Skip the line by ordering online
You can pretty much order anything online these days. How about a burial urn off eBay? AAA batteries from Amazon? Groceries from the neighborhood supermarket? No more need to browse if you choose not to. As the cannabis industry grows, many shops are also offering this option.
Several Spokane-area retailers have recently started to offer online ordering, including The Green Nugget, Royals Cannabis on North Division, Treehouse Club and Sativa Sisters in Spokane Valley, and Spokane Green Leaf on Country Homes Boulevard. Other shops are moving in that direction.
Because marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, the shops still can’t mail or deliver your purchases to you like with other retail products, even within states where recreational and medical cannabis is legal. But this option can save you a lot of time wandering around shops and looking in cabinets by having your order made up for you when you arrive.
“A lot of people feel like not wanting to come in and be confused because there are so many options,” said Megan Roberts, manager at The Green Nugget in Spokane. “We hold [their order] right up front. That way they don’t have to look around for what they need.”
Ordering online is easy. You just visit the website of your favorite pot shop that offers the service, browse the menu that is constantly being updated as inventory changes, and place items in your cart. Customers still need to pay in cash and show valid ID that shows that they’re at least age 21.
Online customers also don’t have to wait in line with walk-in customers, at least at some shops.
Roberts at The Green Nugget offers a separate check-out line for pick up and pay for those who ordered ahead of time.
Green Nugget had an online shopping option available on a separate site but recently integrated this portion into its main site to coincide with a move to its new location at 322 E. Francis Avenue.
Stores that offer online ordering compare the service to what’s available from grocery stores. Not only does it make the process of buying weed more appealing and speedy for some customers, but also makes it easier for those who use cannabis for medical conditions, health issues or other mobility challenges.
“I have a girl who doesn’t see well,” said Roberts. “So she always orders online.”
It also speeds up the shopping process.
“We’ll get a text when an order comes in,” said Roberts.
Whichever employee is least busy at the time is asked to gather the order and alert the customer when it’s ready, usually through text. Eventually though there will be staff devoted to just putting together online orders, she said.
“We are going to have people dedicated to inventory,” she said.
Orders are usually processed and ready to be picked up fairly quickly.
“We aim for 10 minutes or less,” said Roberts. “But it can take longer occasionally. Saturdays are pretty crazy.”
Online ordering may sometimes may tied into a shop’s loyalty program, where you can get points based on orders which can be redeemed for future promotions or specials. Each shop has a different policy as to the time to fill your order.