It’s that feeling of appeal in the checkout aisle that makes you chuck an extra treat in your basket, especially if you’ve been standing there for a minute or two. It’s the lure of something small, sparkly, or new. It’s being prodded to remember to pick up something you probably really “need.”
We’ve all done it–made an impulse buy, even when meaning to go to the store with a list and sticking to it. It’s hard to say “no,” to a Snicker’s when that packed candy rack is staring you down. The store knows that it can do a little upsell, maybe without even trying, just by using display and merchandising tactics. The product is packaged to sell itself.
Cannabis retailers have the same opportunity. As always, it’s important to understand your target consumers and regulars, and cater to their preferences.
Local customers may be looking for something new from a popular brand–likewise, cannabis brands are wise to offer small or single serving sizes, to give consumers a chance to try their lines. Shops in well-trafficked areas should carry accessories including papers, lighters, or travel containers.
Cannabis consumers often don’t spend much time browsing, so attract their attention with cool merchandising that features a seasonal theme or items that go together–like an eye-catching display of pre-rolls with a prop ashtray, and lighters. With a little extra effort, consumers will be triggered to think about the smoking experience–and then buy into it.
At the register, it’s best to keep impulse items in a neat, organized display. But if there is an area in the store where customers linger, that’s an opportunity to display small, inexpensive, or unique items they’ll be tempted to pick up.
Here are ten catchy products that make great upsell items and can attract attention at the point of sale:
Custom-logoed tips and select, top-shelf strains set 22Red’s pre-rolls apart from other craft brands with “lab-tested, exclusive, proprietary strains such as 22OG, 22 Church, and Sunkist 22.” Founded by musician Shavo Odijian, bassist for metal band System of a Down, who created the brand based on his personal likes. With lots of single product appeal, one pre-roll comes in a sturdy tube, or complete your POS display with 22Red vape carts and disposable vape pens. California, wholesale info at 22Red.com.
In Oregon, they call these Mini-Pack Pre-rolls “dogwalkers” because one is just enough for a good, relaxing walk. The petite treats also are blessed by the legendary Blues Brothers, making them a must-buy for Boomers, music fans, and Belushi fans alike. “The promise of the Blues Brothers brand for cannabis is just that—to deliver the best possible stimuli to our endocannabinoid receptors,” said the farm’s site of the company’s proprietary, sun-grown strains. Oregon, wholesale info at BelushisFarm.com.
Organic, Vegan, and infused with high quality cannabis extract, Fruit Slabs are fruit leathers for grown-ups, wrapped in strikingly designed packaging. One slab contains one hundred milligrams of THC, which can be sectioned into smaller doses, to suit the user’s preference. For the customer that’s looking for a discreet edible experience that isn’t chocolate-based or a baked good, this is a quick upsell that looks good on the counter. California, wholesale info at FruitSlabs.com.
If your customers haven’t already seen Glass Rolling Papers, then they’ll be tickled and tempted to try these see-through rolling papers. From Brazil, they’re “made using the pure plant cellulose of the highest quality and burn completely evenly with no runs and a smooth finish.” In standard and king sizes. Visit GlassPapers.com for wholesale information.
If flower is the main attraction on the menu, then smoking accessories are great extra add-on items. Green-Der Grinders and no-smell, portable containers are sturdy and built to last, for flower fans on the go. The company also does custom designs, so get branded up with gadgets that customers will get some use out of. Their two-piece keychain container set makes a lovely holiday gift. Wholesale catalog at GrindCenter.com.
Sweets are a top-tier impulse item, so why not chocolates that looks like chunky cannabis buds and delicious blunts? Totally THC-free, but realistic enough to fool the impulsive eye, Koko Nuggz come in ten different fun flavors, including recently introduced Amber Rose-branded Unicorn Nuggz (birthday cake recipe with sprinkles and edible glitter). The price point is also appealing; a chocolate “blunt” starts at MSRP $8.00, all the way up to pound-sized, bagged-up buds at MSRP $29.99. Get a wholesale bundle, at KokoNuggz.com.
Lowell Farms is a brand that gets lots of media recognition especially with the recent Lowell Café pop-up in Las Vegas, where patrons were treated to California’s “best-selling pre-roll,” as well as bowls and dishes infused with the farm’s bounty. The stylish pre-roll packs are discreet and contain an eighth-ounce, rolled in ten “minis.” Or take a single one-gram pre-roll to try one of Lowell’s proprietary strains, at MSRP $10.00 (stick matches included). California, for more info, visit LowellFarms.com.
Consumers, like crows, love things that are sparkly and colorful, so glass is always an eye-catching choice. Kept clean and carefully displayed, cannabis glass artists, like Mile High Glass, create works of art that are real eye candy. For practical purposes, though—smaller, cash-and-carry glass accessories can outdo, in volume, that one-of-a-kind art piece. Especially in heavily touristed areas with foot traffic, one-hitters and Chillums are a sweet souvenir. Based in Colorado, Mile High has a colorful assortment to choose from, starting at MSRP $9.99. MileHighGlassPipes.com.
Ready and rollable, Old Pal brand recalls grandpa’s bag of pipe tobacco, for the budget-minded consumer. Some folks want a steady price point for daily or social smoking; Old Pal has a lot of quick purchase appeal, with authenticity and bang for your buck. Simple and sungrown, the company’s site said, “We want everyone to enjoy the benefits of our eighth-ounce bags—which is why they are priced to share.” In California, visit OldPal.com.
Consumers crave new experiences, especially if they come in a “try me” sized package. Shine Papers are primarily known for their popular line of twenty four-karat gold rolling papers. But they also do tobacco leaf blunt wraps, which will bring a little luxury to any cannabis cigarillo sesh. In natural tobacco, Chocolate Vanilla, Double Cup, and Golden Honey flavors, in a handy countertop box. With three Leaf Wraps per package at MSRP $2.49. ShineRollingPapers.com.
