Do you think the Shopping Cart Theory determines whether a person is good or not?

[BeeNee]

Yes, if you don't return the cart, you're clearly an awful and/or a lazy person

No, shopping cart theory determines nothing. You can be an amazing person and never return the cart

[blueonblack22]

Is someone “evil” for not returning a shopping cart? I don’t think so. But they are definitely lazy and inconsiderate if it’s not a big inconvenience to do so. Rare exceptions maybe if someone is in a legitimate rush or they got three kids in the car and they are alone. However if they consistently do that every time they go shopping then there is a very good chance they carry these principles to other parts of their lives too. It’s selfishness and entitlement of expecting other people to clean up your own mess.

People who litter are much worse. Like why is there street litter to begin with? Where the hell does it come from? Maybe wind does blow over trash cans or dogs got into it. But in reality 99% of it is from low IQ trashy people who litter. Too lazy and inconsiderate to find a nearby trash receptacle. Trash is more likely to trash. Hate to say it but it’s true.

It’s the reason why the bad parts of town are usually more littered than the nicer parts. It’s not just because the nice parts of town has money to clean up litter. It’s usually because people in those areas take more pride in their homes and lives to began with. They usually don’t litter in the first place

Yeah it’s stereotyping and you can argue classist to think that way. But how you do some life activities consistently is usually very indicative of how you do most things. Especially if you see a grown ass adult.

[AmandaYVR]

Very well said. 👏

[Mr_Potatoman]

I can't believe that there is anyone who is okay with leaving carts all over the parking lot, but that is probably cultural.
Over here in Europe (at least in my country), you rent a cart with 1 € coin or a 50 cents coin. Then when you return the cart you get your coin back. There are a few spots on the parking lot where you can return the cart.
When you return the cart, you actually push your cart inside the other cart and then chain it together (at that point you get your coin back). Doing this people are actually creating something like a train of carts.
After some time, two guys come and drive that train of carts (often 20 carts) back to the store.
Lastly, I believe that people over here where I live would return the carts even if they hadn't put any money in it. Therefore I don't think getting money back is the main motive. There are some days in the year when certain stores unlock all of their carts and people still return them and don't leave them all over the parking lot.

[BeeNee]

We have a mix in the US of monetized cart returns and free range carts. According to the theory though, a monetized cart return is not a form of "self" governing because the literal purpose of that small amount you must put in the cart is so that you can put it back. It would be an interesting experiment to see in that case, if patrons knew that the monetized carts were no more or being abolished, what percentage would start leaving them with no more incentive to return them over time.

[Paul09]

Yeah they should all have this. My grocery store has it, til COVID and they took. It out, never put it back. Now I have carts Al over parking lot and neighborhood..

[blueonblack22]

We need that cart rental idea to be more grocery store chains in the USA. We have that at airports but not most grocery and retail stores.

[Aerissa_Jade]

I'm a evil awful person then, but my thing is I park WAY out, and the cart returns are all fairly close to the store, which would mean I'd have to walk more than half way across the parking lot to return it.

I always park this far out so no one dings or hurts my truck and I have plenty of room to park and most importantly, exercise.

They used to have cart returns further out and I would use them all the time, but they moved them all closer, cause 95% of people are lazy butts who want to park close.

I'm not going to walk across 60 or 70% of the parking lot to return a cart because they moved the cart returns closer to accommodate lazy people.

I do however, grab a cart far out on my way in to use it in the store... rather than walk past them and then get one inside.

How many other people would walk that far across the parking lot each time to return it, if that is how it was for them all the time? or the places that do not have cart returns so they have to return it all the way back inside the store.

For the stores that have cart returns way far out, I do return them each time.

So no I don't think this applies as I have a hour long drive to get home and I don't want my food getting too warm before I can get home and put it away, nothing like ice cream melting or milk getting warm if I spend an extra 10 minutes returning a cart.

