Dispensaries are retail locations that sell cannabis products to people with valid medical marijuana cards. Customers at these stores can select from an extensive range of cannabis strains, edibles and concentrates for sale at these outlets.
Dispensaries must abide by stringent state and local laws and regulations when operating, including having its site plan approved by its local zoning board and adhering to setback rules regarding distance from schools, houses of worship and community facilities.
Many states mandate that all cannabis products must be clearly displayed and labeled, providing information such as their cannabinoid concentration, effects, and other pertinent details. Dispensaries regulated by their state must also display an OCM Registry sticker so customers can confirm they belong in its database.
Brand standards are guidelines that govern a dispensary’s branding, logo design, website content management system (CMS) design, in-store design and other customer-facing communications. A dispensary’s brand standards help ensure a consistent experience across all channels of interaction.
Budtenders at dispensaries engage with customers and offer product recommendations. Furthermore, they receive training in compliance, safety and other aspects of dispensary operations.
Dispensary Point of Sale systems help automate and streamline inventory management processes by tracking product movement, reporting sales figures and inventory levels, as well as performing other functions such as digital menu boards or mobile applications to engage their customers.
Some dispensaries use text messaging to engage their customers, including promoting specials or discounts, informing customers of store processes changes, conducting satisfaction surveys or gathering customer data. SMS can save dispensaries time and money by alleviating staff from manually updating customer records.
Based on your market, some dispensaries only accept cash while others provide ATM services either within or nearby the store. Whatever the case may be, always bring your ID with you when visiting any dispensary; your budtender can assist in finding a nearby ATM or cashier should this become necessary.
An eighth is equivalent to 3.5 grams of cannabis and most stores sell products in eighths with an integrated scale for weighing your purchase.
Back of House (BOH) areas are hidden areas within dispensaries that aren’t visible to customers and serve as inventory storage, audit, transfer and management areas for inventory managers to operate from. BOHs may include staff-only break rooms, offices and secure storage for non-cannabis products.
Batter (or badder) is an extract made of cannabis with the appearance of frosting and soft golden color, perfect for smoking or vaping with great flavor and potency. Batter is also an ideal candidate for dabbing!
Many dispensaries feature ATMs within their store and may also provide card readers that allow customers to scan their credit cards, though these usually cost more and incur fees than using an actual ATM machine directly.