Most retail stores provide guests with shopping carts for carrying items.
After transferring items to their cars, customers often leave the carts in the parking lot.
A cart attendant is a person responsible for bringing these carts back to the store.
Cart attendant is a thankless job, but someone needs to do it.
Use the following guide to learn what it takes to enter this career and whether you need any special training.
First, explore the basics of the cart attendant job, including common duties and job titles.
- What Is a Cart Attendant?
- Work Opportunities in the Cart Attendant Industry
- What It’s Like to Be a Cart Attendant
- Cart Attendant Salary & Income
- Overview of the Cart Attendant Industry
- Cart Attendant Facts
- Jobs Related to Cart Attendant
- Requirements, Skills, and Education Required for Cart Attendants
- Requirements for Becoming a Cart Attendant
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Wrapping Up
What Is a Cart Attendant?
A cart attendant is an entry-level retail employee who is responsible for retrieving carts from the parking lot.
They also help customers carry items and assist with light tasks around the store.
What Is a Cart Attendant Called?
Companies use a variety of names for cart attendants and related jobs.
Other names for cart attendants include bagger, cart pusher, and lot attendant.
What Does a Cart Attendant Do?
Some of the main job duties and tasks for cart attendants include:
- Retrieving shopping carts from the cart stalls
- Completing basic janitorial tasks inside the store
- Sweeping and cleaning the parking lot and storefront area
- Assisting with carrying customer’s purchases to their vehicles
Work Opportunities in the Cart Attendant Industry
There are always work opportunities for cart attendants, as this job includes a high turnover rate.
Cart Attendant Job Description
Cart attendants are responsible for maintaining the parking lots of retail establishments.
They collect carts and return them to the store.
They also greet and assist customers.
Top Cart Attendant Jobs and Careers
A cart attendant is one of several jobs found at retail locations that you may want to explore:
- Cart attendant and bagger positions require no work experience.
- Cashiers often need a high school diploma and may earn more compared to cart attendants.
- Retail supervisors and managers supervise and manage other workers.
Where Can a Cart Attendant Work?
Cart attendants primarily work at retail stores.
Golf courses also hire cart attendants.
Golf cart attendants are responsible for loading and maintaining golf carts and assisting members.
What It’s Like to Be a Cart Attendant
Here’s what you should know about a cart attendant’s workday and duties.
Is Being a Cart Attendant Hard?
The hardest part of being a cart attendant is navigating a busy parking lot.
This job also requires you to be on your feet.
Cart attendant is not a stressful job.
The typical cart attendant’s workday starts with clocking in to start a shift and checking in with a supervisor or manager.
Cart attendants spend most of their shift retrieving carts and helping guests carry large items to their vehicles.
Cart Attendant Tasks & Duties
Between retrieving carts and helping customers, cart attendants may perform a variety of small tasks around the front of the store.
Common duties include straightening merchandise, cleaning up spills, and emptying trash cans.
Cart Attendant Work Hours & Schedule
Cart attendants are typically part-time employees, as full-time positions are often reserved for supervisors and managers.
A cart attendant may work 10 to 30 hours, depending on their age and availability.
Cart Attendant Dress Code
Cart attendants often need to wear slacks and shoes without open toes.
Some retail stores issue polo shirts featuring the store’s colors and branding.
Others may require employees to wear collared shirts and a store-issued apron or smock.
Does This Career Field Embrace Work/Life Balance?
Working as a cart attendant allows for a work/life balance, as it’s a part-time job.
Cart Attendant Salary & Income
Cart attendants receive an hourly rate.
Cart attendants often receive the lowest starting pay compared to other retail employees.
According to Glassdoor.com, the average pay for a cart pusher/bagger is $30,908 per year.
Overview of the Cart Attendant Industry
The cart attendant industry is part of the broader retail industry.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the current job market for cart attendants.
Cart Attendant Field: Career Progression
After working as a cart attendant, you may find it easier to gain employment as a cashier or floor associate.
Retail workers with adequate experience may eventually qualify for supervisor and manager positions.
Is Cart Attendant a Good Career?
Cart attendant is good for a first-time job or source of supplemental income.
