diff --git a/db/manifest b/db/manifest
index f5ffa9cc3..f25bfd8dd 100755
--- a/db/manifest
+++ b/db/manifest
@@ -257,4 +257,5 @@ add_jam_track_bitrates.sql
 widen_user_authorization_token.sql
 jam_track_version.sql
 recorded_jam_track_tracks.sql
-jam_track_jmep_data.sql
\ No newline at end of file
+jam_track_jmep_data.sql
+shopping_cart_anonymous.sql
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/db/up/shopping_cart_anonymous.sql b/db/up/shopping_cart_anonymous.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e22cfeecd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/up/shopping_cart_anonymous.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+ALTER TABLE shopping_carts ALTER COLUMN user_id DROP NOT NULL;
+ALTER TABLE shopping_carts ADD COLUMN anonymous_user_id VARCHAR(1000);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby.rb
index 67f81933b..6e9d9d726 100755
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby.rb
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ require "jam_ruby/models/max_mind_release"
 require "jam_ruby/models/genre_player"
 require "jam_ruby/models/genre"
 require "jam_ruby/models/user"
+require "jam_ruby/models/anonymous_user"
 require "jam_ruby/models/rsvp_request"
 require "jam_ruby/models/rsvp_slot"
 require "jam_ruby/models/rsvp_request_rsvp_slot"
diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/anonymous_user.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/anonymous_user.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ff075a3e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/anonymous_user.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# this was added to support the idea of an anonymous user interacting with our site; needed by the ShoppingCart
+# over time it might make sense to beef this up and to use it conistently in anonymous interactions
+
+module JamRuby
+  class AnonymousUser
+
+    attr_accessor :id
+
+    def initialize(id)
+      @id = id
+    end
+
+    def shopping_carts
+      ShoppingCart.where(anonymous_user_id: @id)
+    end
+
+    def destroy_all_shopping_carts
+      ShoppingCart.destroy_all(anonymous_user_id: @id)
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/shopping_cart.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/shopping_cart.rb
index da1e567f6..401278d84 100644
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/shopping_cart.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/shopping_cart.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,12 @@ module JamRuby
 
     def self.create user, product, quantity = 1
       cart = ShoppingCart.new
-      cart.user = user
+      if user.is_a?(User)
+        cart.user = user
+      else
+        cart.anonymous_user_id = user.id
+      end
+
       cart.cart_type = product.class::PRODUCT_TYPE
       cart.cart_class_name = product.class.name
       cart.cart_id = product.id
diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/user.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/user.rb
index a469ab69a..02ce5486a 100644
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/user.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/user.rb
@@ -1503,6 +1503,11 @@ module JamRuby
       stats['audio_latency_avg'] = result['last_jam_audio_latency_avg'].to_f
       stats
     end
+
+    def destroy_all_shopping_carts
+      ShoppingCart.where("user_id=?", self).destroy_all
+    end
+
     private
       def create_remember_token
         self.remember_token = SecureRandom.urlsafe_base64
diff --git a/web/app/controllers/api_shopping_carts_controller.rb b/web/app/controllers/api_shopping_carts_controller.rb
index 5cff85b97..3bb02701f 100644
--- a/web/app/controllers/api_shopping_carts_controller.rb
+++ b/web/app/controllers/api_shopping_carts_controller.rb
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 class ApiShoppingCartsController < ApiController
 
-  before_filter :api_signed_in_user
+  before_filter :api_any_user
 
   respond_to :json
 
   def index
-    @carts = current_user.shopping_carts
+    @carts = any_user.shopping_carts
   end
 
   def add_jamtrack
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ class ApiShoppingCartsController < ApiController
       raise StateError, "Invalid JamTrack."
     end
 
-    @cart = ShoppingCart.create current_user, jam_track
+    @cart = ShoppingCart.create any_user, jam_track
 
     if @cart.errors.any?
       response.status = :unprocessable_entity
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class ApiShoppingCartsController < ApiController
   end
 
   def remove_cart
-    @cart = current_user.shopping_carts.find_by_id(params[:id])
+    @cart = any_user.shopping_carts.find_by_id(params[:id])
     raise StateError, "Invalid Cart." if @cart.nil?
 
     @cart.destroy
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class ApiShoppingCartsController < ApiController
   end
 
   def clear_all
-    ShoppingCart.where("user_id=?", current_user).destroy_all
+    any_user.destroy_all_shopping_carts
     render :json=>{}, :status=>200
   end
 
diff --git a/web/app/controllers/application_controller.rb b/web/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
index 29e294ac5..4a2ae2397 100644
--- a/web/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
+++ b/web/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
     gon_setup
   end
 
+  before_filter :set_tracking_cookie
+
   before_filter do 
     if params[AffiliatePartner::PARAM_REFERRAL].present? && current_user.nil?
       if cookies[AffiliatePartner::PARAM_COOKIE].blank?
@@ -25,6 +27,12 @@ class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
     cookies[AffiliatePartner::PARAM_COOKIE]
   end
 
