How has covid-19 accelerated eCommerce adoption in the legal marijuana industry?

Everything, everywhere, has been impacted in some way by Covid-19. There is simply no way around it. It is a new normal. Period. You know that. We know that. Everybody knows that. And yet, life is a continuous progression of new normals when you think about it.

Humanity responds and adapts as signature events, revolutionary inventions, societal movements, and structural changes all combine to have a broad influence on and profoundly impact the way we live.

• 9/11
• Facebook
• The Global Financial Crisis
• Smart Phones
• #MeToo
• eCommerce
• Legalized Cannabis

These are just a handful of the monumental things that have helped create the current new normal of the 21st Century. But let’s focus on those last two in this, the age of Covid-19, shall we?

Covid-19 certainly did not introduce legal cannabis and eCommerce to each other, but the unique circumstances of the pandemic have helped provide the catalyst needed to expand the scale and scope of the landscape dramatically.

Faced with significant challenges and a minimal amount of time to address them, quick-thinking entrepreneurs did what they do best - they innovated.

- Licensed cannabis delivery retailers who already had functioning eCommerce stores are taking steps to keep up with the explosive demand on those platforms. Valuable user data allows them to anticipate and react to demand spikes, allocate certain products to specific locations, adjust brand orders and inventory or simply hire more drivers.

- Covid-19 has also created opportunities for cannabis brands and retailers to expand their “digital communities.” From a lifestyle-focused flower brand hosting yoga classes on its Instagram page to online industry conferences to a dispensary’s budtender offering virtual consultations, anything that can engage with customers (or potential customers) is a valuable step in holistic eCommerce marketing.

Some “Little” Things You Can Do. Distributors, brands, and retailers can enhance customer experiences and their bottom lines by following some fundamental eCommerce guidelines. Communicate - No physical contact with the customer does not mean any connection whatsoever.

Customers need to know that their items are in stock and when they can come to pick an order up or, in a delivery scenario, when it will 1) ship and 2) arrive. By communicating clearly and including all pertinent information, you can reduce customer inquiries and set proper expectations. Customers understand that there might be delays right now, so let them know early on.

Optimize Product Listings - Product descriptions and pictures are particularly important, especially in a time when a customer cannot even enter the store. Crafting a meaningful experience through creative copywriting and beautiful photography may be the difference between a shopping cart with a broad array of items and one that qualifies it as a minimum order. Oh, and make sure it’s mobile-friendly, too. You’ll be glad you did.