Green Friday - The Cannabis Industry's Answer to Black Friday

It’s November! And you know what that means.... Black Friday sales!! (What, you thought I was going to say Thanksgiving?) Black Friday is one of the most anticipated days for shopping all year. Ever since the first Black Friday, in September of 1849, the hype around this holiday has been real. The day has evolved since then, but for decades people have been tackling each other for 80% off of NFL-themed crockpots and Hamilton Beach microwaves. That is no exaggeration, in 2008 there was a literal gun fight in a Toys-R-Us due to the Black Friday sale. If you’re going to participate, please stay safe and be aware of your surroundings. Fortunately, “Green Friday,” doesn’t have as much traffic, and you’ll likely just have to wait in a long line.

As all the typical non-cannabis shops celebrate Black Friday, the cannabis industry has made their own sales focused holiday called Green Friday, or Green Wednesday (which seems to be the more popular choice), depending on where you are. The reason behind this holiday getting called Green Wednesday might be due to cannabis customers wanting to stock up on their favorites before Thanksgiving rather than after, but there is no concrete explanation for this. Personally, I think it’s not the catchiest name, but having the sale before the #1 eating holiday in America is a smart move.

Green Fridays may be newer than Black Friday, but for people who love cannabis... it’s just as exciting... maybe even more exciting. It’s basically one of the most popular cannabis holidays, behind 420 (April 20th) and National Dab Day (July 10th). Green Wednesday doesn’t have a long history, but Leafly reported that the holiday began in 2016, coined by California delivery service Eaze. Every year more and more people have hopped on the Green Wednesday train. Reports from Headset came in to show that nationwide, cannabis orders go up almost 50% on Green Wednesday. If this trend continues this way within the next ten years, every legalized state will have some sort of Green Wednesday deal.

Another reason for the holiday is, as reported by Weedmaps, “the fact that retailers are ofn closed on Thanksgiving, some keeping their doors shut through the weekend.

To avoid running out over the potentially long weekend, customers tend to purchase more than usual to ensure they have enough for their festivities and gatherings. Similarly, medical patients may need to stock up on their medicine to avoid the risk of running out and suffering complications.” So, although a company has been credited with the invention of Green Friday, they may have simply taken advantage of a trend they noticed in years before. A very smart business decision on their part!

But has the holiday actually brought in that much extra money for the cannabis industry? According to VeriLife, “In 2020, dispensaries saw an 80% increase in sales the day before Thanksgiving, leading to a record $238 million during the 2020 Thanksgiving weekend. Sales also saw increases in 2018 and 2019. These increases come with good reason, dispensaries often run deals up to 50% off on certain items.” This is the same for 2022. In fact, one survey reports that the cannabis loving participants say, “they would spend a minimum of $100 on cannabis during the holidays, 65% of them would also choose to replace alcohol with cannabis for Thanksgiving, and 54% planned to consume cannabis with their friends.” This means, business wise, it’s a great concept to add to your holiday dispensary sale repertoire.

Some forecasts for Green Wednesday that were done in the beginning of 2023, might be correct but we will have to wait and see. One of the top forecasts stated that the top seller for Green Wednesday would be vapes, both disposable and otherwise, due to the heightened popularity in recent years. Vapes, in this sense, can also mean dry herb vaporizers and starter kits. DynaVap has also told their readers that, “ another trend to be aware of is the release of new cultivars and products. Cannabis retailers who are Green Wednesday savvy are increasingly harnessing the momentum of the day to generate buzz about new items. As Green Wednesday signals the start of the holiday season and gift-giving is on people’s radars, you’ll likely see an influx of new, innovative cannabis products hitting shelves.”

Although cannabis has been legalized in a lot of states for years now, there are still many newcomers to the cannabis industry that want to get their foot in the door. This trend will likely be in motion until the whole of the United States have legalized cannabis, medically or recreationally. Even then, it will be years after that that the cannabis industry will ultimately plateau.

The final prediction for this upcoming Green Wednesday sales is an uptick in infused beverages and edibles. Since the pandemic had previously impeded many of our holidays, people are more likely to get edibles to share with the family. Even if they aren’t sharing, taking edibles will lessen the time we spend rolling up and leaving to smoke outside. People are more grateful for the time we have had with our loved ones and want to soak up every minute.

If Green Wednesday sounds like something you’d like to take advantage of, there are a few things you might want to do beforehand to get the best bang for your buck. Check up on your favorite dispensaries, ‘will they be open on Thanksgiving?’ It’s very likely that they will be closed, so the employees can spend time with their families. Ask them if they have any plans for Green Wednesday deals, or any holiday deals. Your dispensaries might not be doing Green Wednesday or Friday deals, but they could choose to do Black Friday instead. Keep an eye out, and sign up for their text notifications too (if they have them)! Usually their text notifications will keep you updated on all their upcoming deals, and maybe even cool new products!

However you plan on spending your Thanksgiving holiday, be sure to enjoy yourself. Spend some time with the family and relax all you can before you have to go back to work. Remember to be thankful this season, not just for cannabis, but for all the blessings in your life. Happy Thanksgiving! And happy “Green Friday” too!