State Agencies’ Perspectives on Planning and Preparing for WIC Online Ordering Implementation

Online shopping for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has the potential to alleviate some of the barriers faced by WIC participants when shopping with their WIC food benefits. WIC State agencies are the leaders in planning, preparing, implementing, maintaining, and expanding WIC online shopping. Cross-sectional web-based survey research was utilized to identify barriers to implementing WIC online shopping, as well as the support needed to overcome those barriers, from a WIC State agency perspective. Web surveys were administered to 81 WIC State agencies from 31 January 2022 to 1 April 2022. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, and one-way analysis of variance were used to analyze the findings. Open-ended responses were analyzed using a qualitative iterative approach. WIC State agencies noted several barriers to implementing WIC online shopping, including limited staff capacity, WIC retailer interest, and technological capabilities.

• Related Resources

  • Blueprint for WIC Online Shopping Projects

  • A Mixed-Methods Study of Perceived Implementation Challenges for WIC Online Ordering and Transactions

  • Application of a Delphi Technique to Identify the Challenges for Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance of WIC Online Ordering Across Various Systems and Stakeholders

RESOURCE TYPE:

Research

AUTHOR(S):

Center for Nutrition & Health Impact (formerly the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition)

AUDIENCE(S):

USDA FNS, WIC State agencies, Advocates, Researchers

TOPIC AREA(S):

Evaluation, Technology (MIS, EBT, eCommerce)

STAGE OF ONLINE SHOPPING:

Plan and Prepare

LANGUAGE:

English

WIC STATE AGENCY(S):

All Agencies

LAST UPDATED:

October 22, 2022