clothes in a locker at the swimming pool. This was about a business saving a few pennies each year whilst irritating 27% of their shoppers.
I’m glad common sense has prevailed, but wow… how did this happen for so long in the first place?
(Photo courtesy of Jez Bills on Flickr)
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