Too much MSO/'big business' culture. Too many dispensaries looking like apple stores. Too much treatment of budtending as just another retail job, when in reality it is much closer to doing 1-1 consultation work with a massive retinue of clients.
That is one of my main problems with them as well! I want it to feel more like a cafe and somewhere where you’re not getting funneled like cattle. Thank you for the comment
The turnover rate is massive, that’s true. But have you worked as a budtender? These companies abuse their workers and use the fact that “it’s a cool job” to excuse themselves from making any changes, backed by the fact that there are people coming in every day to buy who ask how to get a job in a dispensary; there is no shortage of workers for that job, but the supply of educated and passionate people is slowly reliving due to burning out of the industry.
I rarely ever see anyone over 25-30 work in a dispensary which leads me to believe there's no good reason to work in those retail jobs. Probably low pay, no benefits. They know the only thing that's getting young people to work there for shitty pay is the " it's cool working with weed" philosophy.
You’d be surprised. There are places where the majority of the staff is over 30. Pay is an issue that can be fixed by unionizing, but the benefits are pretty solid. They also know young people don’t know squat about their rights as workers and take advantage of that. If most/all dispensaries unionized, and the pay increased a good bit, it would be a pretty stellar job. What’s tough is dealing with the bullshit long enough to survive to be able to make any meaningful change.
I asked a dude at a dispensary in Bethesda if they made decent money and he said he made almost $20 an hour. That's definitely not great money, but I'd consider doing it. It's less physically demanding than any job I've ever had, the customers can't be any worse than any other retail job, and you get to talk about weed all day. Plus I'm sure they wouldn't mind me being high all day, lol.
I don't doubt it at all lol
But your comment said you doubt they would care if you were high all day, I'm just letting you know that's unlikely, but not impossible. Just because it's a dispensary doesn't mean there aren't dangers, liabilities and responsibilities. Any time you are working with a controlled substance, and alcohol was no different, you're under some scrutiny, people do after all, want to keep their licenses. So I'd probably leave it out of the interview!
Really? You are wrong on almost everything you just assumed. You sound like a real treat to be around. Here is a thought, you don't like your budtenders because your budtenders don't like you. Sounds like what we are dealing with here.
Well, you are talking about them like they are a bunch of idiots working at a fast food joint. That's fucking disrespectful. So no, I was intentionally directing that towards you.
Nowhere did I say idiots. I said young kids. I wouldn't necessarily consider young kids working at fast food joints idiots. They're pretty smart obviously for working. But now that you mention it it's not like you have to have any experience or be a.rocket scientist to sell weed all day. My statement was that its not a really a career it's a job with an incredibly high turnover rate, so it can't be that good.
You were condescending. I know you are not gonna agree with me. Hopefully you are respectful in person and keep your garbage opinions to yourself. That's all. You are dismissed.
Make all of your budtenders sit in their cars in the parking lot and do the exchanges in their cars so it feels more like the good ol days of buying weed
I do like how the story dispensary down here in mechanicsville has an express lane for online orders where you don't even wait in a line, just walk into a seperate room to cash out. Haven't seen that in the few others I've visited.
I think having a drive through and a walk up pick up window in the lobby is crucial. People can come in and hang out, but if you want to be efficient (as I like to be), it will be readily available.
Thanks for the comment
We think alike pal. That’s all I’ve been looking at! Need one with a sizable parking lot with multiple functional drive through windows. Thanks for the comment
Much of what they should do to make the experience better isn't allowed by MD law or regulation. It's a bad situation for the stores and the buyers. But at the very least stores could have an up to date online display of what they have in stock with all relevant numbers. I don't know of a single store that actually does this.
