Believe it or not, one of the most important elements in your entire garden center is also one of the first things your customers see when they arrive.

We’re not talking about your shopping area, or your accessories, or even your plants themselves (although all of those are crucial!)

We’re talking about carts.

Garden center carts are a hugely valuable tool for encouraging shoppers to take their time, stock up on what they need, and maybe even grab a few additional items on their way to the register.

Simply put, good carts make for a good shopping experience. That means happier customers—and better sales.

Give Shoppers Plenty of Cargo Room 

Like most shoppers, garden center customers usually arrive with a clear plan in mind of what they’re looking for. But that doesn’t mean they won’t spot a new must-have as they’re browsing your sales floor—and when they do, you want to make sure it’s easy for them to grab and take those items with them.

That’s why it’s always a good idea to provide a few sizes of carts for your customers. Not only does every customer have their own “max load” in mind, but it’s also important to consider customers who cannot physically handle a large cart.

Have heavy items for sale, like large planters, decorations, or pottery? That might just be one of the best places in your garden center to leave carts, and making it easy for customers to load up could help boost your big item sales.

Choose A Cart Design To Fit Your Space

We’ve spoken to our fair share of garden centers, and we’ve learned one thing from just about all of them: “Good carts are worth their weight in gold.” 

That might be an exaggeration—mostly because great carts don’t usually weigh that much—but we couldn’t agree more on the value. That’s why it’s always a smart plan to place your carts right where customers can find them quickly. 

Placing carts by your parking area is usually a good choice, but don’t forget to add a few cart stations throughout your shopping area for those customers who find themselves inspired by your inventory. And since most carts are able to neatly nest into one another when not in use, you don’t have to sacrifice a ton of space to make them accessible.