Goldman’s “lightbulb moment” came one evening as he stared at a folding chair in his office. He imagined a similar structure with wheels that could hold two wire baskets — one on the top and one on the bottom. Working with a mechanic named Fred Young, Goldman designed what he called the “folding basket carrier,” a four-wheeled metal frame with space for two baskets, which allowed shoppers to place their items in a mobile carrier without the strain of lifting.

In 1937, Goldman introduced his invention at his Humpty Dumpty grocery stores in Oklahoma City. However, the new contraption was not an instant hit. Many shoppers were hesitant to use the carts, viewing them as unnecessary or even strange. Men considered pushing the carts too “feminine,” women were reluctant to abandon their familiar handheld baskets, and elderly customers associated the wheeled structure with wheelchairs, feeling that using them might imply they needed assistance. Faced with these unexpected social hurdles, Goldman launched a marketing campaign to educate the public and ease their hesitations.

Goldman’s solution to popularize his carts was both creative and effective. He hired models to walk around his stores, demonstrating how easy and convenient the carts made shopping. He also employed store employees to encourage customers to try them, offering to show them how to use the cart. This strategy gradually worked, and shoppers began embracing the benefits of Goldman’s invention. As the popularity of his stores’ shopping carts grew, the design spread to other grocery chains, transforming the American grocery-shopping experience almost overnight.

The success of Goldman’s invention led to further developments in shopping cart design, especially as grocery stores began to expand and carry more items. During the 1940s, grocery stores saw a shift toward larger carts that could hold more products and withstand the increasing weight of items, from canned goods to household supplies. By the 1950s, shopping cart design underwent another significant upgrade. Orla Watson, an American mechanic and inventor, developed the “nesting” cart, which allowed multiple carts to fit into one another when not in use. This made it easier to store carts and manage them in the store aisles, adding further convenience.

Since the 1950s, shopping carts have remained largely the same in structure, though they have seen refinements and added features over time. Technological advancements have also led to the development of “smart carts.” Equipped with digital screens, barcode scanners, and built-in scales, these carts allow customers to scan and bag their items as they shop, bypassing traditional checkouts.