Ask a Bud Tender: What Makes Good Cannabis Packaging?

Here at MJ Wholesale, we have many friends throughout the cannabis industry. This includes Budtenders, the sales staff at dispensaries. These people are the ones who know firsthand what makes people purchase cannabis. Often it comes down to three factors which are design, quality, and the accessory factor. Here's the aggregate of what our budtender friends have to say about cannabis packaging.

If you're walking through any store, the more brightly and vividly colored packages are always going to be the ones that catch your attention. That's the number one thing that helps a sale is having a package that makes the customer want to know more. The more visually appealing and interesting the label or secondary packaging is the better. The biggest concern that producers don't see is understanding how the dispensary will store and sell cannabis. Make sure the packaging you're using translates well to the end sale. Having expensive secondary packaging makes no sense in a store that waits until after the sale is completed to give the customer the product. In that case, the secondary packaging had no impact on the end sale. 

Another large concern that gets lost in translation is quality. If you're selling top-shelf cannabis in non-gusseted mylar packaging for top dollar, it's going to turn some customers away. Likewise, selling shake in a custom glass jar is not a great choice. Make sure the packaging quality reflects the quality of your product. If a disconnect exists between your product quality and the packaging quality, it will deter future purchases for some customers. Packaging can add to the experience of smoking, be it the sound of the jar popping open or the sound of the mylar bag crinkling. These small experiences create an emotional response that can be capitalized on. While it shouldn't have to be said, freshness is of the most importance. Make sure the product is properly stored, as one moldy bud can turn a customer off from your brand forever.

Lastly, make sure you have a great line of accessories. An accessory, in this case, isn't just branded products but can be something as small as a story on the packaging. Stickers in the package, website and social media links to pictures of the plants growing and the staff, and offers for tours (if your state allows) allow for great opportunities to reach your customers emotionally. Emotional responses are important in creating a relationship with the customer, which means repeat sales. 

These have been a few important tips and considerations from our budtenders. Make sure your package stands out in the environment it'll be sold in. If you need help on getting your product to stand out, visit our partners at Beast Branding for a custom graphic design with label application on your product packaging. 

If the packaging won't be seen until the end sale, then spend little on secondary packaging. Make sure the end package is fitting for the quality of the product. High-quality cannabis in a jar or low quality in a mylar bag makes the best sense.Including stickers, stories, and pictures are great ways to connect with your customers. We hope these tips have been insightful for your packaging considerations.