EXCLUSIVE: Cannabis Tech Leaders Push Personalization, Data Insights As Key To Beating Price Wars
“Consumers want to feel like when they’re buying cannabis, it’s like a regular store. This is not some fringe industry,” said Kyle Sherman, Founder and CEO of FlowHub, at Benzinga’s Cannabis Capital Conference.
His remark set the tone for a panel discussion that explored the evolving role of technology in cannabis retail, highlighting the critical importance of personalization and data-driven strategies.
“Next-Gen Cannabis Retail: Tech Trends and Best Practices in being Customer-Centric,” moderated by Lou Magazzu of the Weiner Law Group, featured industry leaders including Dutchie CTO Chris Ostrowski; Surfside co-CEO Jon Lowen; and Wendy Berger, CEO of WBS Equities, LLC (OTC:GTBIF).
Personalization As A Key Driver of Customer Loyalty
Ostrowski outlined the future of personalization in cannabis retail.
“Our vision at Dutchie is really leaning into newer technologies like AI and machine learning to create a personal connection with each consumer,” Ostrowski explained, referring to Dutchie’s latest product launch, Dutchie 2.0.
This new platform uses customer data to build stronger relationships that go beyond price cuts and discounts, aiming to keep customers returning because “your store knows them better than any other store on the block.”
This focus on personalization was a key theme throughout the discussion. Sherman reinforced the idea that technology allows retailers to move away from pricing wars.
“We’re getting to a point where technology has matured enough to create a truly personalized customer …