[sage2021]

I happen to think if I park my shopping cart as shown in the picture, it's ok to do that. Because it is very close to people getting out of their car. This assures the customer of getting a cart. I say this because where I live, the stores don't have many carts if any at all. People take them and keep them.
I saw this just yesterday where there were zero carts in the cart rack outside.
Now, yesterday I also saw this big dude driving a big g macho truck take his cart and put it where his truck was parked. Thus, blocking the parking space. Now that's a NoNo!

[Apple1996]

A little bit yeah like if you can it's best to put the cart back but certain situations I can see why someone would leave it. Like I've been out with all my kids and didn't wanna leave them in the hot car to put the cart back so I left it. Most of the time I try parking right next to the return tho

[BeeNee]

That would more be considered a dangerous circumstance because a hot car can be dangerous to your kids, but you do what I tend to do so I can easily deal with the cart and that is park right next to the cart return.

[Paul09]

Turn on the AC? Lock the doors? How did my mom ever do it?

[Apple1996]

@Paul09 my car has a safety alarm if you leave the kids in the back to long while it's on. And by too long I mean about 30s 😂

[AmandaYVR]

I was finding that write-up pretty interesting (and it was almost trying to be scientific), until it got to the very end and called people "animals" and "savages" lol.

I used to live just a few blocks from a large grocery store, and knew lots of people who worked there. Two of them were my best friends. Employees used to be assigned to periodically go gather them up because inevitably shoppers would leave them astray. My friends had jobs because, in part, of those carts being left astray.

Now the thing is, they had a lot of employees at that store. Many of them, to do customer service things, such as this. They also had 'baggers' and your groceries were always bagged for you. Groceries are, even to this day, 25 years later, bagged for you, in the U. S. the major city where I lived. Come back to Canada, and all of a sudden, the cashiers aren't doing it anymore? What the hell. I'm spending $500 buying your stuff, why do I now have to do it? I also have to pay a quarter just to borrow the cart while I'm there (you get it back after, if you return the cart, and lock it into place, then there's a mechanism that releases your original quarter. And why is this, why was this put in place? Because people steal the carts, walk off with them (not shoppers, people who use them to cart their stuff around, collect recycling and stuff.)

I used to always do things for the greater good. I always notice things, shake my ahead at the selfishness and laziness of others. I put in effort that some, or many, do not. I still, to this day, do not leave my shopping cart across a parking space. I snug it up on the line, or between spots so it's mostly out of the way. Sometimes if the place they are stacked is nearby enough, I'll even walk it over there.

Seems to me, this is not just about carts. It is a fairly good test or morality, of citizenship, yes. But I see more here. It's about how companies have figured out how to downsize their labour costs. And mitigate loss of equipment. And put the onus on customers. We do more work, to have the privilege of buying their products. And that, I also have a problem with. I see the reasons, but look at the quarterly reports for some companies, profits going up not down (although it's in reverse in some cases, but you'd better believe they learn pretty damn quickly, what to do the next quarter.) I'm getting tired of profit over people.

But, yes, people should do their part, their duty, as part of the citizenry. If everyone decides, collectively or individually, to do what some are doing already... it could very well result in total anarchy. And society is a fragile organism. No doubt about it.

[jshm2]

It's not so much the "shopping cart" per say, but in general.

For example, in some job interviews they will give you a cup of water/coffee or a pen before the interview. You only get the job when you return the cup or the pen. Unknown to you, the interview doesn't matter much as what they really want to know. i. e how trustworthy you are.

If you are thoughtful and trustworthy, you will return things that don't belong to you, after you've used them. Such as a cup, pen or shopping cart. This is ingrained and no amount of education or training can make you "more honest" than you really are.

So if you're not getting jobs, and often getting a raw deal - you're likely an asshole who has been tested and found wanting.

[BeeNee]

I was reading this and thinking back to all my job interviews, and I can honestly say I was never offered a water, but certainly a pen. However, my aunt who works in HR told me whenever I go to an interview to bring my own pen because it shows an employer that you are the type to come prepared for the circumstance, so I've done it ever since. As far as I'm aware, of the places I interviewed and was never hired at, that was not a factor, but interesting to think of. I do however remember being upset with my office mates that our office supplies were always being taken off our desks, so we put special tape on every single item to see who was taking them and we'd confront said people and ask if they took our stapler or pen. They'd lie and say they didn't, and then we'd point out how we knew they did. We quickly found our suspects near and far in the office!

