Cannabis E-Commerce Platform Strategy

The McDonald’s Playbook for Cannabis Delivery Most dispensaries treat marketplaces like their entire business. But the smartest retailers use them as an acquisition tool. McDonald’s is the perfect example: • You can order McDonald’s on Uber Eats. • But they push customers to order direct through their app—where they own the data, pricing, and customer experience. • Marketplaces bring in new customers. Their direct channel keeps them. Cannabis retailers can follow the same playbook: • Leverage third-party marketplaces like Uber for reach. • Incentivize customers to order direct. • Build a seamless, owned experience. The challenge? Many dispensaries may not fully own their technology platforms. If your eCommerce is run through third-party platforms like Dutchie or Buddi, it’s crucial to understand the extent of control you have over your customer relationships and data. And if/when DoorDash enters the cannabis space, be ready to evaluate how they fit into your strategy. Before thinking about scaling online, retailers need to ask: Who actually owns my customer relationship—me or my software provider? Because in a marketplace world, if you don’t own the customer, someone else will.

How cannabis software companies can be successful, my personal thesis pt. 2: OPEN Integrations & Becoming a Platform So far, no one in cannabis has accomplished both of these major milestones. We have seen 2 major e-commerce companies raise massive funds dedicated to rolling out headless solutions, yet neither has become a true platform with app store and robust support from developers + agencies. And in fact, most cannabis companies currently limit their API partners in several ways including: - Not approving / responding at all - Steep integration fees - Limiting calls due to poor resource planning / limited infrastructure (API limits pre-420, anyone?) And no one has built an easy to use 'app store' for developers to build off of their platform + retailers to easily access new plugins. As it stands, about the only thing to come of the headless solutions in cannabis has been a dozen or so wordpress plugins. One of the major reasons we have not seen a true platform emerge in cannabis software (retail) is because of these limiting factors. You need an open ecosystem to thrive in business yet most cannabis software companies are too focused on controlling their TAM, realizing more profit, and dictating the technology that retailers can use (all in support of their bottom line). Eventually, a true platform *will* emerge that will be propelled by a robust, open, and well documented API where developers can easily and quickly request keys to start building. Pair that with a strong partnership program focused on content creation, education, and demand generation -- you've got rocket fuel. From there, a consumer facing 'app store' is needed to facilitate the use of new apps/features. For this to be truly successful, you have to give developers a way to monetize their work, as well. All you have to do is look at Shopify or Wordpress for inspiration here. Take it one step further and allow pre-set themes to easy be downloaded and installed, giving instant "customization" to front-end experiences. Headless solutions by themselves require massive amounts of bandwidth to execute and deploy, of which, most retailers do not have. Pair that with limited access to API keys and overall high barrier to entry (approval process, fees) and you've got low adoption all around. Be great at what you do and partner for the rest. Don't be afraid to let others innovate for you and make sure to share the wealth.

Creating a Friction-Free Cannabis Retail Experience Buying cannabis products (in-store or online) can be a daunting and confusing experience for new & experienced buyers alike. Most consumers will be overwhelmed by product choice (up to 800 SKUs in some stores), bad merchandising schemes and confusing or non-existent service from staff & budtenders.  Now add frequent out of stocks, poor product branding and onerous regulations and you have a sub-optimal retail experience.   Consumers fly blind, feel intimidated and experience unnecessary friction at the moment of purchase decision - what marketers call the Zero Moment of Truth. Failure at the ZMOT can be significant in terms of lost revenue and a damaged brand image.  The fails include abandoned carts, a disconnect between the sale and what the consumer truly needs, missed cross & upsell opportunities and frustrated shoppers who flee the store - and tell their friends. Many dispensaries recognize these issues but are often challenged to address them because of operational, technology and staff limitations. Help is on the way, in the form of a new, proven AI solution.   StrainBrain was built to simplify and enhance the cannabis shopping experience and streamline the retailer’s service model. Their proprietary AI engine does the heavy analytical and UX lifting before the consumer reaches the ZMOT, helping them find the right products for their needs.  StrainBrain’s software focuses on 5 core elements: 1. Optimizing the user experience by eliminating unwanted complexity;   2. Asking the right, needs-based questions while ignoring anxiety-inducing concepts;   3. Using language and visuals that can easily be understood by a new or novice cannabis consumer; 4. Minimizing the distracting ‘noise’ from irrelevant products and marketing messages; 5. Making product recommendations via an advanced algorithm. The algo triangulates strain data & reviews from multiple sources and combines it with sentiment analysis.      To be clear, StrainBrain does not replace the budtender or other sales activities. Rather, it augments and streamlines their efforts while increasing overall store productivity and customer care. The business results are impressive.  Retailers can see increased conversion rates (+7-23%), upwards of $10 bumps in shopping cart size; more loyalty program sign ups & usage and; higher conversions of desirable cohorts (e.g., women, 55+)    I have delivered many customer experience projects. CX is one of the few areas that any retailer can compete with and win. Shoppers, moreover, are not the only beneficiaries. Retailers can mine the available data from the POS and StrainBrain systems to optimize pricing, inventory levels and promotional schemes.  Let’s talk.  I help retailers drive high revenues and profits though improving service levels, streamlining operations and enhancing their CX. #cannabis #cannabisindustry #retail #StrainBrain #MSOS #AI #CX 