It typically pays minimum wage but includes minimum responsibilities compared to other retail jobs.
The job outlook for cart attendants depends on the state of the retail industry.
Experts project limited employment growth in retail sales, with about 557,200 new retail job openings each year.
The demand for cart attendants and other retail workers should remain consistent for the rest of the decade.
Online sales have limited the growth of physical retail locations.
Cart Attendant Facts
According to the Guinness World Records, the farthest push and ride of a shopping cart was 34.64 feet by Richard Firth of the United Kingdom.
Jobs Related to Cart Attendant
If working as a cart attendant doesn’t meet your needs, here are a few related jobs:
- Warehouse assistant is another entry-level job and is often part of the retail industry.
- Forklift truck drivers often work at warehouses and large retailers.
- Farm hand is another job that requires no previous work experience.
Requirements, Skills, and Education Required for Cart Attendants
Before applying for a position as a cart attendant, you should review the skills and education needed for this job.
If you’re looking for a minimum wage job with few responsibilities, you may enjoy working as a cart attendant.
You should look for other jobs if you dislike the idea of spending up to eight hours on your feet.
Is It Hard to Become a Cart Attendant?
As a cart attendant is one of the lowest positions in the chain of command for store employees, this job is open to almost everyone.
If you have a clean background, you can likely get hired as a cart attendant with no experience.
Here’s what it takes to become a cart attendant…
Requirements for Becoming a Cart Attendant
Cart attendants need to be able to meet the physical requirements of the job.
A cart attendant spends most of the shift on foot walking on the hard pavement while collecting shopping carts.
- What Skills Does a Cart Attendant Need? A cart attendant should be friendly and hardworking. Cart attendants regularly interact with customers, which requires a pleasant attitude.
- What Education Does a Cart Attendant Need? There are no educational requirements for this job. Retail stores may hire teenagers as young as 15 as cart attendants, depending on the labor laws in the state.
- Can You Become a Cart Attendant Without a Degree? Yes, you can become a cart attendant without a degree.
- What Experience Does a Cart Attendant Need? Cart attendants do not need any previous experience. It’s a common first-time job for teenagers.
Cart Attendant Education & Schooling
Cart attendants do not need any special education or schooling.
This is an entry-level retail position.
However, some businesses may require new hires to watch a short introductory course.
Introductory courses cover the basic responsibilities of the job, such as when to collect carts from the parking lot.
- How Long Does a Cart Attendant Course Take? An introductory training course may last 30 minutes to a few hours.
- Cart Attendant Education Options and Degree Programs There are no degree programs for cart attendants. However, those interested in climbing the retail ladder may benefit from a business degree.
Retail stores may prefer hiring someone with a business degree for a managerial position.
A master’s degree in business administration (MBA) can lead to greater career prospects in the retail industry.
Schools for Cart Attendants
Cart attendants receive on-the-job training instead of attending school.
Steps to Become a Cart Attendant
Becoming a cart attendant typically involves filling out a paper application at a retail store in your area.
- Review the age requirements in your state. Some states limit the number of hours that you can work.
- Compare the starting pay at retail stores in your area. Some stores offer higher rates to compete with nearby retail locations.
- Apply for jobs at retail locations near your home. Choose stores that you can conveniently reach using your preferred method of transportation.
Current Career Job Openings
Here’s a selection of the best job openings posted online for cart attendants:
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Carts Can a Cart Attendant Push?
Most stores restrict employees from pushing more than 10 carts at a time.
However, mechanical cart collecting devices allow for the safe collection of up to 30 carts.
What’s the Minimum Age for a Cart Attendant?
The minimum age varies depending on the state and the employer.
The minimum age for employment varies from 14 to 16 years old.
Wrapping Up
Working as a cart attendant is often seen as a good starting point for those with no previous work experience.
You can gain experience with no education beyond high school.
Cart attendants often earn the minimum wage in their state but get paid to collect carts around a parking lot.
It may also provide a good opportunity for those that want to learn the ropes at a retail location and work their way up to higher-paid positions.
If you’re interested in working in retail, start searching for cart attendant job openings.
