Danger signs for dispensaries

Many dream of running a dispensary and interacting with patients to ensure they have quality products available and credible information or resources for medical professionals to help them choose the right medicine for their needs.  Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as you might think – for those of us who worked retail at some point in our lives, retail is HARD.  Take the everyday difficulties of running any business, add in the retail component, include the sale of a federally illegal product, and then lump in state regulatory and compliance requirements.  That’s a heavy load.  Cannabis Dispensary Magazine recently reported on “8 Danger Signals That All Troubled Dispensaries Have in Common” and we want to share that list with you.

1. Have a weak manager and/or absentee owner

2. Do not have SOPs in place

3. Do not keep good books and records

4. Budtenders are there for fun and not to work

5. Lack of upselling or having specials

6. Branding is not uniform

7. No marketing expertise

8. Store design looks like your college dorm room

Do you agree with this list?  Are you prepared to watch for these signs in your own dispensary?