[Red-Blaze]

Not really, some just dont think beyond and assume the cart is suppose to remain where ever, some stores got workers that collecting cqrts is part of there job, many times pepole with some issues that nlocks them doing many jobs
Also someone with stuff like OCD may be compleled to put a cart in place
Can also say been in places where putting the cart nack is a nightmare, with broken devices, missing racks, no sighs or any clear idea where it is

So over all il say no, its not really showing it

[BeeNee]

I didn't come up with this theory, but I can only assume there are a few other exceptions for those literally incapable of cart return, though if one is disabled to the point they can't use a cart, the store offers assistance or that person tends to have a helper, and if the return is broken, there can be no expectation of return. As to the people assuming the cart should remain wherever, I've not run across anyone who had that mindset. You can see people returning the carts, there are signs saying return cart here, and if you're an adult who does their own shopping, you would have witnessed this behavior even as a child if you'd ever gone shopping with a parent, friend, or relative.

[Red-Blaze]

Well I been at least in one place with signs "leave carts, do not take back" and they had someone going around collecting
Don't remember the reason, could be that they only had one place to return near the store and did not want people going all around to return it
Or fear of them bumping into cars or putting it in so it may slide down.. I really can't recall, just remember that sign, and trying to return it for a really angry employ coming to take it off me 😅

[Paul09]

So F other car's the cart will roll into and damage? And I hate hen people say "that's there job", It isn't. There job is to take it from the cart stall. and unfortunately gather stray carts because people.

[Red-Blaze]

@Paul09
Please read what I said, not the made up story in your head
This is not something I do, it was at least one place I visit, can't recall if US or somewhere else, they forbid you from returning the cart and got people that its all they do
It could be an odd one of a kind place I only been then once and that was a while back, only remember it because it was super odd to me
I got a really angry employ at me when I try to return it anyway

I also never said its "that's there job"

[BeMuse]

Sorry to break it to you, but the parking lot is part of the store's land. So long as you're not walking down the street with the shopping cart or throwing it in the back of your truck and taking it home with you, the cart hasn't left the store. This is why people are employed to collect them from around the property. Some stores have basket receiving areas outside at the front of the store. Some have them inside at the front of the store. Some have them out in the parking lots to streamline employee retrieval and shopping convenience for other costumers. There is no universally accepted policy on shopping carts from store to store. You're entire question is based on your feelings, not actual facts.

[BeMuse]

This is an example of part of what a company has to submit to a county in order to get a permit. Notice how the property boundaries include the parking lots and roads of egress... Just like if someone borrowed your car and left it in your driveway instead of the garage, a shopping cart in the parking lot is on the property.

[BeeNee]

It's called shopping cart "theory." Theories are not facts. You are however, missing the point apparently. By the mere fact that you are aware that there are designated areas for shoppers to return their carts, means you know as an adult with a reasonable amount of intelligence, that the store does not intend for you to leave the cart loose in the lot or left in another parking spot. But before you lean on, "but that's not my job," another example of this would be, you eat your lunch, you see there is a trash can, and yet you decide to leave your lunch trash on the table despite you knowing there is a designated receptacle for the trash..."because there is a janitor."

In both situations no one is going to fine you, or throw you in jail, but you know there is a right way and a wrong way to handle those situations, but to be frank and honest, you are willfully choosing not to do them not because you are disabled in such a way you cannot complete the simple task, or in an emergency where you quickly had to leave a store (every single time), but because you are either lazy or feel some level of entitlement that someone "should do" something that you are easily capable of doing yourself. Now whether you or I attach actual morality to that is where theory comes in to play, hence the question. To determine any further level of understanding on the matter, this would actually need someone to do a deep dive and find out if there are far more immoral people who consistently don't return the carts then there are those that do. I gather you'll respond with a 'who cares,' or 'don't tell me what to do,' and if that's your answer, then sure, but then next time, don't complain when you can't park in the one spot near the front because some jerk has left their basket in that spot or there are not carts left because their floating around in the lot.

