Changing checkout: Implementing point of sales (POS) systems in Philadelphia corner stores

INTRODUCTION: Nationally, there is growing interest in understanding the role that corner stores play in the diets of nearby residents. However, there are few objective data or systems to collect this type of information from stores. Corner stores tend be informal, cash-based operations. Stores cannot report reliable, detailed sales or inventory information. To date, research on corner store purchases has relied on manual collection of inventory data and intercepts of store customers. METHODS: Point of Sales (POS) systems, including touch screens and scanners, were implemented in 6 corner stores over a 10-month period to determine the effectiveness and reliability of this data collection method. A product database was built by scanning all stores' inventory to create a database of items and basic nutrition data. Reports were generated of quantities of items sold. RESULTS: Over 10,000 products were entered in the product database. Analysis of quantity sold at baseline found that snacks and beverages were the most common purchases (31.5% and 23.4%, respectively). Produce accounted for 1.3% of sales. DISCUSSION: Philadelphia's Healthy Corner Store Initiative is one of the largest in the country and is among the first to implement POS systems in corner stores that will result in real-time, objective reporting of store sales. POS systems are a viable method for measuring sales in corner stores and provide great power for measuring changes in purchase decisions. Implementing and maintaining these systems requires day-to-day oversight and hands-on training for store owners.