A study by Bayes Business School in London among 2,359 UK shoppers has found that repositioning the handles on trolleys could increase sales by 25%.
The study explores how using the standard shopping trolley with a horizontal handlebar – such as you would likely find in a supermarket – activates the triceps muscle of the arm, whereas using a newly-designed trolley with parallel handles – like that of a wheelbarrow – activates the biceps muscle. Psychology research has proven that biceps activation is associated with things we like, while triceps activation is associated with rejecting things we don’t like.
The findings indicate that retailers are likely to accumulate more revenue by providing customers with shopping carts with parallel handles, while consumers are likely to exercise more control over their spending if they use the standard shopping trolley.
Interviews found that leading shopping trolley manufacturers had not previously considered using parallel handles on their carts and were surprised to know that the position of the handles was able to impact sales.