With summer just around the corner, it’s time to begin preparing your inventory and launching seasonal promotions to attract new customers and incentivize current shoppers. Make it easy for your customers to take advantage of great savings by optimizing your point-of-sale hardware to apply discounts. Flourish's POS system is launching in new states across the country, and we want to be part of bringing discounts to your store.
Why you need software for discounts
It might seem almost arbitrary to have software systems in place for discounts, but it’s not as easy as hanging a sign on the door, charging a different price than normal, and calling it a discounted day. Unfortunately, especially when it comes to transactions, relying on manual processes creates room for error. With the complexity of the cannabis industry, you can’t afford to have easily preventable errors.
If you have retail operations in different states, it becomes especially important for you to not only have solid software in place but have the same setup at each location. Tax rates and regulations are different in every state, so software makes things like discounts a breeze. Cannabis businesses are illegal in the eyes of the IRS, even state-licensed ones, so good software ensures your numbers are correct and ready to be reviewed or presented at any time if you’re ever audited.
Flourish’s consumer-facing software handles all aspects of the retail experience, in addition to flexible discounts and savings programs. Create new pick-up and delivery orders, establish delivery routes for non-METRC deliveries, and enforce purchase limits with our point-of-sale system.
Flourish also recently integrated with LeafLink, a cannabis product marketplace, so it’s even easier to utilize our software in your dispensary and ease the consumer experience through discounted products.
Implementing strategic and personalized discounts
When it comes to discounts, note: nearly every single consumer you meet is looking for a deal or at the very least, will gladly take one. Who doesn’t want cheaper stuff? Roughly 93% of shoppers use a coupon code or discount throughout the year. This is close to 100% of your audience, utilize savings programs in a meaningful way to cater to the large demographic. Flourish’s POS software is customizable, so you can offer all kinds of hassle-free discounts, like:
- Discounting an individual item or items
- A customer-specific discount
- At cart discounts for the end of a transaction
- Birthday and holiday discounts
- Any other custom discount you want to offer
Choosing the right discount
Consumers make purchases for a reason. The thought is: 30% of people buy things to gain something, and the large majority, 70%, purchase things to solve problems. Keep this in mind when determining a plan for rolling out discounts. Taking a “spray and pray” approach won’t cut it. Brainstorm relevant discounts now and how you can take advantage of them before the heat of summer kicks in.
Let’s take the 4th of July, for example. It’s hot. People are outdoors. Usually grilling, swimming, boating, and enjoying time with family. You might discount a CBD beverage for the ice chests or THC-infused chocolate for your all-Americana desserts. These purchases would likely fall under the “gain something” category, though you could argue ice-cold beverages solve a problem on the Fourth of July.
Cater to your audience
Take it a step further and cater this discount to those who have given up alcohol and need a fun drink replacement to relax them on the 4th. This solves a problem: helping recovering alcoholics minimize challenging temptations to drink on the Fourth of July, a time where plenty of people are drinking alcohol and may not care to give it up for your comfortability. You might discount a CBD pet product if you offer them, as plenty of pets are terrified of the Fourth of July fireworks and could use the extra love. Maybe you’ve got a sugar-free infused chocolate that’s perfect for diabetics on an indulgent holiday like the Fourth.
Data shows women are far more likely to use coupon codes than men are. Consumer research says 30.6% of female internet users use discounts and coupon codes often for day-to-day shopping, compared to just 16.8%. If you carry any products focused on women, consider offering a discount on it and appeal to the demographic searching for savings. You can create promotions for anything with Flourish, so don’t feel limited to the Fourth of July or summer holidays only.
Don’t forget about the power of personalized discounts, either. Consumer research shows more people are willing to give their personal information in exchange for a personalized discount: 63% of millennials, 58% of Gen Xers, and 46% of Baby Boomers to be exact are willing to share personal information for a custom discount. This could be a happy birthday discount or something similar.
