The Long-Term Value of Shopping Cart Maintenance

Providing the best possible customer experience is essential in the ultra-competitive retail landscape. For grocery stores and retailers, that experience frequently begins with the shopping cart.

A cart is often the first touchpoint between a store and the customer and can set the tone for the entire shopping experience. Substandard carts can have costly results: declining sales, reduced profits, and poor brand perception. Ill-maintained carts may even sway consumers to favor a brand’s competitors.

Shopping carts are often undervalued for being such a critical asset. So, how can brands keep their shopping cart fleets at capacity and in top-notch condition?

The Peggs Company is respected industry wide as more than a manufacturer. Since 1960, we’ve established a reputation as a service-first company that provides innovative solutions to retail, hospitality, and food service challenges. Supermarket brands that partner with us see increased sales, reduced costs, and improved quality and functionality of store equipment and fixtures. 

Our wide range of services includes a Preventative Maintenance Program that ensures shopping cart fleets are in top working order and appeal to customers. We inspect every element of the carts to ensure they are clean, safe, and function properly. 

A Peggs Sales Consultant can create a tailor-made program for your store locations, considering your organization’s objectives and equipment. Programs range from monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual visits. Customers are provided with detailed reports containing valuable insights into fleet condition, cost, and projected expenses. Maintenance and on-call service can extend beyond shopping carts to equipment and store property.

Beyond a planned scope of work, our well-trained technicians are armed with the knowledge, extra parts, and equipment to help solve problems that arise during regularly scheduled maintenance appointments or on-call service requests. 

Maintenance is essential to any shopping cart fleet, ensuring cleanliness and functionality. A good maintenance program can greatly improve the longevity of the equipment, keeping more carts in use and significantly reducing the need to invest in new equipment. 

Here are some key reasons why shopping cart maintenance is so essential:

• Reinforces positive brand image: A well-maintained fleet of carts shows that a brand cares about the shopping experience from the moment the customer enters the store. This type of customer goodwill promotes a positive brand image that can lead to increased customer loyalty, and repeat business.
• Ensures cleanliness and hygiene: Shopping carts can be breeding grounds for bacteria and germs, posing a health risk to customers and employees. A thorough cleaning and sanitizing routine protects customers’ health and promotes a positive brand image.
• Protects investment: Regular maintenance reduces wear and tear and overall maintenance costs, extends the life of shopping carts, and ensures the entire fleet remains in circulation. Stores can lose as much as 10% of their cart fleets per year due to neglect.
  
• Safeguards against liability: Shopping carts with broken or malfunctioning parts can lead to accidents or injuries, potentially opening stores to legal liabilities and lawsuits. Regular maintenance ensures equipment meets ASTM standards.

Our Preventative Maintenance Program extends beyond shopping carts to include property and equipment services, including cleaning, repairing, and sanitizing meat racks, bakery equipment, six-wheelers, pallet jacks, and much more. We also maintain sidewalks, dock areas, and refrigerated and display cases. 

Our clients get the most value from our comprehensive full-service approach, where we are involved in every stage of an equipment’s life cycle. In this way, we act as brand ambassadors, managing vital elements of a store’s image. 

A Peggs representative will create a personalized Maintenance Program tailored toward store-specific needs and challenges, recommending bi-annual, quarterly, or monthly service options. Interested in learning more about how Pegg’s innovative services can help your brand? Our reliable and dedicated team can be reached at 800-242-8416.

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