I am about to launch a new Delta 8 disposable into my market and my primary audience are going to be smokeshops & liquor stores & gas stations. Anybody done this before? Just curious if smokeshops in your area are investing largely into D8 products when they can be buying other products for their stores.
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By this point they know whats up. Especially smoke shops. The more diverse their counter culture product line the more they are a likely customer. Gas stations being franchises, you have a roll of the dice on the inventory they carry. The more they offer papers / blunt wraps the more likely they will carry Cake D8 carts.
This comes from a more southern/midwest recent experience. However I do see the west coast is fully aware and have experienced that as well.
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That’s good to hear. It sounds exciting to do this but I wonder where all these smokeshops are getting their D8 products from? Would they prefer to meet someone in real life in their city to receive their D8 products? Or would they prefer however they are getting them now… I assume they order bulk through these bigger companies (3chi / companies alike)
I am in California also, just to give you more of an idea of my market.
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No lol. They seek the cheapest. Cake is the only gas station brand ive seen invade very well.
Ironic red colored cookies font knock off vibes and all. Nice packaging.
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Wow wow okay. Price is probably the only driving factor for these smokeshops then. That’s good to know. I wonder what they’re getting d8 carts and disposable for… guess I’ll find out when I talk to my first shop tomorrow.
They dont care about 72% distillate over 89% in carts. 95%+ maybe but hardly important vs price.
They do care about edible mg count
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Ive seen d9 hemp d9thco carts hhc carts in mom n pop single franchise shells in LA / San Siego
I would go visit smoke shop distributors near you to know what their local customers carry.
#1 retail invader Ive seen. Notice the Cookies resemblance? Edibles: it’s anyones market. No major lock ins. No gas station support out of cbd. For the most part.
Offering white label or a schnazzy packaging is king for many.
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Says the dude who tried to have me help him sue his previous d8 employer. Anyways: add your insight without making this discourse offtopic. The guy/gal is seeking help, not petty opinions of one another.
They’re going to want to go through distros for assurance it’s very hard to sell as an individual company in the face of like NEPA in Florida or tobacco world. Distros are trusted for products by mom and pop shops who are afraid of liability.
If you can get into distros you have a higher chance of success.
Not to say that it can’t be done. Price wins. Get ready to hand out free samples to people who are willing to try and circulate amongst employees at shops. Have a clear and concise catalog with pricr points at various moqs. Good luck!
Edit:
I couldn’t sell d8 1g vapes for $7 each in Jan of this year. I tried to firesell them and got $3 each to close out.
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7$ 1G D8 Vapes not being able to be sold is crazy. Were they carts or disposables?
I planned on price matching / beating my competitors in the local market. But 3$ea is insane when the price to make one D8 product will cost around 3-4$ alone. Free samples were already in mind, I’ve got to make a catalog ASAP though!
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And do you really think smokeshops go through distros? That’s really how they get their D8? I did not even assume of that.
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100% first move is to see what your locals buy locally.
The reality of this world is even more grim than you can imagine!
• They don’t give a rats ass about what’s actually in the product - it could be advertised as HHC, THCP, whatever, but just be filled with D8.
• Most of the major players in this retail/distro space are lying about what’s in their products
• Many of those products are hot for D9
• It’s all about the lowest price possible
• Like it’s been said before, you need very attractive packaging
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It has been frustrating as shit going up against the cheap cheap in slick packaging that has wild claims about what’s actually in it with little to no supporting COAs, non-working qr codes, etc. The stores straight up do NOT care. As long as someone comes back and buys another, they will keep the boof on the shelves.
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There was a post here recently about a guy who made a multi million dollar hemp company; ironically, he mentioned that Smokeshops / gas stations / liquor stores are his main customer.
So don’t let anyone tell you you’re wasting your time or it can’t be done.
Also, take the advice given on this forum with a big pinch of salt. I have seen ‘brigading’ or mass delusion on here, praising terrible products, laughing at good ideas, all kinds of madness.
You just gotta go for it.
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I agree that you just gotta go for it. But advice from the community here wouldn’t hurt at all. It’s funny because I started off in the industry and did all my research here at first. Future4200 has some very knowledgeable people as well as the bad.
But that is interesting that you said there was a guy who made a multi-million hemp company that catered to smokeshops/gas stations/ liquor stores. That is a really good sign for me if anything.
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Attractive Packaging + Price Beats , is what I’m getting now. That’s what I got to offer to smokeshops. I mean how low are we talking realistically? 7-8 a cart? 9-10 a disposable? The market on the black-market itself is already so low so these price beats aren’t new to me. Especially when you have people in DTLA selling carts for 4$ ea 
.
To my knowledge D8 is also dirt cheap aswell, so I don’t think meeting/beating prices would be an issue. Unless we are talking about the 4$ carts like I was talking about earlier lol.
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Idk jack about California. My thought is that if your margin on the product is high enough, it may be worth it to front small amounts of inventory. Some retailers will disappear or rip you off, but overall you might still come out ahead with the new customers you open up. It’s hard to argue with no money down.
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I like this idea