[BeMuse]

No, they aren't the same at all. If I purchase lunch, that becomes my belonging because I have made a purchase. I never purchased the cart. It would be wrong for me to leave my personal belongings on someone else's property as litter, but it would not be wrong for me to leave their belongings on their property (i. e. a cart). You're not very good at logic. Trying to pull a bait and switch is dishonest. You're a bad person.

[BeMuse]

This is the same reason why it would be wrong for me to park my car in a store's parking lot indefinably. The car is my personal property. While parking spots are designed for putting cars within the lines, the fact that the car is my personal property and the parking lot is part of the real estate that belongs to the store, if I were to say leave my car in that parking sport over night or for several days, then the store manager might have my car towed away for illegal parking. That is because I'd be leaving my personal property on their real property. This is a violation of their rights. Where as a shopping cart is their personal property, not my personal property so leaving it on their real property is the expectation.

We can also look at it from a different perspective. If I were to pick up a can of olives and put it in my shopping cart with the rest of my items and then decide I do not want them or can not afford them while checking out, I could declare I do not want them and the teller would set them aside. A stock boy would put them back where the store would like to market them when the opportunity presented itself. Being that the olives are still their property they are free to display them wherever they please. They would not expect me to run back to isle number whatever and put those olives back on the shelf exactly where they were picked up from. In fact they might choose their their own free will to put them onto a new display at the front of the store. They would however expect me to leave them on their property and not take them with me because I had not exchanged currency for the item.

[BeMuse]

*through

[fantasticass]

Not always... some parking lots have private owners whom have nothing to do with the grocery store. For example, I own parking lots. I don't own the grocery store, but I own the parking lot. ✌️

[BeMuse]

@fantasticass Well I don't know about foreign countries laws on parking and commerce. In America, any large store that wants to open operations has to first have a traffic study conducted to determine how it will impact the flow of local traffic and parking. If the road doesn’t have enough lanes, sometimes they are required to pay to widen it or add turn lanes, traffic signals, etc. through their impact fees to alleviate strains on local traffic congestion and prevent traffic accidents. Additionally they are required to have a certain number of parking spots and handicap spots in specific locations to accommodate the number of occupants of a store as well as roads of egress for large truck deliveries. This is all regulated by local zoning laws. This is probably why America is covered with tons of huge parking lots. I’ve seen foreigners comment on that before in Amazement. Americans tend to drive everywhere. Our cities aren’t typically all that walkable.

[nitsuj86]

I think that it is a funny anecdote. But I don't think you could broadly apply it.

Elements of truth, and feels right. But my bet is that I could probably come up with some instances where it is not the right move, or could even be malicious.

Maybe someone left a cart, and I return it, but in the process, I make sure to shame and humiliate the person that wasn't as "civilized" as me. Make them feel like a really inhuman piece of shit. Would you say that person is "Good" and the other "Bad" or an animal even?

Now does that happen, not usually, but in the USA I could definitely see a scenario where that happens. So for that reason, I'm out. (Mark Cuban)

[Kaneki05]

There is reasons to do it, let's say you have 2 heavy bags and you don't have a car but you can get the bus but to get the bus stop is a bit away and you know carrying those bags would be more of pain so to reduce it you take the cart further.
Or your elderly/disabled etc.

And let's say you did without much cause that don't show that they are a bad person just shows they don't much care about this situation.

[BeeNee]

I think most stores, at least that I know of, offer assistance to elderly or disabled. I've seen situations where no staff were available so the manager helped so that's far less of an issue. But question is, when you don't have those specific circumstances, are you or they returning the carts?

[Kaneki05]

Well if your talking about me most of the time I go shopping with someone who has a car and yes I return it because it's just right there.
But if we are talking sometimes there is situations were people have to leave them on the path somewhere and I've had to sometimes when getting bus.

