Yi Meng was trying to buy a gift for her newborn niece when she hit a wall. Product links flew back and forth between her and her sister-in-law in an endless chat thread. Opinions got buried. Messages crossed. What should have been fun turned into a headache.
That frustrating experience led Meng to build CoCarting, a social shopping platform that lets people create shared wishlists across more than 300 retailers, including Amazon, eBay, Walmart, and more. The app, now is available on iOS and Android, allows groups to chat, vote, and make purchasing decisions together in one place.
The problem Meng identified goes beyond messy group chats. Nearly 40% of consumers return an online purchase at least once a month, contributing to $890 billion in returns in 2024, and 9.5 billion pounds of waste in landfills in 2023 from the sent back products. Much of this stems from shopping alone and making quick decisions without input from others. As the holiday shopping season approaches, “return season” is in full swing. These endless send-backs break us — cutting profit margins for businesses and adding stress for shoppers.
Shopping Together, Even When Apart
CoCarting’s approach centers on collaboration rather than transactions. Users create shared wishlists or shopping lists that multiple people can view and comment on simultaneously. Instead of relying on reviews from strangers, shoppers get feedback from friends and family who actually know their taste and needs.
The app targets busy parents and Gen Z shoppers who already coordinate much of their lives through group chats. Family shopping lists, event planning, gift registries, and holiday wishlists all fit naturally into the collaborative shopping tools the platform offers.
CoCarting’s work has caught the attention of the Ben Franklin Technology Accelerator Program, which selected the startup for its accelerator program. The company has also partnered with Penn State University, lead by Professor Yim, to research social shopping behavior, examining how group decision-making affects purchase satisfaction and reduces return rates.
A Different Kind of Shopping App
What separates CoCarting from other shopping apps is its universal wishlist system. Rather than locking users into a single retailer, the platform aggregates products to the wishlist from hundreds of stores. Users can add items from different retailers to the same wishlist, and their group can weigh in on everything in one conversation.
The voting and make poll features help groups make decisions without endless debate. If four friends are planning a camping trip, they can all add gear suggestions to a shared list, vote or create a poll on priorities, and see what everyone actually wants before purchasing.
Looking ahead, Meng plans to expand from thousands of users to millions worldwide over the next few years. The company is developing AI-driven personalization features and is seeking investors to help scale the platform. The goal isn’t just to build another shopping app, but to shift how people think about online commerce—from an isolated activity to a social one that reduces waste and buyer’s remorse.
For now, the app for group shopping and wishlists reflects the belief that people are tired of shopping alone and ready for something different. It aims to make online shopping more confident, sustainable, and fun, with better decisions made together.