Green Friday and Weed Wednesday - Why You Can't Miss These Two Holidays

Green Friday is one of the most profitable days of the year for retail cannabis companies. Taking place the day after Thanksgiving, dispensaries that participate in Green Friday provide deep discounts on popular cannabis products. Weed Wednesday is another popular cannabis shopping holiday that takes place the day before Thanksgiving.

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday — the retail shopping opportunities really stack up around Thanksgiving. For cannabis enthusiasts, Green Friday and Weed Wednesday are the main events. Weed Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, is an obvious choice for those who want to elevate their Thanksgiving feast. Green Friday is the industry’s response to the classic Black Friday. It gives cannabis consumers the opportunity to stock up on gifts (and personal goodies) at a discount before the holidays.

Are Green Friday and Weed Wednesday really a “thing” though? Caliva, a California-based cannabis retailer, reports their sales for both Weed Wednesday and Green Friday doubled over other days. Eaze, a cannabis delivery company, saw a 98% increase in deliveries on Weed Wednesday over other Wednesdays throughout the year. Headset, a company that tracks retail cannabis sales, recorded 2017’s Weed Wednesday sales in Washington, Colorado and Nevada at $11 million. Baker, a dispensary software company, reported sales doubled on Green Friday for recreational sales as well.

The proof is in the data — Thanksgiving week is one of the most profitable times for retail cannabis. With the exception of 4/20, Weed Wednesday and Green Friday are two of the best opportunities for retail cannabis businesses to boost sales.

HOW CAN DISPENSARIES TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WEED WEDNESDAY AND GREEN FRIDAY?

Offering deep discounts on popular products is an easy way to attract shoppers during the holidays. Some of the best selling categories for 2019 include CBD skin care products, cannabis-infused beverages, cannabis edibles (specifically, chocolates and sour gummies), cannabis oil, live resin, vapes and tinctures. Focus on discounting these popular products to attract consumers. Enticing shoppers with freebies like “buy a joint, get a joint for a penny” or “the first 100 customers to arrive at the store receive a free battery for their vape cartridges” can help set your business apart from your competitors as well.

As more and more businesses start to offer Weed Wednesday and Green Friday deals, consumers will gravitate to the dispensaries with enjoyable customer experiences. Shoppers don’t want to wait in line for hours during the holidays, so making sure your team is prepared for the rush is crucial for a successful season.

Hiring extra budtenders, delivery drivers, packagers, trimmers and more is a proactive way to avoid a “staffing emergency” during the high-traffic holiday time. The holidays are overwhelming enough, why wait until you’re short-staffed to reevaluate your hiring needs? If you want to save time on sourcing additional help, check out our GIGS platform. You can request seasonal employees to help for as long or little as you’d like.

Vangst GIGS employees (known as Vangsters) are interviewed, hired, paid, time tracked, I9-ed and insured through Vangst (yes, really). Only need extra help for the holidays? You can specify the exact date range you’d like to reserve the additional staff for. Our Vangsters are already badged (for states that require licensure) and are experienced in some of the most common cannabis positions like budtending, delivery driving, harvesting, trimming, packaging and more. Plus, Q4 is one of the best times to hire due to the decreased hiring competition and an increase in the available time for candidates. If you’re interested in connecting with our experienced team of Vangsters make sure your holiday season is the best yet, contact us below.

For cannabis enthusiasts, Weed Wednesday and Green Friday are the perfect occasions to stock up for the holidays and get some early holiday shopping done. Check in with your local dispensaries to see if they are offering discounts on your favorite items for the holidays. While taking a trip to the dispensary during Thanksgiving week could be a fun excursion (and much needed break from the fam), if you’re short on time, check to see if your dispensary lets you order ahead of time or offers delivery.

If you’re feeling strapped for cash this season, now’s the perfect time to join our GIGS platform and earn some extra money through seasonal opportunities. Temporary budtending, trimming, delivery driving, harvesting roles and more are available (depending on your area). You can earn some extra cash fast (Vangst GIGS pays out every Friday!) and gain valuable experience in the cannabis industry. If you’re curious about the requirements to work in the cannabis industry in your state, check out state requirement guide here. Ready to jump in? Create your GIGS profile below to get started.

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Weed Wednesday and Green Friday are quickly approaching. As two of the best opportunities to increase sales and save on your favorite products, how will you celebrate the holidays? Chat about it in the Vangst Community Forum!