Protecting Profits TRACARTS' Innovative Approach to Cart Security

In 2023, the city of Santa Fe paid a local contractor nearly $50,000 to round up stolen shopping carts scattered around the city. The city had received so many complaints about wayward shopping carts that it became a significant issue requiring immediate attention.

The Santa Fe issue and other cities facing the same missing-cart dilemma have laid bare the broader problem of missing and stolen shopping carts. According to the Food Marketing Institute, around 2 million carts go missing annually.

The reasons behind the missing cart issue vary, from people taking carts for personal use to those who simply want to create mischief. Whatever the reason, missing and stolen carts can be a costly problem. Each cart that disappears can be a $300 loss for the retailer — a cost that often gets passed on to consumers.

TRACARTS (TRAC) has developed a solution to this ongoing issue. Using a strategy that blends technology and psychology, the TRACARTS system has been designed to save retailers time, money, and frustration.

“We are working to significantly reduce shopping cart loss, whether from theft or other reasons,” says Chaya Grosinger, CAO of TRACARTS.

The psychological side of corralling carts

When people think about shopping carts, their minds likely don’t immediately go to psychology. However, there is a deep psychological aspect to cart maintenance that TRACARTS has leveraged as part of its cart system.

In recent years, whether or not someone returns a shopping cart has become a popular test of morality — especially online. People have debated the merits of returning a cart versus leaving the cart stranded in the parking lot, with a majority agreeing that the moral thing to do, in most cases, is to return your cart to the cart corral.

“People get a good feeling when they return their shopping cart, and we use that to entice people to do the right thing,” says Grosinger.

TRACARTS is unique because the company has infused its approach to solving the cart pain point with not only technology and engineering but also a deep understanding of human behavior. This combination has proven successful for retailers and consumers.

Tech-informed cart security

Along with psychology, TRACARTS uses technology and engineering to create a comprehensive solution to missing and stolen carts. This multifaceted solution is designed to be user-friendly, customizable, and accessible for retailers large and small.

The system is based around the TRAC hub, a series of customizable shopping cart trains arranged in multidirectional lines that can be installed in any location most beneficial to the retailer; this can be in the store’s parking lot or indoors. Shoppers can easily access the carts through the strategically placed hub systems, allowing shoppers to retrieve carts without having to weave in and out of traffic.

The TRAC system locks the carts securely in place while not in use. Shoppers can obtain a shopping cart through the smart technology system via a customer kiosk. The TRAC system releases the carts through various forms of identification, including the store’s app, personal PIN, or phone number.. Returning the carts after shopping is hassle-free and requires no further interaction with the TRAC hub kiosk.

TRACARTS stands out among other cart solutions — such as paying a quarter to unlock a cart — because of its technology-informed structure. “There are retail stores that protect their carts by charging money from customers, who get a refund once their cart is returned,” says Grosinger. “If you wanted a cart, would you be willing to spend or lose 25 cents for a cart that costs upwards of $180?” By gamifying the cart return process and rewarding shoppers for proper use and return of carts, TRACARTS minimizes losses and enhances customer experience.

With TRACARTS, retailers get a system that keeps their carts safe, as well as data analytics and ways to further engage their shoppers. Additionally, shoppers using the TRACARTS system can gain access to VIP offers or discounts offered by the store, and retailers can receive data such as who is shopping in their stores and how many people are using carts at one time.

The problem of cart theft and missing shopping carts may not be well-known outside of retail circles. Yet, it remains a pervasive issue for not only retailers but also municipalities and shoppers, who often shoulder the burden of the rising costs associated with lost carts. With the TRACARTS system, carts can be tracked more efficiently, cart returns are made easier, and retailers can benefit from the system's smart features, such as data analytics and white-glove dashboards.

Missing and stolen carts are costly problems in retail. TRACARTS is making strides in cart security through a technology and human-nature-informed solution.