Supermarket Uses GPS Tracking Devices on Shopping Carts (2024)

26May2015

Technology takes GPS tracking one step further by tracking shopper’s habits through their shopping carts.

Everywhere you look, research teams are being compiled to utilize modern technology, including global positioning systems (GPS), for gathering important data. The latest use for this GPS tracking technology is in shopping carts. Not just one supermarket is using this technology, but in several locations in the world, and for different reasons.

The first is being used in New Zealand, with a device called the PathFinder. A supermarket in Auckland is using the GPS tracking device in shopping carts and hand-held baskets to track the shopper’s habits. It looks at data such as what departments the customer shops in, how they select groceries, and how much they spend. Most GPS tracking studies and projects inform the person they are being tracked, but not in this case.

The carts and baskets have GPS satellite tracking devices and batteries hidden under the handle of the basket or near the front of the shopping carts. The technology was invented by New World Victoria Park, with Jason Witehira at the head of the project. He told reporters he could log on to the program from any computer and watch the baskets or carts move through the supermarket. He says it has helped him change the store’s layout to become more efficient.

Shopping cart GPS tracking is also being used in the United States at Piggly Wiggly supermarkets, the very supermarket that invented the original shopping cart in 1937. Now the supermarket has taken it one step further by combining technology and convenience. There is a small tracking computer in each cart that looked at the route of the shoppers, how long it takes them to find what they need or make a selection, and how quickly they go through the supermarkets. The GPS tracking can also look at what order items were put into the cart.

With a nearby computer, researchers use this data to create personal shopping profiles of their customers. These customers, unlike in New Zealand, are aware of the GPS trackers. They even put in their loyalty card in the computer to identity them as the shopper. It helps the customer get connected with advertising that attracts them, based on their behavioral profile.

Piggly Wiggly hopes that it benefits them by knowing how to set up their stores, attract certain trends of shopping, and change with their moods. This data is expected to help customers and store owners alike, and more stores throughout the country may soon have GPS tracking.


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Supermarket Uses GPS Tracking Devices on Shopping Carts (2024)

FAQs

Do shopping carts have GPS trackers? ›

Using GPS technology, the SmartTrack allows you to determine a customized boundary for your store's unique needs. When a cart nears a boundary, it will beep to warn the customer. If they keep driving, the cart will roll to a stop. Carts will then drive only in reverse until back within the approved boundary.

Can stores track shopping carts? ›

Groceries, superstores, department stores, and more can use the SOLUM Trace to track shopping carts. Powered by Bluetooth Low Energy, it lets stores track any asset with ease. Staff will be able to retrieve every shopping cart left in the parking lot, distant aisles, fitting rooms, and more.

Does Walmart have trackers in their carts? ›

Retail giant Walmart recently filed a patent application mundanely titled “System And Method For A Biometric Feedback Cart Handle.” The technology is essentially a shopping cart handle that can track the heart rate, temperature, stress level and other biological characteristics of shoppers as they grip the handle of ...

Do Target shopping carts have trackers? ›

If you're thinking of stealing one, they're not going to even need a tracking device to catch you. Do the motorized shopping carts at Walmart and Target have tracking devices? YES… EVERYTHING you do is tracked in Walmart & Target from the time you walk in until the time you drive off.

Are GPS trackers detectable? ›

As technology becomes more accessible, criminals may use smartphone apps designed to detect nearby GPS signals. These apps can identify the presence of GPS tracking devices and help thieves locate and disable them.

How do I keep my shopping cart from being stolen? ›

5 Tips for Preventing Shopping Cart Theft
  1. Hire a Cart Retrieval Company. One step to prevent the loss of carts is to hire a cart retrieval company. ...
  2. Implement GPS Devices. ...
  3. Secure Your Perimeter. ...
  4. Stop Thieves From Leaving the Store. ...
  5. Add a Coin-Lock System.
May 17, 2023

How does the shopping cart trick work? ›

Basically, you can trick a retailer's website into thinking you're going to buy something by adding items to your shopping cart and beginning to check out. But you're doing so only to trigger a pop-up offer to see if you're pre-approved for that retailer's store credit card.

What does Walmart do with old shopping carts? ›

Years ago, at Walmart's urging, Unarco developed a process to remanufacture shopping carts – taking a cart that is past its prime, burning off the rust through a patented process and making it into a refurbished cart. This extends the life of the steel so that it can stay in use and out of the landfill.

How do retail stores track theft? ›

RFID systems — which mark each item with a tiny tag about the size of a piece of glitter — are increasingly used to track stolen merchandise. Audio detection alerts store managers to the sound of gunshots or breaking glass. "Pushout prevention" systems lock shopping carts before they exit a store.

How does Walmart catch self-checkout shoplifters? ›

The technology uses cameras to monitor registers for items that have not been scanned and notifies employees of the missed item. Employees overseeing the self-checkout stations can monitor the registers from mobile phones and, in the case of issues, pause the machines to prevent customers from checking out.

How does Walmart track shoplifters? ›

Walmart uses classic anti-theft measures

'Walmart has loss prevention officers at every store that watch for shoplifters. They are on the floor and in the back watching everyone on camera," the company shared. Loss prevention personnel are also watching the self-checkout lanes.

How does Walmart detect stolen items? ›

Radio frequency identification (RFID) allows Walmart to track its inventory which can help it manage shrink. That includes not just theft or shoplifting, but also items that never make it to shelves due to damage or employees taking them.

Does Target track you in store? ›

We use cameras in and around our stores for operational purposes such as measuring traffic patterns and tracking in-stock levels. Cameras may also be used for fraud detection, theft prevention and security.

How do grocery store carts lock? ›

Electronic and magnetic systems are commonly used for this purpose. These security systems make use of an electronic wheel clamp (or boot) attached to the wheel of the cart. The parking lot of your retail store is then fitted with a thin wire, which locks the wheel clamp when a cart passes over it.

Why do Kroger carts lock up? ›

Kroger had a problem they needed to solve. Every business does. For Kroger, it was people stealing shopping carts. So a bunch of bean counters got together and said, “If we install anti-theft locking devices on our carts, we'll save a bundle of money!”

How do shopping carts know when to stop? ›

Modern systems are more sophisticated, if less elegant: Today's perimeter is just a buried wire carrying electric pulses. An induction coil in the wheel picks up these pulses and passes them to an onboard computer, which, sensing its moment, responds by activating an internal, motor-driven braking system.

Do GPS tracking chips exist? ›

Using the micro GPS chip, you can keep your valuable assets safe and traceable. You can fix it in the pet's collar to track if it got lost or keep it in the children's backpack to know where they are. This article gives you a fair idea of how micro GPS chips work and how you can track a person or valuables.

What happens if you leave items in your cart online? ›

This can trigger what is known as an “abandoned cart email” being sent to you by the site you were visiting, with a coupon for the item you left behind or some other freebie if you complete the sale.

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