A shopping cart or trolley is a wheeled cart supplied by a shop or store, especially supermarkets, for use of transport of merchandise for customers prior to heading to the checkout counter . Customers can also use the cart to transport their purchased goods to their vehicles. In many places, customers are encouraged to leave the carts in designated areas within the parking lot, and store employees will return the carts to the entrances. In some areas locking mechanisms are installed that are released by inserting coins or tokens are provided to encourage shoppers to return the carts to designated areas after use, at which time they get their coin or token back.