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How can you remain competitive as an established or a new business, how can you bring in new customers and achieve success? Attractive retail displays are a big part of the equation, and there are several things you can do to improve yours. In this post, we are using a non-traditional business – Michigan dispensaries as an example.
In 2016, Michigan passed the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act (MMFLA) to allow businesses to seek licensure in order to legally sell marijuana in the state. New regulations were added in 2018, ostensibly to accommodate the sale of recreational marijuana, which became legal at the end of the year.
While the licensing process has been slow as regulators try to work out the kinks and streamline lengthy application, screening, and vetting procedures, dozens of businesses have received licenses thus far. Hundreds of applicants are hoping 2019 will show greater growth in the market under Governor Gretchen Whitman’s administration, as she has long supported both medical and recreational marijuana.
Follow Regulations
The first thing you need to know is that there are restrictions about how you can display products. According to regulations, products must be kept “behind a counter or other barrier to ensure that a registered qualifying patient or registered primary caregiver does not have direct access to the marihuana products” R 333.233 (3).
This doesn’t mean you can’t use products in your display, but you must make sure they’re kept under lock and key. You could use a number of display cases including: glass display cases, a back bar, wall displays protected by security cages, and so on, as long as they’re secure so customers don’t have unfettered access to products.
According to R 333.276 (3), you also have to be careful about visible displays. Your business cannot “advertise a marijuana product where the advertisement is visible to members of the public from any street, sidewalk, park, or other public place.” This naturally limits what you can place in window displays, which just means you need to get creative.
Window Displays
If you can’t create window displays that feature or advertise marijuana products, how can you get passersby interested in your wares? One option is to display other merchandise like branded apparel (tees, caps, etc.).
You could also take a page from other types of retail stores and use mannequins to create a tableau that features the lifestyle you’re selling. If your target demographic is active millennials, for example, you could create window displays that exemplify this lifestyle. Or if you want a clean, modern look, consider simply adding a high-quality logo to street-facing windows.
In-Store Displays
Legalization has legitimized dispensaries so that they’re no longer low-rent, shady shops hidden from public view. Modern trends include bright lighting; clean, spacious interiors with plenty of seating at counters and lounge areas; and retail environments that could be mistaken for jewelry stores, boutique bath, and body shops, or trendy bars, for example.
As for in-store displays, backlit display walls and tiered counter displays for marijuana products are fashionable, and central bins featuring products like literature and branded apparel can add depth and visual interest to the space. Organization is key to keep displays from becoming cluttered or overwhelming.
Natural elements like rustic wood floors and brick walls can make your space inviting and add personality. Adding a succulent wall can incorporate attractive greenery (since you can’t have marijuana plants on display).
If you are interested in purchasing counters, displays and showcases for your business, shop our website, Specialty Store Services. We have everything you need. If you have a question that you would like answered immediately, you can Live Chat, or phone us at 800-999-0771.