Feasibility of using mobile point-of-sale technology in Baltimore City corner stores tracking sales: A brief report.

Abstract

Small food retail stores in many underserved urban settings keep no electronic records, making documentation of program impact on sales difficult to obtain. We examined the feasibility of introducing a point-of-sale tablet (POST) application to track sales of foods and beverages in Baltimore City corner stores. A sample of four geographically and ethnically diverse corner store owners were trained to use POST to track sales of 14 items for eleven days. Feasibility was documented via a structured survey and open-ended interviews. POST had high economic and cultural acceptability, operability, and perceived sustainability, regardless of language differences or familiarity with mobile technology. All store owners reported willingness to use POST again. It is feasible to train corner store owners to use a point-ofsale application for sales monitoring. An upcoming trial will help to ensure that POST provides sufficient value added for corner store owners. Significance for public health In recent decades, research on healthy food purchasing behaviors in small food retail stores has increased. Urban retail food environments lacking in healthy foods and abundant in unhealthy foods are often located in areas with high proportions of underserved African-American residents. Retail food environments such as these are particularly concerning, as they are associated with alarming rates of obesity and chronic disease in ethnic minority populations. Children are also being increasingly affected by what is available for purchase in small food retail stores, leading to lifetime risk for obesity and related diseases. In order for store owners to be better equipped to handle stocking and sales of healthy food items, they require efficient and effective technology to better control business operations. Mobile point-of-sale technology has the potential to improve small food retail environments and can inform future research on the stocking, purchasing, and consumption of healthy foods in similar settings and beyond.