Marijuana data dashboard helps local weed shops tweak customer service, increase sales
BALTIMORE -- The owner of ReLeaf Shop says that a new data dashboard allows him to see information that allows them to provide the best possible service for his customers.
That data includes what people are buying and how much they are spending, which allows ReLeaf Shop CEO and founder Connor Whelton to see what is working and what isn't.
Whelton's dispensary serves thousands of customers seven days of week. It has doubled its business since recreational marijuana was legalized six months ago.
"It's been a landslide of opportunity for people in the industry," Whelton said.
Whelton said that numbers matter when it comes to building a strong business. Now, a new tool helps him to keep a close eye on the marijuana market.
The Maryland Cannabis Administration recently launched the new dashboard—known as the Medical and Adult-Use Cannabis Data Dashboard. It allows users to see the volume of marijuana sold, the number of plants that have been harvested, and what type of product people are purchasing the most.
"We've used that information as kind of a way of seeing how we measure up to the industry, how much market share we're getting, what products are working out there," Whelton said.
According to the dashboard, retail sales have totaled almost $800 million in 2023—with adult use making up the majority of those sales.
The dashboard also shows that December marks the highest-grossing month since adult-use cannabis legalization took effect on July 1, 2023. In December, monthly retail sales surpassed $96 million, and the adult-use market accounted for nearly two-thirds of total sales.
Whelton said with this information available at his fingertips, he'll be able to make sure his company stays one step ahead of the competition.
"You have to stay very agile in this industry," he said. "So, you have to use all this available data you possibly can get to be the best dispensary you can be and provide the best possible service for anybody that's coming in."
The Maryland Cannabis Administration says the goal of the dashboard is to promote transparency in the industry.
In the coming months, more data will be added such as inspections and laboratory testing, according to the administration.