+
+  # http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15807214/where-to-set-a-tracking-permanent-cookie-in-rails
+  def set_tracking_cookie
+    cookies.permanent[:user_uuid] = SecureRandom.uuid unless cookies[:user_uuid]
+  end
+
   private
   def add_user_info_to_bugsnag(notif)
     # Add some app-specific data which will be displayed on a custom
diff --git a/web/app/helpers/sessions_helper.rb b/web/app/helpers/sessions_helper.rb
index 6665b8c00..5232fc24c 100644
--- a/web/app/helpers/sessions_helper.rb
+++ b/web/app/helpers/sessions_helper.rb
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ module SessionsHelper
     !current_user.nil?
   end
 
-  def logged_in_not_logged_in_class
-    signed_in? ? "logged-in" : "not-logged-in"
+  def has_anonymous_user?
+    !anonymous_user.nil?
   end
 
   def current_user=(user)
@@ -38,6 +38,27 @@ module SessionsHelper
     @current_user ||= User.find_by_remember_token(cookies[:remember_token])
   end
 
+  def anonymous_user=(anonymous_user)
+    @anonymous_user = anonymous_user
+  end
+
+  def anonymous_user
+    if anon_cookie
+      @anonymous_user ||= AnonymousUser.new(anon_cookie)
+    else
+      nil
+    end
+  end
+
+  # tries current_user over anonymous_user
+  def any_user
+    current_user || anonymous_user
+  end
+
+  def anon_cookie
+    @anon_cookie ||= cookies[:user_uuid]
+  end
+
   def current_user?(user)
     user == current_user
   end
@@ -49,13 +70,19 @@ module SessionsHelper
     end
   end
 
-
   def api_signed_in_user
     unless signed_in?
       render :json => { :message => "not logged in"}, :status => 403
     end
   end
 
+  # take either the signed in user, or if that fails, try the anonymous user
+  def api_any_user
+    unless signed_in? || has_anonymous_user?
+      render :json => { :message => "not logged in"}, :status => 403
+      end
+  end
+
   def sign_out
     current_user = nil
     cookies.delete(:remember_token, domain: Rails.application.config.session_cookie_domain)
@@ -96,6 +123,11 @@ module SessionsHelper
     end
   end
 
+  def logged_in_not_logged_in_class
+    signed_in? ? "logged-in" : "not-logged-in"
+  end
+
+
   def metronome_tempos
     [
       40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 63, 66, 69, 72, 76, 80, 84, 88, 92, 96, 100, 104, 108, 112, 116, 120, 126, 132, 138, 144, 152, 160, 168, 176, 184, 192, 200, 208
diff --git a/web/spec/controllers/api_shopping_carts_controller_spec.rb b/web/spec/controllers/api_shopping_carts_controller_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4c9f69079
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/spec/controllers/api_shopping_carts_controller_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+
+
+describe ApiShoppingCartsController do
+
+  render_views
+
+  let(:jam_track)       { FactoryGirl.create(:jam_track) }
+
+  before(:each) do
+    ShoppingCart.delete_all
+    controller.anonymous_user.should be_nil
+    controller.current_user.should be_nil
+  end
+
+  describe "logged in" do
+
+    let(:user) { FactoryGirl.create(:user) }
+
+    before(:each) do
+      controller.current_user = user
+      controller.anonymous_user = nil
+    end
+
+    it "add_jamtrack" do
+      post :add_jamtrack, {:format => 'json', id: jam_track.id}
+      response.status.should == 201
+    end
+
+    it "index" do
+      cart = ShoppingCart.create(user, jam_track)
+
+      get :index, {:format => 'json'}
+      response.status.should == 200
+      response_body = JSON.parse(response.body)
+      response_body.length.should eq(1)
+      response_body[0]["id"].should eq(cart.id)
+    end
+
+    it "remove_cart" do
+      cart = ShoppingCart.create(user, jam_track)
+      delete :remove_cart, {:format => 'json', id: cart.id}
+      response.status.should == 204
+      ShoppingCart.find_by_id(cart.id).should be_nil
+    end
+
+    it "clears cart" do
+      cart = ShoppingCart.create(user, jam_track)
+      delete :clear_all, {:format => 'json'}
+      response.status.should == 200
+      ShoppingCart.find_by_id(cart.id).should be_nil
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "anonymous" do
+
+    let(:user) { AnonymousUser.new('abc') }
+
+    before(:each) do
+      controller.current_user = nil
+      controller.anonymous_user = user
+    end
+
+    it "add_jamtrack" do
+      post :add_jamtrack, {:format => 'json', id: jam_track.id}
+      response.status.should == 201
+    end
+
+    it "index" do
+      cart = ShoppingCart.create(user, jam_track)
+
+      get :index, {:format => 'json'}
+      response.status.should == 200
+      response_body = JSON.parse(response.body)
+      response_body.length.should eq(1)
+      response_body[0]["id"].should eq(cart.id)
+    end
+
+    it "remove_cart" do
+      cart = ShoppingCart.create(user, jam_track)
+      delete :remove_cart, {:format => 'json', id: cart.id}
+      response.status.should == 204
+      ShoppingCart.find_by_id(cart.id).should be_nil
+    end
+
+    it "clears cart" do
+      cart = ShoppingCart.create(user, jam_track)
+      delete :clear_all, {:format => 'json'}
+      response.status.should == 200
+      ShoppingCart.find_by_id(cart.id).should be_nil
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "cookieless" do
+
+  end
+
+end