Overview
Gross margin is won or lost at the buying desk. Too much of a slow brand ties up cash; too little of a best seller sends customers to the store down the street. Pricing that chases every competitor's discount erodes margin, and marketing that breaks the state's advertising rules can bring a violation. Dispensary inventory management, purchasing, pricing and marketing have to work as one system.
We buy, price and market for our own stores every week. We bring that discipline to yours: a menu built for your customers, vendor terms that protect cash, prices set by category rather than by panic, and marketing that drives traffic within the rules. All of it is measured against monthly targets.
Who this is for
- Open stores where gross margin is falling
- Stores with too much aged inventory or frequent stockouts
- Licensees building an opening menu
- Owners facing a new competitor nearby
Problems we solve
Cash stuck on the shelf
Aged products and over-ordering tie up money the store needs.
Stockouts on best sellers
Customers leave when the products they came for are gone.
Discounting without a plan
Blanket discounts trade margin for traffic that does not come back.
Marketing risk
Promotions or ads that break state advertising rules or platform policies.
How we manage the menu and margin
We manage the menu by category, not brand by brand. Each category gets a target share of sales, a margin floor and price tiers that match your customers. Products earn their place on the shelf with sales and margin, and products that stop earning it leave on a schedule.
Purchasing follows the data: reorder points set from sales velocity, order cadence matched to vendor delivery times and a weekly review of aged inventory. Pricing and promotions are planned on a calendar with the expected margin impact written down before anything goes live, so discounts are a choice, not a reflex.
What is included
Menu and category management
- Category mix and price tier plan for your customers
- Brand and SKU review by sales velocity and margin
- New product testing and exit rules
Purchasing and inventory
- Reorder points and order cadence by category
- Vendor terms, credits and returns
- Aged inventory review and clear-out plan
- Receiving standards and count routines
Pricing
- Competitive price checks in your trade area
- Category pricing rules and margin floors
- Promotion calendar with expected margin impact
Compliant marketing
- Review of state advertising rules for your store
- Loyalty program and customer messaging within the rules
- Local search, listings and in-store merchandising
- Event and community marketing plan
How the engagement runs
Discovery call
We learn your store, customers, competition and current numbers.
Data review
We analyze sales, inventory and margin by category, brand and SKU.
Plan
We set the menu, purchasing rules, pricing and promotion calendar.
Implement
We work with your buyer and manager to put the plan in place.
Measure
We report monthly on margin, inventory turns, stockouts and traffic.
Typical timeline
| Phase | Typical timing |
|---|---|
| Data review | Weeks 1 to 2 |
| Plan | Weeks 2 to 4 |
| Implementation | Weeks 4 to 12 |
| Ongoing reporting | Monthly |
Timelines depend on your state, your town and how quickly documents are ready. Anything that waits on a regulator or a local board runs on their schedule.
What you provide
- POS sales and inventory exports
- Vendor list and current terms
- Your buyer or manager's time each week
- Current marketing materials and channels
Frequently asked questions
What is a healthy dispensary gross margin?
It varies by state, market and product mix. Our KPI guide shows how we set targets and red flags. We set your target from your market, not a national average.
Do you take vendor payments for placement?
No. We do not accept payments from suppliers for placing products in client stores, and we do not sell our own products to stores we work with.
How do you handle aged inventory?
We find it, set a clear-out plan within the rules and change reorder rules so it does not build again.
Can you run our marketing?
We plan and oversee compliant marketing and work with your team or agency. Every state limits cannabis advertising, so every campaign is checked against the rules first.
Can you help with an opening menu?
Yes. We build the opening menu, vendor list and first orders based on your market and budget.
How is this priced?
Engagements are scoped and quoted after a discovery call, as a project or an ongoing monthly service.
How often should dispensary prices change?
Core prices should be stable and reviewed monthly against your trade area. Promotions should run on a planned calendar with clear start and end dates, rather than as a response to every competitor's discount.