Here’s What to Know About Dispensary Shoppers

Having a deep understanding of the consumer is essential to be successful in any retail category. But this business tenet is even more true in the cannabis industry, where the makeup of the cannabis consumer continues to evolve as cannabis becomes legal in more states.

Cannabis Dispensary Consumer Findings

New Frontier Data recently released a report on the current characteristics of dispensary shoppers. These findings can help dispensaries better understand how to attract and retain today’s cannabis consumer:

Nearly two-thirds of dispensary shoppers ALWAYS buy from the same store

Dispensary shoppers are like any other type of retail shopper -- once they find a store they like, they stick with it. And having a solid core of regular customers is essential for a dispensary to thrive. This makes a customer’s first visit to a dispensary especially important. If they like the shopping experience, product selection, and customer service, they are much more likely to return.

Consumers’ site product quality and selection as being the most important factors in choosing a dispensary, followed closely by the presence of a friendly and knowledgeable staff.

Sales and promotions DO cause consumers to try new stores

While dispensaries cannot rely solely on price to be successful, sales and promotions are the leading reason for consumers to try a new dispensary. So it is important for a dispensary to have targeted sales and promotions to attract new customers while focusing on turning new store visitors into lifelong customers.

More than half of dispensary customers enjoy guidance from a budtender

A big part of the dispensary shopping experience is the interaction with the budtender. Over 90% of consumers consider budtenders an essential or helpful part of the shopping experience. They look to budtenders to make product recommendations, inform them about strains, terpenes and other aspects of cannabis, and be familiar with the experience the various products deliver. Almost 40% of dispensary shoppers seek out the same budtender on subsequent trips to that store. This means that the entire staff of budtenders need to be well trained on brands, strains, form factors, and product effects to deliver a positive customer experience.

Flower is still the favorite cannabis product, with edibles continuing to grow

Smokeable flower is still the most popular way to enjoy cannabis. Over half of dispensary shoppers consider flower their favorite form factor, followed by edibles, at around 25% of shoppers. Cannabis beverages currently make up a small percentage of sales (less than 5%) but are growing rapidly.

Over half of dispensary customers say that the effect a flower product will have is the most important factor in choosing a product, while only 14% said that the strain name is most important. So while many consumers are familiar with the most well-known strains, they welcome the opportunity to try new strains if they deliver their desired effects. THC potency is a little less important in choosing a flower product, with 24% citing it as the most important factor.

Dispensary shoppers still skew male, but female shoppers are increasing

Men continue to make up a greater percentage of dispensary consumers than women – 55% to 45% in this latest report. But this number represents an increase in the percentage of female shoppers from past reports. This increase in female shoppers is likely to continue to increase in the industry. The dispensary experience must appeal to both male and female shoppers or the dispensary will risk losing out on a huge portion of potential customers.

Married millennials make up the majority of dispensary shoppers

The core dispensary consumer is not a 20-something just out of college. Forty-three percent of dispensary shoppers are between the ages of 35-54, nearly 60% are married or in a relationship, and 58% have children. These are established consumers with jobs, kids, and mortgages. This also means that they are experienced, discerning shoppers.

Summary

It is essential to understand the demographic makeup and buying behaviors of cannabis consumers to effectively reach them through targeted advertising. Using the latest research, Green Leaf Marketers can identify likely cannabis consumers in a dispensary’s market area and reach them cost-effectively through a direct mail campaign. Find out how you can use the power of consumer research to reach new dispensary customers by submitting our contact form or emailing us at info@greenleafmarketers.com