If you’ve shopped at Walmart recently, you may have noticed a few changes.
First, many Walmart locations have swapped out their price tags with new, digital displays. This led many to accuse the chain of implementing “dynamic pricing,” though there’s no evidence to date that the store is actually doing this.
Next, some Walmart locations appear to have updated their carts. While they look very similar to the previous shopping carts, there’s a curious addition to the underside that has some internet users scratching their heads.
What’s Going On With This Walmart Shopping Cart?
In a video with over 1.4 million views, TikTok user @chicago_0629 shows a shopping cart at a Walmart.
“So Walmart now has a tracker for everything you put in the cart,” the TikToker says.
To demonstrate this, he shows the underside of the cart. Attached to the cart is a small box made of white plastic.
This TikToker isn’t the first to question the presence of the box. Videos about Walmart’s trackers have been actively posted since at least September 2025—though no one seems to know what exactly the devices are.
In the comments section, users speculated about what these devices could possibly be, with many echoing the TikToker’s theory.
“Its a sensor to activate an electric wheel lock so you can’t run out the store with a full shopping cart,” wrote a user. “When you pass through self checkout or regular checkout there’s n invisible fence like a dog shock collar ‘fence’ that deactivates the wheel lock.”
“They’re tracking your patterns in the store,” declared another.
Is This Really A Tracker For Your Shopping Items?
No.
In the video, the device appears to be a “MOKOSmart LW008-MTP Small LoRaWAN GPS Tracker.”
While this is technically a tracker, it is not designed to monitor “everything you put in your cart.” Instead, the site advertises that the device has “integrated GPS positioning, Bluetooth positioning and WiFi positioning modes,” allowing the store to track and monitor the position of their carts in real time.
Why the store does this is unclear. As previously noted by BroBible, reporting from 2018 claimed that Walmart had patented a system to allow them to track the position of customers in-store. Using this information, the store could adjust its layout in order to maximize customer attention and, theoretically, increase sales. It is unknown whether this idea was fully implemented or simply patented.
Apart from that, there’s also a possibility that this device is simply to keep track of shopping carts. Walmart has been fined in the past for abandoned shopping carts. Additionally, some estimates say that 2 million shopping carts are lost or stolen annually. Implementing GPS tracking may simply be a way to monitor the location of carts and prevent them from being lost or stolen.
Are There Any ‘Smart’ Shopping Carts?
The idea of shopping carts tracking “everything you put in your cart” isn’t far-fetched. In fact, it’s already been implemented in some stores—though it presently requires significantly more visible technology than a small plastic box.
A CBS Sunday Morning piece from November 2024 showed a Kansas City Price Chopper location that implemented smart shopping carts. These carts automatically detect items that have been added to the cart. They can also provide directions to items in the store. When the customer is done shopping, they can check out from the cart itself.
While these are not yet widespread, there’s certainly interest from customers and stores alike. In addition to other technology, like Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” retail solution, carts like these simply show how the retail landscape is changing.
@chicago_0629 #bigbrother #shopping Walmart shopping carts now have trackers.
Commenters Have Thoughts
In the comments section, users offered their opinions on high-tech carts.
“Everything but paying employees a decent living wage,” wrote a user.
“They can afford trackers in carts but cant afford new shopping carts,” added another.
“Yet they still ask for the receipt,” shared a third.
BroBible reached out to Walmart via media relations contact form and @chicago_0629 via TikTok direct message and comment.