Developing an online cannabis store paradigm for Cannabis Regulatory Science

The legal cannabis industry is using online point-of-sale marketing, but few tools exist for evaluating how this marketing influences consumer behavior. To address this gap, we developed the Platform for Online Evaluation of Marijuana Marketing and Sales (POEMMS), a realistic, customizable online cannabis store. This study tested the feasibility, usability, and ecological validity of POEMMS.

U.S. adults aged 18+ were recruited via social media advertisements. Participants engaged in a simulated shopping task using POEMMS and then completed a post-shopping survey. Participants were instructed to imagine having no cannabis and to buy products as they would in real life. Survey measures included typical real-world cannabis spending and 0-10 Likert ratings of the store's usability and realism. Spearman correlations tested associations between in-store and self-reported spending.

N=678 completed the shopping task. Approximately 58% used cannabis daily. Median total spending was $100. Shopping task spending and self-reported spending for flower, open concentrates, cartridges, and edibles were strongly correlated (rs = 0.74, 0.74, 0.67, 0.62, respectively; all p<0.001). Participants rated the store as easy to navigate (Median=10) and product characteristics easy to find (Median=10). Perceived realism was also high across product names, types, potency, and descriptions (Median=8-10).

POEMMS elicited behaviorally and perceptually valid responses in a large national sample of cannabis users. Findings demonstrate the platform's utility for Cannabis Regulatory Science by allowing controlled evaluation of online marketing effects. Future applications of POEMMS could generate evidence to inform cannabis marketing policy and regulation.