Cannabis brands don’t have a paid media problem—they have a channel problem. With advertising restrictions still limiting Meta, Google, and most traditional digital pathways, the real growth engine for cannabis is finally becoming clear: 🔥 Social commerce + affiliate marketing. Why? Because cannabis is a trust-first category. People don’t buy because of banner ads—they buy because a budtender, creator, or friend showed them what works. Here’s the social commerce shift happening now: * Consumers trust humans, not platforms * Social content → instant purchase is becoming the new funnel * Micro-creators with local audiences outperform big national influencers * Brands only pay on performance (actual sales), not impressions * Creator storefronts + shoppable links bypass the ad restrictions And for cannabis companies, the opportunity is huge: Turn your influencers into revenue partners—not just content vendors. Affiliate models let brands scale locally, authentically, and profitably without ever touching paid ads. If you’re a cannabis brand looking for real growth: Start by building an affiliate program, recruiting credible micro-creators (especially budtenders), giving them education + shoppable links, and paying fast. The payoff is enormous. Social commerce isn’t a trend. It’s the most scalable, compliant, and culture-aligned growth channel cannabis has ever had. Check out my full article with helpful tips for brands looking to get started! Oh yeah - this also works for emerging brands that are boot-strapping their way to scale!

I often see dispensaries in their first 90 days asking what they can do to get more customers. They thought they’d be swimming in sales by now. Well they need traffic to their website and traffic comes from a few main sources like Google search, Google Maps, and social media. To avoid floundering after you open, here’s how new dispensaries can plan ahead. I asked Brady Madden from Evergreen Digital - SEO for Cannabis Companies: How early should a dispensary start SEO on their website before they open, and what type of SEO should they be doing? EARLY: 3-4 months before your dispensary opens is most ideal. The reason it's better to start early is it typically takes some time for search engines to build trust with your website and begin ranking your content. It also takes them time to begin understanding your BRAND as its own brand entity. At Evergreen, we focus on these key areas pre-launch: 1. Get your technical foundation right - proper site structure, schema markup, robots.txt, XML sitemaps, etc. Essentially set up the site with as much as you can before your menu goes live. 2. Location pages optimized for "[city] dispensary," "[city] weed delivery" etc. These take time to gain authority so set them up early so you will be more likely to see results upon opening. 3. Optimize your product categories/menu pages as best you can. (menu chosen will determine what you can do here) You won't be able to fully optimize your menu until its live, but do what you can to prep. Product descriptions, categories, deals/specials etc. should be targeted here. Further note on menus, launch with a proper native e-commerce solution. Your organic traffic (and revenue) will thank you. You'll also be able to track your sales by marketing channel. If you plan to launch with an iframe, I'd suggest starting even earlier so you can properly build out landing pages to capture search. 4. Create content around local topics showing community involvement and industry expertise. 5. Local citation building (Google Biz Profile, directories, etc.) - this takes time but is crucial for local rankings. These take time to verify so the sooner the better, just make sure they don't mark you as open yet, otherwise people will show up wondering why you aren't open. Bottom line, don't wait until opening day to think about SEO. I've seen too many dispensaries struggle with technical edits and menu issues for months playing catch-up because they waited. Better to sus out issues beforehand so you can focus on customers on your opening day. Thanks for the insights Brady Madden! If a dispensary is operating without a solid SEO plan they’ll get drowned out by local competition that are investing in getting traffic to their site and more sales into their registers.

Steve Jobs built more than a company: He built movements. Here are 3 big lessons for #cannabis entrepreneurs to turn their business into a brand customers love. 1. Simplicity Sells The original iPod had just one button. Simple. Easy to use. Ask yourself: ~ Can customers find your best products in under 5-7 seconds? ~ Is your checkout process quick and hassle-free? If the answer is no, simplify. Simplicity builds trust, loyalty, and sales. 2. Think Different (And Show It) Apple’s “Think Different” ads weren’t about features. It was about rebellion, innovation, and creativity. What’s your big message that sets you apart from competitors selling the same flower, edibles, or concentrates? Apply this to your branding. Make it bold. Make it memorable. 3. Launch Products Like Events Jobs made product launches unforgettable. When introducing a new strain, edible, or product line: ~ Tease it with social media hints and countdowns. ~ Create excitement with limited-time deals or early access. ~ Engage your audience by asking for feedback or sharing sneak peeks. Turn your launch into an event people can’t stop talking about. Steve Jobs didn’t just sell products. He sold experiences that connected deeply with people. Cannabis brands can do the same by creating emotional connections with their customers. It’s not just about what you sell. It’s about HOW you make your customers feel every time they interact with your brand. #cannabisbusiness #cannabisindustry #hemp #cannabisretail #ecommerce

Zach Santarsiero, the Wizard of Blogz, has put out this gem for you via Green State just in time for... tomorrow (Green Wednesday!!). Full link below, but here's the skinny: Green Wednesday isn’t about a race to the bottom on discounts. It’s about preparation and customer experience. A few smart moves cannabis retailers should be making right now: 🔊 Dial in your Google presence. Most shoppers start with “dispensary near me,” not your promo email. Hours, menu, photos - get them right. 🔊 Be strategic with deals. Bundles, mix-and-match, loyalty perks beat the lazy “40% off everything” approach every time. 🔊 Keep messaging tight. One announcement, one reminder, one day-of nudge. Don’t spam your list. 🔊 Fix the in-store flow. Shorter menus, express pickup, extended hours. Friction kills revenue. 🔊 Capture new customers. Holiday shoppers are often first-timers - follow up, thank them, and give them a reason to return. 🔊 Measure what matters. Basket size, repeat visits, online to in-store conversion. Not just total sales. The retailers who treat Green Wednesday as a strategic moment (not a price) war - will keep winning the long game. https://lnkd.in/eCAvRssk