how are shopping carts restricted from being moved outside a certain boundary in a parking lot?

Question

while moving a cart in a parking lot, if you cross the line of the boundary it suddenly locks

Answer 1

They have now put an electrical device in the wheels of shopping carts so that if they are removed from the parking lot or in some cases the store...the wheels lock up.

When I worked in the food industry.....each cart cost $200 each. It's no wonder that they have developed this technology now. It's kinda expensive to loose so many carts.

Answer 2

There are lines that u must not cross after the parking lot the carts lock, and u can only open it with the cart key.Normally the cart key has two buttons lock and unlock so u can unlock the cart.The gatekeeper keeps the cart key and collects all the carts
when scatered around.
Now on the bounds if u look very well u will see a thin line that emits light radiation all around the perimeter of the line.typically it will lock at about 25cm before u reach the line.
If u notice only one designated wheel usually locks so if u could lift it oneside it will move on three wheels, it's strainous.The wheel is design so that particular light radiation goes into a small window and switch it to lock.

Answer 3

It works the same as an 'invisible fence' for a dog. Instead of activating a 'shock' in the dog's collar, it activates a lock on the wheels. If you picked the cart up and carried it, the lock would not work.

Answer 4

No, shopping carts can and are easily stolen. I've never seen a shopping cart that locks. Homeless/poor people steal them all the time.