A shopping basket is a handheld plastic or metal basket provided for shoppers in a store. Shoppers place items that they wish to buy inside the basket so they can conveniently carry them until it is time to check out. A shopping basket is a useful tool for those who are only planning to purchase a few items, such as people who live alone and don't need to buy many groceries. If a shopper wishes to buy more merchandise, it is best to use a shopping cart instead.
Early shopping baskets were wicker baskets that were weak and unable to hold many items. As time progressed, shopping baskets were built from stronger material such as metal and plastic. Some stores have their logo on their shopping baskets. These baskets are easy to stack and serve both the customers' and store owner's needs.
A shopping basket can encourage impulse buying, because when a shopper carries a shopping basket, she is more likely to spend a longer amount of time in a store. She can browse more easily and not have to worry about pushing a large shopping cart through crowded store aisles. The disadvantage of a shopping basket is that it quickly grows heavy if too many items are placed inside it. This may make it more difficult for some shoppers to carry it around the store, thereby discouraging shopping.
Retailers can purchase shopping baskets for their stores at a variety of merchants. One online vendor of shopping baskets is called Nu-Era. This particular merchant sells plastic, mesh, and roller baskets. The plastic baskets are sold in several colors and come in regular or large sizes. The mesh shopping basket has vinyl handles and comes in black, green, silver, red, and white. Nu-Era also sells a roller basket that features a pull handle and castor wheels.
Maxx Baskets is another company that sells shopping baskets. Their shopping baskets come in red, green, yellow, or blue. Each basket comes with a metal or plastic handle. They also sell jumbo-sized baskets that hold about 8 gallons (30.3 L) of items.
Store owners like it when a customer uses a shopping basket because it cuts down on glass breakage when a customer tries to carry too much in her arms. When a shopper uses a shopping basket, it encourages her to browse inside the store for a longer length of time. Convenient, compact, and easy to carry, shopping baskets are found in stores of every type.