Cart return tracking system

A computer-implemented method comprising, by a computer system:

• establishing communication with a mobile computing device configured to execute a cart return tracking application;
• receiving, from the mobile computing device, a first cart identifier extracted from a first image and first additional information;
• associating the first cart identifier with the mobile computing device in a database;
• receiving navigation data from the mobile computing device;
• performing a comparison of at least a portion of the navigation data with the location of the cart return area;
• and
• based on the comparison, determining that the mobile computing device has arrived at the cart return area.

A mobile computing device comprising:

• processing circuitry;
• a wireless communication transceiver;
• a camera;
• a navigation data receiver;
• and
• memory having stored therein device identity information and executable instructions configured to cause the mobile computing device to:
• establish wireless communication with a cart return tracking server;
• activate the camera to obtain a first image of a cart code;
• extract a first cart identifier from the first image of the cart code;
• transmit the first cart identifier and first additional information to the cart return tracking server;
• transmit navigation data to the cart return tracking server;
• and
• receive an arrival message from the cart return tracking server indicating that the mobile computing device has arrived at a designated cart return area.