Why people don't return shopping carts

[sushi]

This is actually an update to the original SciAm article. I find the non-returners "defenses" hilarious in their awfulness.
like this selfish asshole. Yes, I judge non-returners barring a few exceptions. Especially at a place like costco where the carts are big and the returns are plenty.

Did you ever work any of your shifts for free? I doubt it. Did you think it was appropriate to stand around and get paid for nothing because everyone was a Good Citizen who returned their carts themselves or would you have preferred to be fired because your position was not needed because of these Good Citizens?

blogs.scientificamerican.com/anthropology-in-practice/follow-up-the-reasons-people-dont-return-their-shopping-carts/

[bugandbibs]

My sister was a courtesy clerk and then cashier in high school/college. I'm rounding up every cart I can find because it sucks.

[pantsparty]

This is inexcusably lazy. I judge hard when people don't return them (barring a screaming child or whatnot).

[pantsparty]

These people saying they are not returning for "job security" reasons are assholes. There isn't a dedicated "cart corral" position for hire.

[mouse]

I'm a cart returner. Unless I'm in a hurry, I usually return to the store instead of a corral, but I also enjoy a good satisfying crash when using the corral. Non-returners are really missing out on that.

Mr M used to leave his on the walkway, pointing out that he and others often grab one on the way in, and assuming that was a preference. Then I pointed out that too many carts in the walkway was a burden for people using a wheelchair or scooter, so now he returns too.

I fight it, but I have strong feelings about non-returners who are able. I had no idea it wasn't just me.

[aurora]

I usually grab a non-returned cart near wherever I park, bring it inside with me/use it, and then return when I'm done. It's one way to build up karma points with the universe!

[lilac05]

It's amazing how people can twist things just to justify their choices.

I had never really thought about the fact that there are never cart corrals near the handicap spaces. I've never judged carts there, though. I just grab one if there's a loose cart and take it inside. It seems like lots of other people do the same thing.

Having kids is not an excuse. Park at the end of the Lot next to the corral out there if you have to. Unless it's a major shopping day, there's usually a spot right next to (or within 2 spots of) at least one of the corrals in the lot. No one is going to get arrested for leaving your kid in the car for literally 15 seconds while you walk 20 feet away. It's different than "I just went INSIDE to pay" (with my back to the lot, since the cashiers ALWAYS face the lot...and it's ALWAYS longer than you think.) Or here's a novel idea...keep your kid IN the cart, return the cart, and then walk back to your car WITH your kids...just like you managed to walk all the way into the store without a cart!

Maybe everyone needs to go to the ALDI model where you pay for the cart and then get your quarter back when you return it. Though I'm guessing some of these people would just leave the cart anyway, figuring "it's only a quarter!"

[shortcake2675]

I park next to the corral every time. We sometimes walk a long ways. I return loose carts if I see them, but the ones that make me hesitate are the ride ons near the handicap spots. I am scared to drive them.

[KateAggie]

Dude, even when I'm shopping with 3 kids, I always return my cart.

This was a debate on my local, mostly well off women. A lot of "not my job, I'm not leaving my kids on the car while I walk 10 ft to the cart corral, etc." Of course, when their Yukon gets hit by a cart, they're incensed. 2+2=4, ladies.

[sushi]

I really don't like the person who said that because she (assuming gender) has kids we should feel lucky she doesn't run us over. Um, maybe don't drive if you're worried about running people over. And if you were exaggerating for effect, then you have no excuse to not return.

[Champagne Supernova]

I'm a cart returner. Gathering up the carts from all sides of the parking lot sucks, especially in the rain. I also have OCD; if there are carts inside the corral, I make sure all of them are nestled and in a straight line. It drives DH crazy so I try not to do it too much.

[dorothyinAus]

Jun 16, 2017 23:36:03 GMT -5 lilac05 said:

Maybe everyone needs to go to the ALDI model where you pay for the cart and then get your quarter back when you return it. Though I'm guessing some of these people would just leave the cart anyway, figuring "it's only a quarter!"

All the grocery stores here have a deposit for the carts -- and it's not a quarter, it's a $1 or $2 coin.  It does mean most of the carts are returned, but it creates another problem when the corrals are full and the line of carts actually blocks lanes in the car-park.  I walk to & from the grocery most weeks, carrying my groceries, but we have been in the evenings and have been blocked from getting into the car-park by carts in the corrals.

[dorothyinAus]

Here in Australia, if I have to pay a deposit, I am definitely going to return the cart, I'm not forfeiting $1/$2 if I don't have to. Sometimes I'll take it back to the store, others I'll use a corral, and still others I'll just trade coins with someone going into the store in need of a cart.

