PURPOSE: To improve the hit rate for retrieval in each POS terminal by using a commodity data file, which is distributed from a file controller to POS terminals, as data of commodities in which respective salesrooms deal.

CONSTITUTION: Such group numbers are added to commodity-classified records of a commodity data file 20 in a file controller 100 as distribution destination codes to POS terminal 201 to 204 that POS terminals 201 to 204 can be divided into groups, and each of POS terminals 201 to 204 is provided with a group number preset means which discriminates the group to which the terminal itself belongs to. When commodity data is distributed from the file controller 100 to POS terminals 201 to 204, POS terminals 201 to 204 discriminate whether the commodity data file 20 to be received is unnecessary or not to control the reception of commodity data.