There are more than in Colorado for dispensaries. So with all of these choices, how can you possibly pick the perfect pot shop?
Cannabis consultant says it s all about customer service and branding in Colorado s current cannabis climate.
There are two types of shoppers in legal recreational cannabis: The wet-behind-the-ears newbie and the veteran toker. And while they explore pot shops differently, what makes them stick around — and ultimately return — remains the same.
Picking the perfect pot shop
Weed news and interviews: of The Cannabist Show.
Watch .Peruse our Cannabist-themed merchandise (T s, hats, hoodies) at .
People want to shop where they see themselves, right? They want to go into a space that feels good, says Evans.
The shopper who is new to the scene in Colorado will choose a pot shop based on a few quick factors. For instance, a taxi driver could be the voice of the industry when choosing where to bring a curious tourist fresh off the plane. Or, a buddy who visited Colorado last year could recommend the place they shopped at then. Ultimately, the tourist is likely to go where they re told to go.
The experienced smoker has a different insight into the retail scene. A number of apps exist to help find the best deals in an area or to find a specific strain in a city, and there also are entire marijuana social networks. They could already know which shop s Shatterday will save them more than another shop s.
Finding the right dispensary comes down to a variety of factors and depends quite a bit on a customer s familiarity with cannabis. (John Leyba, Denver Post file)
According to Evans, the more difficult task store owners and managers face is enticing all of these customers to become regular, dedicated friends of the shop.
Some shops have armed guards behind a couple of inches of bulletproof glass, and you ll be escorted into an adjoining room by yourself. For some, this could feel like a safe environment for exploring or asking questions, without fear of others nosing around. Meanwhile, some shoppers might question the back room feel of the transactions in this setting and wonder if they re doing something wrong.
Other dispensaries could offer the polar opposite: Open and airy rooms with customers walking between rows of product, chatting with budtenders or friends about the deals of the day. The customer who was comfortable and happy in the private-room situation might not feel as relaxed in this environment.
Evans says that the successful shop will be the one where customers already feel like they re home when they walk through the door.
So, whether you re a novice or a longtime user, it could be worthwhile to explore a few different types of pot shops to see the variety available. You ll know when to stop.