And again it don't prove much even if they are been reckless with it. If you judged person good or bad based on one selfish thing they've done and applying that to all situations you'll never find anyone good.

[loveslongnails]

There might be a specific, valid reason to not return a cart to a store entrance, or to the cart stall. However, if it's just because you're lazy, or you rationalize that "this gives someone a job", then you're full of shit.

So what does it mean if I'm one of those guys who pulls into space that's partially blocked by a cart, just so I can grab it and take it in? Or just grab that runaway cart that someone left in the lot? It's kind of a pet peeve for me - am I getting heavenly brownie points? LOL

[bamesjond0069]

Yes and no. It's not as simple as no effort. People generally choose good if there is no effort. Say if leaving carts all around was what was good, people wouldn't go return carts to be bad. It's only when there is an incentive. Everyone tends to do what makes the most sense. This is why I love the quarter carts because the tiniest incentive is sufficient to make people do "the right thing". And that's all it takes because people want to be good. It's when situations put the incentive to be "bad" people need to try and change those systems and situations.

[annabananna]

I did it because I’ve always been scared of the cart rolling away and hitting another car. I have left it next to my car a few times in really bad weather though. I’m not sure if the cart theory is right or not. It could show how conscientious a person is.

[BeeNee]

No excuses, lol.

https://youtu.be/tmdGSk8Pcqc

[annabananna]

Lmao I just watched that and thought her trunk is going to be covered in water

[Static_In_The_Attic]

A shopping cart is like your neighbors when they borrow shit they should return it. On the other side of things jobs were created because of people not returning carts as well.

[anon171999]

No. Employees working at grocery stores don't get to leave once their work is done. They leave once the shift time has ended. As someone who has worked in many entry level jobs like grocery stores, I enjoy having something to do to busy myself with at work. These types of jobs don't usually allow you to use phones on shift when things are slow. So it can get boring quickly and having any extra task to do is a relief.

[Sorrento-Sun]

I return the cart to the trolley bay. But I don't think those who don't return it are bad people. Just lazy 😂

The reason I always return it is because one time I saw a parked car hit by a trolley that wasn't returned. The wind blew it towards the car and dented it. So I always return it just in case it goes astray and hits someone's car like that.

[TheVigilantFox]

I’ve never even heard of this theory before, you really do learn something new everyday.


I’d always return the cart I’m not lazy or good for nothing and it’s only polite even in an emergency I’d rush back even if I could only leave it at the store front at least they’re getting the cart back I wouldn’t just dump it somewhere.

[Dargil]

There are people who are partly (or more) disabled. Wheeling the cart to the cart corral a substantial distance from their vehicle, and then walking back to it, can be a chore. This is not a "what about". Go to the Kroger and watch. It happens. So the answer is "not necessarily"

[TenderFantasy]

I know about Cart Narcs lol. It scared me a little so now I put the carts back whenever I possibly can!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/9LktMApjFSQ

[BeeNee]

Woah, I'd never do that. People are nuts and confronting people could put your life at risk.

[TenderFantasy]

True, these people filming are brave.

[Anonymous]

While I don’t think that not returning it makes you a bad person, I truly don’t understand why people don’t? Like it literally takes seconds maybe a minute and usually the place to put it is like right next to the store or somewhere in the parking so I don’t really understand… plus where I’m from you put money in the cart anyway so you gotta get it back

[PraviteliNahuiValite]

Mostly agree. Some exceptions such as when you're directly passing it to another person who'd use it. I guess. I never shop anyway so how would I know.

[OddBeMe]

Yes. This is actually a dovetail of my thoughts on video games. Are players sadistic in games like GTA, going on shooting rampages? Those people aren’t sadistic, but it does say something about their personality.

But I totally subscribe to the shopping cart theory. It’s all about what we do while not being watched.

[Paul09]

Most cases, yes, people are selfish and evil. Some minor cases I'm not sure what maybe might be ok, not really. If you can walk around with cart at store for 1 hour+. You can take a few more extra steps to put it away. If you don't , I hope a cart slams into your car. Then you'll see how it feels.