Shopping carts are one of those things you only notice when they're working poorly. For every time you seamlessly glide through a store, there's a time you get a cart with a noisy wheel, a dirty basket, or an inability to move in a straight line. So, it's no surprise that retailers regularly swap out their carts to ensure those latter incidents happen less often. Usually, those upgrades are well-received. But recently, Walmart rolled out a cart charge that didn't go over well. Read on to see what shoppers have to say about the new carts, and why they wish their Walmart would revert back to the old ones.
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Walmart recently rolled out a new shopping cart design.
ShutterstockThe Walmart in Mayfield, Kentucky, recently updated its shopping carts, but the new ones aren't just better-functioning versions of the old ones. They have three major differences: They're taller, and the children's seat at the front now has a cup holder and a place to put your phone.
Some people applauded the action. "Kudos on making improvements to the carts and store! Well done," wrote one commenter on the store's Facebook post announcing the cards. But plenty of other Walmart shoppers had some strong critiques.
RELATED: Walmart "Heading in the Wrong Direction" With New Packaging, Shoppers Say.
Shoppers with kids say there's a key design flaw.
ShutterstockOne of the major criticisms of the new carts is that they're too tall. Many folks on the shorter end of the spectrum said this made them difficult to use, but short-statured parents of small children have an extra gripe.
"I had to lift the 9-month-old baby I sit for up over my head to get him in," wrote one shopper on Facebook.
Another wrote, "I can barely pick my 3-year-old up as is, but trying to put him in this buggy the other day was hard."
Shoppers on TikTok have been sharing videos of their experiences. User Maddy Charlsonposted a video of herself wheeling her child through the store. Her daughter was at eye level with Charlson when she was seated in the cart. "Why are they so tall??" she captioned the video.
"Walmart did not think about short people before getting these carts," she writes in the video. "I can hardly see around my daughter."
Another comment on Walmart's Facebook post put it more simply: "As a short person, these are terrible."
RELATED: Walmart Worker Issues Warning to Shoppers About Self-Checkout.
Shoppers are also nervous about the cart's safety.
Kicking Studio / ShutterstockPeople also voiced concerns about the ergonomics of the cart. "Seniors are complaining the handle is too high, and it's hurting their shoulders," wrote one commenter.
People noted that there should be multiple options available.
"I think the ones they just had before they got these should be an option as well. Have the regular ones for the shorter customers and elderly, and the taller ones for the taller folks," explained a shopper on the brand's Facebook post.
Then, there were issues with the phone holder. "In a crime-free and germ-free environment, in theory, it would be a great idea, but no thanks from my perspective," commented a shopper.
"Sweet: Leave your phone accessible to thieves," wrote another.
Other shoppers simply said they wouldn't trust themselves to not forget their phone in the cart.
It's not clear how widespread this rollout will be.
ShutterstockOf course, not everyone dislikes the carts—even people with kids.
"Personally, I love them," wrote one shopper on the brand's Facebook post. "My three-year-old fits perfectly in the seat, and I love that there are the extra spots. Makes it less chaotic for me while I’m trying to shop and wrangle two kids."
Others pointed out that the larger carts could be a subtle way that the store leads you to buy more things.
"Higher carts mean larger carts, which means more space to put more items in," they said. "More money for Walmart."
Whether the carts will become more widespread remains to be seen. Best Life reached out to Walmart to see if the new carts would be introduced nationally, and what the timeline would be for that rollout. We will update this story with their response.
