Walmart’s new shopping carts spark backlash from frustrated customers
Walmart might have thought it did a thing with its new shopping carts, but customers are really not having it.
The retail giant recently introduced new carts with built-in holders for your phone and drink. But instead of excitement, the reaction has been a mix of weary eye rolls and vocal complaints about the added bulk.
The design sounds useful… until you see it
When you think about it, the idea does make sense. A ring to hold your drink and a slot for your phone.
But the execution is where things get messy.
The add-ons stick out, the cart is wider, and the front section appears to be heavier. To make it worse, it’s harder to move around tight aisles. As a result, the simple act of tossing groceries into the basket isn't so simple anymore.
As a customer pointed out: “Now we gotta walk all the way around the cart just to put our groceries in it.”
Anyone who has tried navigating a crowded Walmart aisle knows just how much of an inconvenience that extra width can be.
Aside from all of these, there is also a mysterious add-on in the form of a white plastic box under the cart. Nobody knows what that is yet. But shoppers have guesses, from it being anti-theft tech or location tracking to it being for store analytics.
Then there’s the “are we paying for this?” question
Some shoppers are also side-eyeing the cost.
Even though Walmart hasn’t said anything about price changes…yet, people are already connecting the dots. A new design like that means higher running costs, which almost always translates to higher selling prices.
Nobody really wants to have to pay more for their groceries just because they got to use fancy shopping carts, even if it’s a silent charge. It makes it worse that the cart is one they wouldn’t care to use.
Where this lands
Walmart hasn’t said much yet, so it’s unclear if this is a full rollout or just a test. But the reaction is already clear.
Turns out, adding more to something simple doesn’t always make it better, especially when all customers wanted was space for their groceries.
Source: The U.S. Sun
