In British Colombia almost one third of cannabis users is buying online

While British Columbians have typically handled cannabis transactions face-to-face, it's no surprise that a third of shoppers in the provincial legal market now prefer to shop in the absence of others. This emerges from a recent survey conducted by the P.E.I. based maker Figr Brands, Inc. and shows that 33 percent of cannabis users in B.C. prefer to shop online - slightly below the national average of 43 percent. B.C. has warmed up to the idea of ​​private online sales relatively slowly, but made a permanent legal change last week to enable click-and-collect for licensed retailers. Before the pandemic, online purchases could only be made from the provincial store's website. The preference has increased significantly since the first year of legalization. In December 2019, Statistics Canada reported that only 13.3 percent of the country's bud buyers did so via the internet. The change in legal provisions in B.C. combined with the tempting possibility that online delivery will also open up, suggests that the trend towards e-sales will continue. An interim measure introduced in March that allows people to reserve products online but not buy them has been hugely popular with some Vancouver retailers. The data commissioned by Figr is part of the Maru Voice Canada Omnibus, which regularly surveys over 1,500 Canadians. Further statistics on weed buying behavior show: 32 percent of cannabis users in B.C. said they would prefer to talk to a budget tender in a retail store; 31 percent prefer to ask a friend; 25 percent prefer to research products online themselves; and 9 percent prefer reading reviews or recommendations online. For the folks at Figr, the numbers might suggest that people are more knowledgeable and comfortable at home about choosing the right product. As for their own business strategy, Senior Brand Manager Andrew Quinlan says the relocation means both that their brand must be present in these environments and that they provide all of the information a prospect could be looking for. "If a consumer comes online looking at products and knows what they're looking for - be it THC strength or terpene profile - if that information isn't provided, chances are they won't choose your product, too if he likes it, "he says. "So what we're doing is making sure that the information we have - and we have a lot of it, and we pride ourselves on the transparency of the information - appears in these online retail environments.