The rise of BOPIS and curbside pick up

The required shift to digital made apparent by COVID-19 sees retailers continuing to enhance their online presence. Companies are looking at their brick-and-mortar stores and are redefining their purpose and functionalities as we move forward.

Dispensaries such as The Healing Center (THCSD) in San Diego and TruMed Dispensary in Phoenix have introduced BOPIS, whereby customers buy online and pick up their order in store. THCSD even offer curbside pickup, allowing customers to wait in their car while a staff member brings their order to them. 

To ensure their customers know about their new BOPIS-only policy, TruMed have updated the homepage of their website to explain how the BOPIS process works. 

Focus on health and safety in retail stores

Whilst the cannabis industry has been able to maintain, and in some cases increase, sales during the lockdown period, they do face the same challenges as regular retailers as to how they address the health and safety of their employees and staff whilst maintaining a quality in-store experience. 

Much like other retailers, dispensaries have implemented strict adjustments to accommodate health and safety needs including social distancing, providing hand sanitizer, daily professional steam cleaning and sanitizing touch spots being every 15 minutes. 

The retail industry is undoubtedly going through major changes which will impact the way the cannabis industry and dispensaries operate. Recent events have shown that dispensaries are able to indeed thrive under current circumstances, while still maintaining satisfactory health and safety procedures. What’s more, many of these changes may even prove to be successful in a post-COVID world, where customer expectations have adapted to a contactless shopping experience.