What is a shopping cart?

Definition: A shopping cart on an online retailer's site is a piece of software that facilitates the purchase of a product or service. It accepts the customer's payment and organizes the distribution of that information to the merchant, payment processor and other parties.

Why shopping carts are important

Shopping carts bridge the gap between shopping and buying, so having the best shopping cart software is extremely important on your website.

It's likely that those just starting out in the market may be unfamiliar with the concept. Most people, especially those in the ecommerce industry, have likely made a purchase online at some point in their lives. That said, most consumers don't fully realize the need and capability that shopping carts have (besides leading a customer to checkout). A cart typically has three common aspects:

It stores product information

It's a gateway for order, catalog and customer management

It renders product data, categories and site information for user display

Another way to look at things is as follows: The online shopping cart is similar to the tangible ones we use at the supermarket, but it wears many more hats. It's also the shelves, the building, the clearance sign, the cash register and often the credit card machine relaying information back to the bank.

What options are there?

For those seriously considering the ecommerce platform route, it's important to know that there are two basic types of carts:

Hosted shopping carts: A third-party firm "hosts" the solution and is responsible for server backups, maintenance and upgrades. The beauty of a hosted solution is that hosting comes free, which means it doesn't cost anything for the third party to keep your site functional on the Web. The main drawback with hosted solutions is that customers will be directed to another domain for payment processing.

Licensed shopping carts: This type of solution allows business owners to build their own type of cart and customize it to their specific needs. There is much greater flexibility in changing features and functionality, as well as in adding third-party tools if need be. However, the upfront costs are often higher and require more hands-on expertise for troubleshooting issues and technical support.

Hosted solutions are often recommended for those who are beginning their own venture because they require less technical expertise. That's not to say all new online retail store owners aren't adept in IT, but a hosted solution may free up time to focus on other aspects of operations. There are numerous providers of shopping cart software on the market today, and companies must first evaluate their individual needs before making a final decision on which solution is best for them.

The Best Stair Climbing Carts for Moving Heavy Loads

Between struggling with arm loads of grocery bags to lifting heavy luggage, hauling things up the stairs can take a lot out of you. Stair climbing carts are designed to roll weighty loads up the stairs, and can come especially in handy when you’re moving—rather than carrying up one box at a time, you can stack them on the cart and roll them up at once.

These trolleys have triple-sided wheels that allow the cart to climb over the rise of each step, roll forward, and then ascend the next one. The best stair climbing cart options have a comfortable and sturdy handle, so rolling it up the stairs won’t strain your hand. Shoppers should consider the trolley size that will suit their needs, along with weight capacity.

Our Top Picks

This guide narrows down the market to present recommendations for top-performing stair climbing carts.

The winkeep Super Loading Stair Climber Cart is a lightweight, sturdy aluminum shopping cart, and you may be surprised by its weight capability: this trolley is capable of handling 220 pounds of cargo. The cart only weighs only 8.8 pounds, so you can tote more purchases, moving boxes, or whatever you plan on carrying. The cart can be used as a standard hand truck for larger boxes or heavier objects. This winkeep model comes with a waterproof large capacity travel bag that can be attached to the trolley. Its padded handle makes pushing or pulling the cart comfortable and easy.

The Super Loading Stair Climber Cart features rubberized back tri-wheels that roll smoothly over curbs, cobblestones, up flights of stairs, or through mud and sand. A stable front stand prevents the loaded cart from toppling over while standing. For added security, winkeep includes an adjustable bungee cord to secure your possessions to the trolley.The entire cart folds flat for easy storage and is quite compact. Comfortable to move on a variety of terrains and capable of pulling groceries, laundry, or boxes, the Winkeep cart will make your trek up the stairs easier.

Finding a cart that won’t take up a ton of space in your home can be difficult. If you’re parking your cart in the garage it may not matter, but when space is at a premium, the fold-flat capability of the dBest Stair Climber Trolley will come in handy. If you’re satisfied with a carrying capacity of 110 pounds, this cart is definitely worth considering. Attaching the large weatherproof bag adds seven compartments, including a large central compartment, front flap for small items, and a mesh beverage sleeve.

