How cannabis dispensaries and multi-state retailers can thrive in the next 5 years

As the cannabis industry continues to expand, the competition is heating up. Retailers must be nimble, strategic, and innovative to stay ahead. The challenges and opportunities differ depending on the scale and nature of the business. Here's what you need to know to thrive in this rapidly evolving market, whether you're a multi-state, publicly-traded operator or a small mom-and-pop dispensary.

Multi-state, publicly-traded operator

If you are a multi-state, publicly-traded operator, here’s what you need to know to grow and succeed over the next 5 years.

1. Regulatory Compliance: Navigating complex and varied state regulations is paramount for multi-state operators. With each state having its unique laws, including sourcing, testing, selling, and marketing, compliance is a maze. Investing in legal experts or consultants is vital to avoid costly missteps and keep the business on a solid legal footing.

2. Scalability and Efficiency: Growth across numerous states requires efficiency in scaling operations. Investing in technology like Jointly Matches that can handle cross-state complexities is crucial. A well-structured system helps in managing logistics, inventory, and regulatory compliance, paving the way for sustained profitability.

3. Brand Consistency: Building and maintaining a consistent brand identity across multiple markets is essential. This requires professional branding and marketing services that align with regulations in each jurisdiction. A consistent brand helps in creating customer loyalty and building trust.

4. Investor Relations: As a public company, managing shareholder relationships is vital. Regular and transparent communication about performance, strategy, and market dynamics ensures investor trust and can positively affect the company's market value.

Small 1 or 2 location mom-and-pop store

If you are a small 1 or 2 location mom-and-pop store, you face a completely different set of challenges and opportunities.

1. Community Engagement: Smaller businesses can thrive by being close to their community. Engaging with customers, participating in local events, and addressing community needs can build a loyal customer base.

2. Product Curation: Understanding your customers' goals and preferences is key. Tools like Jointly Matches can help you tailor your product offerings to match the needs of your community. Offering top-rated products that resonate with your customers can set you apart from competitors.

3. Customer Service: Excellent customer service can be a game-changer for small businesses. Training staff to be knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly creates memorable customer experiences. As we have discussed before in How Jointly Matches Empowers Budtenders, Jointly Matches takes the pressure off of budtender training, by providing concise and relevant cannabis information as well as built-in upselling tools. Satisfied customers are more likely to return and spread the word, which can be an invaluable marketing tool.

4. Cost Management: For smaller operations, every penny counts. Effective cost management strategies, such as negotiating with vendors, controlling inventory, and staffing appropriately, can make or break a small business.

Conclusions about the future of cannabis retail for dispensaries

The cannabis industry is dynamic, with opportunities and challenges for businesses of all sizes. For multi-state, publicly-traded operators, the focus should be on regulatory compliance, scalability, branding, and investor relations. These companies must leverage their size and reach to create an efficient, legally-compliant, and consistent brand.

On the other hand, small one or two location mom-and-pop stores must capitalize on their proximity to their communities. Engaging with the local community, curating products, offering superior customer service, and managing costs effectively will be their route to success.

In both cases, staying abreast of market trends and being willing to innovate are essential. Utilizing technology like Jointly Matches can help retailers understand their customers better and offer personalized solutions. Adaptation and innovation will be at the heart of thriving in the cannabis industry in the next five years, regardless of the size or nature of the business. Whether you are looking to expand across states or deepen your local roots, a well-thought-out strategy that addresses these key areas will put you on the path to sustained success and profitability.

Find top-rated products for your goals 

Jointly is the cannabis discovery app that makes it easy to find and shop the best cannabis and CBD products for your goals. Your matches are calculated from the real product ratings and experiences from hundreds of thousands of people using the Jointly app.

If you're ready to discover new products and reach your goals, download the Jointly app today on the App Store or Google Play, or shop your matches on the Jointly website.   

Are you curious about Jointly?

Whether you want to improve sleep, relieve daily stress, or just relax and refresh, Jointly can help you reach your goals with cannabis.  

With Jointly, you can shop your top-rated products, and save lists of your favorites to share and bring to your local dispensary to help guide your shopping experience.  

The Jointly app also helps you improve your cannabis experiences by uncovering what’s working and what’s not with reflections and personalized insights. In fact, the quality of your diet, how much you slept, who you’re with, and the time of day are just some of the factors that can impact your cannabis experience.  

So if you're ready to find your best products and enjoy your perfect cannabis experience, download the Jointly app today on the App Store or Google Play, or shop your matches on the Jointly website. Discovery awaits.