The problem of stolen carts is a problem as old as retail itself. One only needs to look around the parking lot of a shopping center or grocery store to see why — shopping carts are left scattered about, unreturned to designated cart corrals.
Studies show that an estimated 2 million carts go missing every year. With rising prices a primary concern for both retailers and consumers, the problem of missing carts is becoming a top priority. The city of Fayetteville, North Carolina, for example, spent over $78,000 rounding up missing carts over a two-year period. Those costs are passed down to the taxpayers and consumers who face rising product pricing to cover the cost of rogue carts.
TRACARTS (TRAC) is a new company that has emerged to help retailers solve this problem, saving them time, money, and — of course — shopping carts. Haim Heller, the company’s COO, explains that the 2 million carts disappearing yearly translates to a massive money loss. “That’s over $600 million in losses,” he says.
The pain point of missing carts
Each missing cart can cost a retailer $300, causing prices to rise on store shelves. While it may seem like a niche issue, missing carts have a costly impact on shoppers and stores alike.
There is also a human element to the pain point of missing and stolen carts. For example, added stress is placed on the workers charged with rounding up carts and protecting them for each store. The act of returning a cart to its place within the corral has also become somewhat of a morality test in modern society, with memes posted on social media disparaging those who leave carts scattered about parking lots where they can go missing or damage cars.
Whether it’s the financial impact or the human element of the cart problem, it’s a problem that needs addressing through TRACARTS technology — and a dash of psychology. “We are using a combination of technology, engineering, and psychology to solve this expensive problem,” explains Heller.
Giving customers (and retailers) what they want
With the TRACARTS system, shopping carts are easily managed, accounted for while in use, and locked in when not in use through the TRAC hub — a series of customizable shopping cart trains, individually outfitted as one, two, or three multi-directional lines of carts hooked into the TRAC system — installed in the store’s parking lot. The Hub is easily accessible and allows shoppers to get to their cart and continue with their shopping experience without having to weave through cars to retrieve a cart.
The carts are managed through TRAC’s patented cart retraction system, which locks them into the track where they may only be released from and returned to the Hub through the TRAC smart technology program. The TRAC kiosk serves as the gateway to the carts — either releasing them from the Train or returning them to the Hub. Shoppers simply use the White Label app, the fob, a PIN code, and their phone number to release the cart. To return it, they merely place the cart back on the Train. No further interaction with the kiosk is required. The Trains can be set in any configuration to accommodate a variety of parking lots, and all that is required from the retailer is electricity and wifi. All this is accomplished using the store’s existing carts.
Data insights as a bonus
The TRACARTS system not only keeps carts from disappearing but also provides valuable information and data insights to retailers through the TRAC app, which doubles as a way to incentivize and engage with shoppers. The app incentivizes the return of the cart by giving a subtle sensor reminder that the cart needs to be taken back to the Hub. If a cart isn’t returned within an allotted time, the subtle sensor will again remind the shopper to return the cart. This smart technology is how TRACARTS cuts down on the number of missing and stolen carts.
The app can also provide exclusive offers, VIP experiences, and rewards to shoppers, giving each user positive engagement tied directly to the retailer. Similarly, retailers can glimpse data on how long customers spend in their stores and what their shopping habits may be. Data available through the program allow retailers to see how many carts are in use at one time and a list of shoppers utilizing those carts. The dashboard is entirely customizable, and retailers can manage employee users and access rights.
When carts go missing or are stolen from a retailer’s parking lot, the cost of those missing carts is ultimately passed down to the shopper. The issue of missing carts is also endlessly frustrating for retailers and cities, who have to deal with broken carts ending up in roadways or ditches or abandoned carts, creating an eyesore in neighborhoods.
TRACARTS was created as an answer to this ongoing problem. By using the latest in smart technology and a bit of human psychology knowledge, TRACARTS is saving retailers and shoppers time, money, and frustration with its emerging technology.
