02.06.21 -- Dispensary Retailers Focus On POS Technology First, Cannabis Second

One retailer needs to set up curbside pickup in a day. Another is doing ship-from-store but needs real-time data on the number of units of specific items at each store. Others are deciding whether to keep merchandise at shuttered stores or send them back to distribution centers. Those are among the challenges retailers are facing during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. They are not easy to face alone. 

Whether looking to cast a wider net for customers, or simply to stay above water in a challenging economic situation such as the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses are increasingly looking to e-commerce as a primary sales channel for goods and services. Until recent times, e-commerce was considered an option for many traditional retailers, but not seen as a business imperative.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused substantial revenue drops in hospitality and most retail segments, the emerging cannabis space has seen sales increases of as much as 30 percent. With success come challenges as cannabis dispensaries struggle with issues around cash management, inventory and POS systems.