Costco Fans Aren't Thrilled About The New Carts
It may seem absurd to some, but a grocery cart can make or break your entire shopping trip. If you happen to grab a shopping cart that has a faulty wheel, or one that makes so much noise that you feel embarrassed walking around the store, you're probably going to have a less-than-pleasant shopping experience.
If, on the other hand, your cart is so quiet that you can stealthily sneak up on fellow shoppers, you may end your trip wanting to share your joy with others. "I was at Target yesterday and got THE smoothest cart. When I went to put it back, I handed it off to a lady about to grab a cart and told her it was the best cart I've ever used," wrote one happy cart user on the Costco subreddit. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for Costco's newest carts, an addition pictured in the original Reddit post.
While one enthusiastic shopper thinks "they ride like a dream," the majority of the post's 280 commenters aren't quite as keen. "Don't really like them, too hard to reach down in to get stuff out unless you move to the side," one person said. Another commenter had a much harsher opinion, stating, "I loathe those carts! I'm short — 5'2" — and I have to lift my arms to practically shoulder level to push them. This becomes fatiguing after not very long."
Larger carts mean buying more groceries
The larger carts feel clunkier and harder to maneuver for many of Costco's customers, but there's another issue that shoppers find frustrating anytime a grocery store releases new carts: the lack of a cup holder. While you could always try the controversial Costco cart hack that uses the provided straps, usually intended for holding young children, many would rather just see the addition. "Why don't carts come with built-in cupholders? We have the technology!" wrote one Redditor on the r/Costco thread. "Still doesn't have a holder for cups for when we buy coffee/smoothies," commented another.
Grocery store shopping carts have inspired a lot of different feelings in people since the first models were invented by Sylvan Goldman in the 1930s. Almost every Target parent remembers the horror of the Target kiddie carts from 2016, and how the ensuing frustration caused Target to pull the carts less than a month after their introduction. On the other end of the spectrum, Whole Foods shoppers are getting a new way to check out with Dash Carts at some stores, which gives them the ability to scan their products and avoid waiting in long checkout lines. The new carts can also hold twice the amount of groceries.
Costco may not be anywhere near the point of allowing people the ability to scan their items and simply bypass the cashier, but just as with the new Dash Cart, it knows that if you provide a larger cart, customers will purchase even more items.