To say that the pandemic has changed the shopping habits of cannabis consumers, well, that would be a complete understatement. The ability to utilize "click & collect" has changed everything, and there’s more good news on the way.
The government of British Columbia has recently announced that as of July 15, 2021, all legal recreational cannabis retailers will be permitted to deliver products to their customers. Regulatory authorities have come to the realization that they need to allow more convenient ways of selling and purchasing cannabis products in hopes of also shrinking the illegal black market and ensuring a much more successful legal cannabis industry.
Authorized cannabis retailers in B.C. will now be able to offer direct delivery services, and this will only help to fortify the entire Canadian cannabis retail industry.
A properly set up cannabis delivery service will be vital to the viability of your business, and it will increase your revenues. If you plan to incorporate a delivery program into your cannabis retail business but don’t know where to start, let Buddi help to provide some insight for you.
Here are a few tips to consider when starting your own cannabis delivery service:
1. Compliance and Regulations
First and foremost, you always need to ensure that you are staying compliant with all regulations. Here are some key pieces of information for cannabis delivery in British Columbia:
- Delivery will be limited to residential addresses in B.C. or an area immediately outside the CRS (e.g., for curbside pickup). Cannabis delivery may take place only between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. unless these hours are further restricted by the local government, or Indigenous Nation where the store is located, or by the general manager of the provincial Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch.
- Purchases for delivery will be subject to the same individual transaction limits in place at retail stores (i.e., a maximum of 30 grams of dried cannabis per transaction).
- Only cannabis retail store (CRS) licensees and their employees will be authorized to deliver non-medical cannabis products directly to consumers. Licensees will not be able to use third-party delivery services.
- Cannabis products can be delivered to adults only, and anyone who appears to be under the age of 19 will have to present two pieces of government-issued identification. Recipients will also have to provide their signature upon delivery.
- Licensees may choose to deliver via motor vehicle, bike, or on foot, but they must ensure the product is stored securely during delivery. Employees in charge of delivering cannabis products must carry a copy of their CRS license as identification for law enforcement.
- With these changes, the government will no longer require existing CRS workers to undertake a follow-up security screening after five years.
All relevant documentation must be available while making deliveries in order to avoid any violations. Yes, the LCRB has indeed legalized cannabis delivery, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that a traffic cop would completely understand the situation or why the driver is carrying so much cannabis on them.
2. Creating A Delivery Service
It’s crucial to understand all of the requirements for a cannabis delivery service when you are ready to create one. For example, you will need to look into the feasibility of your own local delivery area, and you may also find that unsafe neighborhoods or areas with a lower population density might not be a viable option for your business. There are many things to consider when creating a delivery service, especially when it comes to your profit margins. For example, you may find a need to balance your staff against the fees for delivery.
Be timely, create parameters, and set expectations for when the customers will receive their products. Coordinate your delivery routines within peak hours by staffing drivers for when they are needed the most. The delivery service will most likely match high traffic in-store purchase periods, so your staff must be ready and able to manage the workload efficiently.
3. Developing Your Own Standard Operating Procedures
Every cannabis retailer delivery service will be different based upon their geographical location, local regulations, and each individual business’s own intentions. Here are a few pointers to get you headed in the right direction:
- Deliveries should only be scheduled during designated time slots. This will also allow the customer to choose a time that is most convenient for them. This would also allow the retailer to set up an express delivery option and apply an extra charge for that service.
- Having a co-pilot travel with your driver will make it easier to navigate the delivery. The co-pilot can handle the delivery management app, which helps with hands-free driving while also increasing the security of the delivery.
- In situations where you have a single employee handling deliveries, Buddi suggests that retailers use an app to track the GPS location of their employees. Just to ensure that they do not veer off of the recommended route, and this will also help the employee to arrive safely and on time.
- The delivery person will always need to ensure that they verify the recipient’s age, two forms of government-issued ID, and confirm whether the customer paid using the same credit card that they are presenting to the delivery person.
Those are just a few examples of some of the SOP’s that you will most likely be implementing when creating your very own delivery service. As mentioned earlier though, each cannabis retailer will have different requirements and individual needs.
How We Can Help
Here at Buddi, we know that in order for your customer to have the most enjoyable shopping experience, they should be able to: easily navigate your website, locate the products that they are interested in, place their order, and either pay online or call the store to submit their payment. This is important when it comes to choosing the right cannabis technology partners.
Buddi provides online ordering and delivery services to hundreds of Canadian Cannabis retailers, and we’d love to work with you too - FOR FREE!
Email us at info@buddi.io, or call 604-800-3783, or submit a demo request here: https://buddi.io/demo/