Canadian citizens 19 years of age and older can purchase marijuana online legally. Not long ago, the Government of Canada also permitted sales of extracts, lotions, and edibles online.
Because of the newness online dispensaries have, we put this article together to give you a crash course on this growing industry.
Online Dispensaries are a Budding Opportunity
In Canada, e-commerce has thrived for quite some time now. As such, it is hardly a surprise to see cannabis hastily leaving its mark on the digital marketplace. You may be wondering how big the e-commerce market in Canada is. Well, by the year 2023, online sales are said to reach almost $55 million (CDN).
E-commerce confidence by consumers is significantly high as well. A mere 18% of Canadian citizens have discomfort submitting credit card details on the internet. To no one’s surprise, Canada’s younger generation has more trust in e-commerce platforms in comparison to their older counterparts.
In theory, just about every trend seems to favor online dispensaries. Canadians purchase things off the internet with confidence. However, there aren’t enough physical dispensaries out there to accommodate national demand.
Why Aren’t Online Dispensaries Being Used by More Canadians?
Many Canadians do not enjoy purchasing marijuana from the internet. Recent data taken from Nova Scotia, Quebec, and New Brunswick indicates that more than 80% of online shoppers would rather buy cannabis from a tangible outlet. Just 14% of those who responded to a Canadian cannabis survey claimed to have ordered weed online on a regular basis.
Why do Canadians prefer to visit physical dispensaries? Many analysts claim that cannabis consumers generally like to smell and see a strain before buying it. People who fancy themselves “cannasseurs” fall under this category.
According to a recent article, there are some advantages to buying weed online. Product freshness & convenience were two reasons given, with an example of onlinedispensarycanada.ca having great reviews to back this up. However, some Canadians prefer visiting dispensaries because of the ambiance they have. For a lot of people, dispensaries serve as hubs where cannabis consumers can enjoy themselves and discuss strain favorites they share. Also, dispensaries frequently hold events and offer special deals, enhancing the store’s social atmosphere (while establishing customer loyalty in the process).