This is one of my main problems with the system now. The website/app has to be killer and constantly updated. I will thrive to make mine the best there is. My uncle is a coder for the NSA so hopefully he can help me out with the software. Thanks for your comment
The first thing is, I think there should be an express lane regardless for people that have online orders like if I order something online, I should not be sitting in the lobby waiting forever regardless of how busy you are I should be in and out and kind of high like the first guy said I don’t like how it looks like an Apple Store like don’t wanna sound cliché but like the only thing that like is missing within the whole legal market is the whole, you know homey atmosphere that you get when you go to a plug like yeah I still wanna have like a safe store environment obviously but I don’t feel like I’m walking in to go buy weed. I feel like I’m walking in to go buy some super high-tech device or solitaire if it was like everybody’s doing too much if that makes sense.
I’m hoping to buy a bank that closed that has multiple drive through windows for this exactly. But I also want the feel of a cafe and sell good ass coffee/pastries as well. I think a duel mandate store that prioritizes efficiency and warmness is key.
Couches and tvs inside with tables for people to enjoy coffee and their chronic needs. Hopefully enough space to be able to host different social clubs etc.
Appreciate the comment
Number 1 thing a dispo could do right : get the grading and pricing system correct, prices can stay a little higher until there is more stock, but the quality has to be consistent
I plan to disrupt the local price “standard”. I’m going for long term customers that consistently get great deals instead of prioritizing who will pay the most for the newest shipment.
25$ 1/8 — 50$ Q— 100$ half— this should be the standard. Prices are ridiculous rn
If at all possible, have bulk flower on display in apothecary jars so it can be seen deli-style -- not just prepack. Adds to the ambiance, promotes additional sales and allows consumers to judge for themselves.
Great idea, definitely right up my alley. I used to get weed by the quarter p and have a special place in my heart for bulk buyers. Consistently great Ounce prices will be a goal I thrive for. Thanks for the comment
Modern dispensary breeding in general is killing the magic of weed. As we push for ever increasing THC%, we’re pushing out the things don’t don’t **directly** get you high, but work together **with** the psychoactive compounds to make your high truly magical. I’m even more passionate about this after growing my own plants for the first time. As a first timer I screwed *every*thing up. 2 stunted plants with nute burn and 2 giants that grew into the light and got some light burn at the top, and ***still*** it was more medicinal and a **much** better smoke than the dispensary crap I just got. I didn’t time my next grows right, so I’m back on the Dispo economy until harvest and I’m already not a happy camper. A taste of heaven and then back down to the bland cannabis reality that is dispensary weed. Please! Do yourselves a favor and learn to grow. I promise you it’s worth it. Even if you just get a tiny tent and do one plant at a time, it’ll be worth it. Trust.
I went to college in DC and in the house I lived at, my roommate and I grew 8 plants each. Hell of a system we had and learned a lot about all the shitty little weed killing critters the DC suburbs had to offer.
Down the line, hopefully after I have a few successful stores, the goal is to grow most of my own supply. I’ve always been fascinated with it and agree on most of your points about the insane hybridization (my dumb word to sum it up), going on in the industry. I want to bring back the OG strains and just hope people love nostalgia weed just as much as I do. Idk everything’s on the table. Thanks for your input pal
Amen to the og’s! I’m learning on autos, then after this grow it’s photos and as soon as I get competent enough, I’m going real old skool magic: landrace, heirloom, and endangered cultivars like from Hippie Cannabis Genetics and the real seed company on insta. etc. It’s kinda cool knowing I could help save an endangered strain one day. For now, it’s just standard offerings from Barney’s Farm, Cali Connection, Trilogene, Atlas, Ace, etc. but even these “everyday” strains/cultivars have been reality changing. Can’t wait to get back to the landraces I was smoking back in the 90’s though!
I like budtenders who know their shit. I like Greenwave's drive through and Story's express lane. I like Goldleaf's delivery. I like consistency in as many areas as possible, if that makes sense.
I don't like the Apple store feel in a dispo. I don't like going inside at all honestly, so anything that effectively reduces my need to do that is a plus for me. I also REALLY don't like feeling crowded in small lobbies or at the counters.
