Cannabis retailers have seen a significant growth in their business by moving away from counter-based retailing and into more welcoming environments, such as bodega-style browsing or deli-style sensory experience.
Shoppers have adopted bodega-style layouts—for instance, Verano Holdings’ Zen Leaf store in Phoenix—where customers freely browse shelves and interact with advisers in an open space. This encourages lingering in the store, sampling and making impulse purchases, such as complementary beverages. This approach has increased basket sizes and sales volumes.
It is legal in Arizona, Missouri Colorado Oregon and other states where the regulations allow. Shop like a deli The trend of using “sniff jars” to smell flower samples is gaining popularity. Before making a purchase, customers can sniff flower samples in the “sniff-jars” or view displays that are open. This sensory interaction is a way to build trust, which in turn can justify higher spending.
Shoppers discovering new products that they would not have otherwise tried is a major factor in driving cross-category revenue, according to operators. A senior executive said: “When people are allowed to roam or forage through a shop, they may find products they would not normally buy.”
However, The challenges of hygiene and safety Open displays are a problem. Experts in the industry stress that clean handling, employee protection, and other models, such as scratch-and -sniff cards, can help limit exposure.
This evolving retail model is in line with the broader trends of consumers. As cannabis approaches mass-market maturity—projected to reach $45B in U.S. sales by 2025 and $58B by 2030—retailers who elevate the in-store experience are poised to outcompete cash-only, legacy dispensaries.