Shopping environment including detection of unpaid items in proximity to an exit

A computer program product for providing a shopping environment, comprising:

• computer code means for associating a shopping device with a shopper;
• server computer code means for creating a virtual shopping cart for the shopper responsive to the shopping device associating with the shopper;
• computer code means for enabling the shopping device to indicate purchase of an item;
• server computer code means for detecting the purchase indication and responsive thereto for updating a virtual shopping cart associated with the shopper;
• server computer code means for determining whether the shopper has made payment arrangements for the items in the virtual shopping cart;
• and
• computer code means for detecting the presence of the shopper in proximity to an exit of the store and, responsive thereto, for verifying payment arrangements for the items in the virtual shopping cart and initiating precautionary action if payment arrangements have not been made.

A service for providing a shopping environment, comprising:

• enabling a shopping device to associate with a shopper;
• enabling a server to detect said association and, responsive thereto, create a virtual shopping cart corresponding to the shopper;
• enabling the virtual shopping cart to store the number of items in the cart of the shopper and the amount of time spent on the shopping trip;
• enabling a verification system to detect the shopper in proximity to an exit of the shopping environment and, responsive thereto, to determine whether the shopper has paid for the items in the virtual shopping cart;
• and
• enabling the verification system to initiate precautionary action by indicating that a shopper in proximity to an exit has not paid for the items in the virtual shopping cart.