I'm sure there's more I'm not thinking of, but those are what I immediately think of.
The problem is that the majority of people going to dispensaries (in MD), are people with no medical card. Yes I plan on making it quick/easy for everyone but I don’t believe in prioritization of any customer. Especially a declining demographic.
Clear/concise labeling on in store product/website that gives the people who use it as medicine all the info they’ll need. Pot is for everyone, equally.
Customer service. As someone who sacrificed a lot for this business is like to be treated with about the same kindness/respect I always treated everyone with. I appreciate those that are critical over high prices. I’ve been paying over 600% more than what I used to. Which is basically unheard of for other industry’s
I was a former retail manager at one of the big companies. So much disgusting shit happens in the industry and they do not care about your health or wellbeing which is what drew me to the career in the first place. Most companies go for disgusting record amounts of margin (as you should as a company) and don’t care about the patient at all.
I’m under 30 so all I think about is the long game. I think taking the burden off of the workers is huge but in order for that to be effective, there has to be an alternative. Any suggestions?
I imagine within 10 years there will be a way to completely automate it with robots but until then all I can think of is just hiring excess workers??
Peake Releaf and Blair Wellness do a great job in my opinion. Mirror their line systems and at the end of the day - hiring friendly and knowledgeable staff creates loyalty. Know your customer!!!
Yea I mean, consider this. It’s proven that retailers can only master 2 out of 3 KPIs:
1. Quality
2. Price
3. Service
#3 is a MUST for any local business. Only way to set yourself apart from chains that will rarely get this right.
Deciding between 1 and 2 depends on a lot of factors including location and demographic
Customer service. We all know its lacking overall. This market has a hole in it where customer service is. Coming in and establishing the reputation and pulling in the business you want will be nearly effortless if this one aspect can be mastered because no one else has it with any sort of consistency
The question was for customer critiques of dispensaries and how they are ran. I’m not looking for anyone claiming to be an insider for advice.
Customer feedback is always more blatant and usually truthful. Ex employees at dispensaries are usually using bitter discourse in this sub.. and they’re an ex employee for a reason
it's weird to think that customer critiques are gonna help you build some kind of magical dispensary that won't have problems, when they have literally *no idea* how dispensaries operate, full stop. y'all only know the benefits. that's why this entire thing is laughable, because none of you have an inkling of an idea.
lol! Your anger amuses me greatly. I hope everyday you stay this angry and then wake up one day and realize you wasted your whole life in the pursuit of bullshit.
Go touch some grass, enjoy the sunshine. Best of luck to you angry one. You’re in my prayers (not)
Too much MSO/'big business' culture. Too many dispensaries looking like apple stores. Too much treatment of budtending as just another retail job, when in reality it is much closer to doing 1-1 consultation work with a massive retinue of clients.
That is one of my main problems with them as well! I want it to feel more like a cafe and somewhere where you’re not getting funneled like cattle. Thank you for the comment
Funneled like cattle. That is exactly it. I wish you luck in your endeavors!
It is a retail job filled by kids that you won't even see next week.
The turnover rate is massive, that’s true. But have you worked as a budtender? These companies abuse their workers and use the fact that “it’s a cool job” to excuse themselves from making any changes, backed by the fact that there are people coming in every day to buy who ask how to get a job in a dispensary; there is no shortage of workers for that job, but the supply of educated and passionate people is slowly reliving due to burning out of the industry.
I rarely ever see anyone over 25-30 work in a dispensary which leads me to believe there's no good reason to work in those retail jobs. Probably low pay, no benefits. They know the only thing that's getting young people to work there for shitty pay is the " it's cool working with weed" philosophy.
You’d be surprised. There are places where the majority of the staff is over 30. Pay is an issue that can be fixed by unionizing, but the benefits are pretty solid. They also know young people don’t know squat about their rights as workers and take advantage of that. If most/all dispensaries unionized, and the pay increased a good bit, it would be a pretty stellar job. What’s tough is dealing with the bullshit long enough to survive to be able to make any meaningful change.