In the US, I found most stores had plenty of corrals close to the door, but the further out you get in the parking lot the fewer corrals, if there are any at all. Wal-Mart & Target are the worst offenders for not having corrals far out into the parking lot where I shop, and I will not walk the equivalent of two blocks to find a corral because the parking lot designers did not think to install corrals that far out in the lots. I do put the carts in places they will not roll into cars or traffic lanes, but come on people, if there are parking places there someone is going to go all the way out to the edges of the parking lot with a cart and needs someplace to put it.

[irishbride2]

The job security argument pisses me off. I had a student try that argument when they spilled paper pieces all over the floor and didn't want to pick it up.

[cattledogkisses]

You have to pay a deposit for carts at all the stores here, and I almost never see people using them.  Most people use these roll-y baskets, which are my new favorite thing: 



When I use a cart in the US though, I always return it.  Even if the employee who got tasked with cart duty doesn't have to go rounding them up from everywhere, just getting them from the corral back inside does not look easy! 

[wambam]

My H is the most even keeled guy in the world EXCEPT about this issue. I almost never see him agitated or upset but when he sees an abandoned grocery cart he rants and raves forever about it.

[mrsukyankee]

Carts in most of the grocery stores require a £1 coin. To get it back, you have to attach it to another cart - that means you either have to put it in the corral or bring it back to the store. People are still idiots at times and put them back in awkward ways making it impossible for others to put theirs back because people are inherently selfish bastards.

[dorothyinAus]

Jun 17, 2017 4:22:56 GMT -5 mrsukyankee said:

Carts in most of the grocery stores require a £1 coin. To get it back, you have to attach it to another cart - that means you either have to put it in the corral or bring it back to the store. People are still idiots at times and put them back in awkward ways making it impossible for others to put theirs back because people are inherently selfish bastards.

My BFF is always telling me "people are assholes, just accept it."

And I guess she's right.  People (and by people I mean teenagers, because I have observed it firsthand) are always putting the carts back in ways that make it impossible to attach one to get your coin back.  It's why I often just trade coins with someone entering the store.

[georgeglass]

When we were looking at houses in Memphis, we went to a Costco way out in the suburbs and the parking lot was littered in carts. I started sobbing, saying, "I can't live somewhere where people don't return their carts."

(It was a bit of a stressful move, though I should add that we moved into the city and LOVED it.)

[andwhat]

It does not surprise me that many people here are cart returners. And having a kid is not an excuse to not return. Come on how lazy and selfish can people be? I have workers thank me all the time for returning my cart.

[msmerymac]

Jun 16, 2017 23:35:51 GMT -5 aurora said:

I usually grab a non-returned cart near wherever I park, bring it inside with me/use it, and then return when I'm done. It's one way to build up karma points with the universe!

It's amazing how much karma I think I get from being a good cart citizen, lol.

[Jalapeñomel]

Wtf at this: "My assumption is that if the cart wrangler could get a better job, he would. So I'm doing my part to keep him gainfully employed."

[tessalb]

Having kids is not an excuse. I always park near the corral (no matter how far I have to walk) so I can quickly return my cart. If I can do it, so can other people. But yeah, as previously stated, people are assholes.

[dirtyred]

Jun 17, 2017 0:44:08 GMT -5 Champagne Supernova said:

I'm a cart returner. Gathering up the carts from all sides of the parking lot sucks, especially in the rain. I also have OCD; if there are carts inside the corral, I make sure all of them are nestled and in a straight line. It drives DH crazy so I try not to do it too much.

I'm not a cart returner, and I do this when I return my cart to the corral.  Don't people understand that you can get so many more carts in the corral (and not have them hanging out into the parking area a la Costco on a Saturday afternoon) if you put your cart inside another cart and don't just roll in there any which way?

[dropitlikeitshott]

Right now I only have 1 kid, but I try to park next to a return too. I would rather walk farther and have an easy way to return the cart.

I worked in a store for 6 years. The first 6 months I was a bagger and had to get the carts. It sucks, why not make someone elses.job a bit easier. People can be so self centered.

[notreal]

People suck. Wrangling carts is often not someone's exclusive job, it's the job you beg and cajole someone to do because you are running out of buggies.

[kkfeb04]

Last night I was behind the asshole that decided not to take his cart outside so he left it blocking the doorway. This was after I returned my cart to the proper place. I may have said something about him being lazy. He was younger than I was and his wife had the kids.

[estrellita]

I agree that having kids isn't an excuse. We park by a cart corral when we can or leave the cart in the store if we don't have too much stuff. If I'm not right next to the corral I either bring E with me or if it's close enough I leave him in the car while I put it away. The car is always in my sight and I have the keys on me if I want to lock it. But really, it's about 5 seconds.

[rosiebear]

Another win for Aldi-their quarter deposit to get a cart pays off. People want their quarter back, so carts left in the parking lot are very rare.

[UMaineTeach]

I judge people who don't return. I also return 1-3 carts per Walmart trip that I gather on the way. Usually the first one is to save my own car from damage.

Maybe there should be a cart deposit, like an airport. Or better, positive reinforcement, the cart corral can spit out 5% off coupons.