Umbrella Holder Golf Trolley Accessories

Nobody likes getting wet on their round, add a golf trolley holder to your trolley and take the hassle out of carrying around your brolly. It can also shield you from the 3 or 4 sunny days we get a year.

This Powakaddy umbrella holder can be adjusted to fit most shapes and sizes of umbrellas. The bottom of the holder features clamps that can be clamped over your trolley handle, so it should fit on most trolleys. Please make sure you check on the site link before making a purchase.

The Powakaddy Push Cart Umbrella Holder will keep you and your clubs dry on a rainy day and shaded on a sunny day.

Hand Warmers – Motocaddy Hot Mitts

The Motocaddy Hot Mitts are the best best golf trolley accessories for those who always get cold hands in winter. The dreaded feeling of ice-cold fingers will never be a problem when you have these hot gloves keeping them warm and cosy, with an easy to use plug that attaches right onto your trolley handle! These heaters come on 3 settings so they can accommodate any golfer’s needs – there is sure to be one perfect for everyone!

USB Powered

Adjustable Heat Settings

Easy Control

Compatible With 28V M-Series Trolley with USB Port

Compatible with Motocaddy Power Bank

Shopping Carts are seen in almost every retail store in the United States. Whether you are at a Grocery Store, Clothing Outlet, or a Shopping Center, chances are, you use a shopping cart more often than you realize. Shopping Carts are used and abused daily. Shopping Cart Wheels are exposed to extremely harsh environments from rolling over gravel, hitting curbs, extreme hot and cold elements from being left outside, and even corrosive weather and rain. Due to the repetitive, abusive environments, these wheels and casters can take a beating and tend to wear much faster than most other casters and wheels. Being a large Caster and Wheel manufacturer and wholesale distributor, we've seen many grocery cart repair companies attempt to purchase the cheapest grocery cartwheels to make a quick profit. This is a reason why many grocery cartwheels fail after a short period of time. Quality is the utmost important factor and should always come first over shopping cart casters and wheels.

We have seen the frustration when rolling a cart, and the wheel locks up or refuses to roll. This is why Caster Headquarters only sells the highest quality Shopping Cart Casters and Wheels. Our goal is to eliminate the lower-quality grocery cartwheels that have taken over the industry. The leading manufacturer in Shopping Cart casters and Wheels is PH Casters. We have teamed up with PH Casters to provide the highest quality shopping cart casters in the industry. What separates a PH Caster shopping cartwheel from the generic brands in the industry is 5 decades or half a century of quality control and testing to make the perfect wheel to endure the harshest environments. These wheels were made to last and perform from the special polyurethane material on the tread combined with dual quad x precision bearings. This wheel is made to outperform any other shopping cart wheel in the industry.

When new shopping carts roll out of the production line, a PH Caster and Wheel is typically used until the end of its life expectancy; then, many cart repair companies replace it with an inferior wheel to make the most profit. That is the reason there are so many carts in the industry with bad reputations. CasterHQ and PH Caster's goal is to standardize all Shopping Carts in the USA with the highest quality shopping cart-wheel in the world. The benefits of using our products are superior performance and increased longevity. In return, this encourages shoppers to come back and use your store more frequently because of the ease of mobility and quality offered for every shopper. The smallest details make the biggest differences, especially regarding ergonomics in simple tasks such as pushing a cart. If you have ever been to Target, you should automatically recognize how easy it is to push their carts. You will never run into a problem with the wheels or the performance when rolling their grocery carts. This is due to the PH Caster wheels that we supply to the Target stores. As you can see, Target has realized early on that quality keeps the customers coming back. Whether providing a clean environment or a grocery cart that is easy to roll, they know quality matters.

Some stores where our casters and wheels can be seen include Target, Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, Kroger, HEB, Kohls, Ross, Macy's, JC Penny, Sams Club, Costco, Ace Hardware, etc. many more big-name retailers. Remember, our casters and wheels are on the new carts. Still, as cart repair companies replace worn-out wheels, they use lower-quality casters and wheels to reduce performance and usability. If you are a shopping cart repair company or an employee replacing the casters and wheels, make sure to use the original, highest-quality shopping cart casters and wheels in the industry. Trust Caster Headquarters when it comes to grocery cartwheels and casters.