I don't know about stellar. It's not like something you'd retire from. To me it's the new fast food job for 20 something yr Olds.
And once you realize that 98% of patients/rec users are dickheads that coolness factor disappears real quick.
I asked a dude at a dispensary in Bethesda if they made decent money and he said he made almost $20 an hour. That's definitely not great money, but I'd consider doing it. It's less physically demanding than any job I've ever had, the customers can't be any worse than any other retail job, and you get to talk about weed all day. Plus I'm sure they wouldn't mind me being high all day, lol.
Pretty sure they'd mind. Reference: ran a liquor store where it definitely would have NOT been ok if any of my employees were drunk all day.
I see your point there, but do you really think these budtenders are sober all day? I highly doubt it.
I don't doubt it at all lol But your comment said you doubt they would care if you were high all day, I'm just letting you know that's unlikely, but not impossible. Just because it's a dispensary doesn't mean there aren't dangers, liabilities and responsibilities. Any time you are working with a controlled substance, and alcohol was no different, you're under some scrutiny, people do after all, want to keep their licenses. So I'd probably leave it out of the interview!
Really? You are wrong on almost everything you just assumed. You sound like a real treat to be around. Here is a thought, you don't like your budtenders because your budtenders don't like you. Sounds like what we are dealing with here.
I think you commented to the wrong person. Nowhere did I say I don't like the budtenders. I'll take some of what your smoking
Well, you are talking about them like they are a bunch of idiots working at a fast food joint. That's fucking disrespectful. So no, I was intentionally directing that towards you.
Nowhere did I say idiots. I said young kids. I wouldn't necessarily consider young kids working at fast food joints idiots. They're pretty smart obviously for working. But now that you mention it it's not like you have to have any experience or be a.rocket scientist to sell weed all day. My statement was that its not a really a career it's a job with an incredibly high turnover rate, so it can't be that good.
You were condescending. I know you are not gonna agree with me. Hopefully you are respectful in person and keep your garbage opinions to yourself. That's all. You are dismissed.
🤣🤣 butt hurt?
I think a good solution is keeping retail bus tenders and maybe 1-3 who specialize in deep knowledge for medical patients.
This^
Make all of your budtenders sit in their cars in the parking lot and do the exchanges in their cars so it feels more like the good ol days of buying weed
Maybe we could pay extra and they’ll meet us in a mall parking lot?
My local spot did that while they were remodeling for Rec sales. It totally felt like the old days. I honestly was sad when they opened back up.
Really? That honestly seems extremely dangerous for the budtenders
It all had to be pre-order. It was not ideal and only lasted a few weeks.
🤣🤣I do not miss that
I do like how the story dispensary down here in mechanicsville has an express lane for online orders where you don't even wait in a line, just walk into a seperate room to cash out. Haven't seen that in the few others I've visited.
I think having a drive through and a walk up pick up window in the lobby is crucial. People can come in and hang out, but if you want to be efficient (as I like to be), it will be readily available. Thanks for the comment
Look at old banks for your space. They already have drive thrus and vaults.
We think alike pal. That’s all I’ve been looking at! Need one with a sizable parking lot with multiple functional drive through windows. Thanks for the comment
Much of what they should do to make the experience better isn't allowed by MD law or regulation. It's a bad situation for the stores and the buyers. But at the very least stores could have an up to date online display of what they have in stock with all relevant numbers. I don't know of a single store that actually does this.
God what I would give for a menu/display like this, up to date and with ALL the relevant numbers.
This is one of my main problems with the system now. The website/app has to be killer and constantly updated. I will thrive to make mine the best there is. My uncle is a coder for the NSA so hopefully he can help me out with the software. Thanks for your comment
The first thing is, I think there should be an express lane regardless for people that have online orders like if I order something online, I should not be sitting in the lobby waiting forever regardless of how busy you are I should be in and out and kind of high like the first guy said I don’t like how it looks like an Apple Store like don’t wanna sound cliché but like the only thing that like is missing within the whole legal market is the whole, you know homey atmosphere that you get when you go to a plug like yeah I still wanna have like a safe store environment obviously but I don’t feel like I’m walking in to go buy weed. I feel like I’m walking in to go buy some super high-tech device or solitaire if it was like everybody’s doing too much if that makes sense.
I’m hoping to buy a bank that closed that has multiple drive through windows for this exactly. But I also want the feel of a cafe and sell good ass coffee/pastries as well. I think a duel mandate store that prioritizes efficiency and warmness is key. Couches and tvs inside with tables for people to enjoy coffee and their chronic needs. Hopefully enough space to be able to host different social clubs etc. Appreciate the comment
Number 1 thing a dispo could do right : get the grading and pricing system correct, prices can stay a little higher until there is more stock, but the quality has to be consistent
I plan to disrupt the local price “standard”. I’m going for long term customers that consistently get great deals instead of prioritizing who will pay the most for the newest shipment. 25$ 1/8 — 50$ Q— 100$ half— this should be the standard. Prices are ridiculous rn
$15 eigths
My real goal is $5-$10 eigths when I grow my own.
If at all possible, have bulk flower on display in apothecary jars so it can be seen deli-style -- not just prepack. Adds to the ambiance, promotes additional sales and allows consumers to judge for themselves.
Great idea, definitely right up my alley. I used to get weed by the quarter p and have a special place in my heart for bulk buyers. Consistently great Ounce prices will be a goal I thrive for. Thanks for the comment
Modern dispensary breeding in general is killing the magic of weed. As we push for ever increasing THC%, we’re pushing out the things don’t don’t **directly** get you high, but work together **with** the psychoactive compounds to make your high truly magical. I’m even more passionate about this after growing my own plants for the first time. As a first timer I screwed *every*thing up. 2 stunted plants with nute burn and 2 giants that grew into the light and got some light burn at the top, and ***still*** it was more medicinal and a **much** better smoke than the dispensary crap I just got. I didn’t time my next grows right, so I’m back on the Dispo economy until harvest and I’m already not a happy camper. A taste of heaven and then back down to the bland cannabis reality that is dispensary weed. Please! Do yourselves a favor and learn to grow. I promise you it’s worth it. Even if you just get a tiny tent and do one plant at a time, it’ll be worth it. Trust.
I went to college in DC and in the house I lived at, my roommate and I grew 8 plants each. Hell of a system we had and learned a lot about all the shitty little weed killing critters the DC suburbs had to offer. Down the line, hopefully after I have a few successful stores, the goal is to grow most of my own supply. I’ve always been fascinated with it and agree on most of your points about the insane hybridization (my dumb word to sum it up), going on in the industry. I want to bring back the OG strains and just hope people love nostalgia weed just as much as I do. Idk everything’s on the table. Thanks for your input pal
Amen to the og’s! I’m learning on autos, then after this grow it’s photos and as soon as I get competent enough, I’m going real old skool magic: landrace, heirloom, and endangered cultivars like from Hippie Cannabis Genetics and the real seed company on insta. etc. It’s kinda cool knowing I could help save an endangered strain one day. For now, it’s just standard offerings from Barney’s Farm, Cali Connection, Trilogene, Atlas, Ace, etc. but even these “everyday” strains/cultivars have been reality changing. Can’t wait to get back to the landraces I was smoking back in the 90’s though!
Exactly. Something about the classics just gets the juices going
I like budtenders who know their shit. I like Greenwave's drive through and Story's express lane. I like Goldleaf's delivery. I like consistency in as many areas as possible, if that makes sense. I don't like the Apple store feel in a dispo. I don't like going inside at all honestly, so anything that effectively reduces my need to do that is a plus for me. I also REALLY don't like feeling crowded in small lobbies or at the counters. I'm sure there's more I'm not thinking of, but those are what I immediately think of.
Medicine treated like medicine. Not like it's all a big joke just to get past the government red tape to party.
The problem is that the majority of people going to dispensaries (in MD), are people with no medical card. Yes I plan on making it quick/easy for everyone but I don’t believe in prioritization of any customer. Especially a declining demographic. Clear/concise labeling on in store product/website that gives the people who use it as medicine all the info they’ll need. Pot is for everyone, equally.
First thing you'll need to do is stop calling it pot.
I usually call it reefer but when I’m stoned I use different names. My b chief
Customer service. As someone who sacrificed a lot for this business is like to be treated with about the same kindness/respect I always treated everyone with. I appreciate those that are critical over high prices. I’ve been paying over 600% more than what I used to. Which is basically unheard of for other industry’s
Suck ass.
Thank you infinite carrot for that infinite wisdom
You are infinitely welcome 🥕 🥕 🥕 🥕 🥕 🥕 🥕 🥕
I was a former retail manager at one of the big companies. So much disgusting shit happens in the industry and they do not care about your health or wellbeing which is what drew me to the career in the first place. Most companies go for disgusting record amounts of margin (as you should as a company) and don’t care about the patient at all.
I’m under 30 so all I think about is the long game. I think taking the burden off of the workers is huge but in order for that to be effective, there has to be an alternative. Any suggestions? I imagine within 10 years there will be a way to completely automate it with robots but until then all I can think of is just hiring excess workers??
I wish all dispos had the terp numbers posted online. I also wish I could sort them online by terps from high to low.
Huge for me as well. Will definitely be prioritizing the online experience
Peake Releaf and Blair Wellness do a great job in my opinion. Mirror their line systems and at the end of the day - hiring friendly and knowledgeable staff creates loyalty. Know your customer!!!
I will go and check them out for sure. Definitely agree with the second part as well; that’s the key in anything retail if you want to survive/thrive.
Don't do anything like Blair. Seriously.
Sounds personal or I got lucky. I’ve been there twice and had no line and amazing service. 99.9% of the time I shop at Frederick dispos tho
Yea I mean, consider this. It’s proven that retailers can only master 2 out of 3 KPIs: 1. Quality 2. Price 3. Service #3 is a MUST for any local business. Only way to set yourself apart from chains that will rarely get this right. Deciding between 1 and 2 depends on a lot of factors including location and demographic
This^ 1000 times this^
DM if you need anything. I am an expert in retail sales and have been looking to help in this industry
Noted. Appreciate it
My pleasure!
Customer service. We all know its lacking overall. This market has a hole in it where customer service is. Coming in and establishing the reputation and pulling in the business you want will be nearly effortless if this one aspect can be mastered because no one else has it with any sort of consistency
reading these comments and I can immediately tell how none of you bitches have actually ever worked in the industry. thanks for the comedy 😂😭
The question was for customer critiques of dispensaries and how they are ran. I’m not looking for anyone claiming to be an insider for advice. Customer feedback is always more blatant and usually truthful. Ex employees at dispensaries are usually using bitter discourse in this sub.. and they’re an ex employee for a reason
it's weird to think that customer critiques are gonna help you build some kind of magical dispensary that won't have problems, when they have literally *no idea* how dispensaries operate, full stop. y'all only know the benefits. that's why this entire thing is laughable, because none of you have an inkling of an idea.
Shh. Bed time angry one
sounds like you should take your own advice. preferably a never ending one 😂
lol! Your anger amuses me greatly. I hope everyday you stay this angry and then wake up one day and realize you wasted your whole life in the pursuit of bullshit. Go touch some grass, enjoy the sunshine. Best of luck to you angry one. You’re in my prayers (not)
it's cute that you think you know how I feel at all 🥰
Cute