Debra BorchardtNovember 28, 2022
Traditional flower, concentrates saw the largest declines.
Thanksgiving Archives - Green Market Report
Debra BorchardtNovember 28, 2022
StaffDecember 4, 2020
Data from both Akerna (Nasdaq: KERN) and Headset agreed that Green Wednesday (the day before Thanksgiving) sales in 2020 easily beat Black Friday sales for the first time. Cannabis consumers clearly wanted to make their purchases in advance of Thanksgiving and were less inclined to go shopping afterward.
Business intelligence from Akerna found that cannabis consumers spent approximately $238 million during the 2020 Thanksgiving weekend (11/25 – 11/28). Green Wednesday was the single biggest sales day of 2020 with an 80% increase in daily sales. The average basket size for medical consumers was $122.64, representing a 5% increase over the daily average. Adult-use consumers spent, on average, $78.14, which is an increase of approximately 12%.
This also marks the first time in four years that Green Wednesday has beat out Black Friday, which also saw a 75% increase in sales.
“Once again, Thanksgiving ranks in the top 5 cannabis sales days of the year,” said James Ahrendt, Business Intelligence Architect, Akerna. “As we have noted throughout the year, daily sales averages have increased over the last year as a result of COVID. Since average days show such notable year-over-year growth, the percentage of growth during the holidays doesn’t seem as large. However, this is because more people, in general, are purchasing cannabis.”
Additional Insights
Sales by Product Category
- Flower – 46.8%
- Cartridge/Pens – 30.2%
- Concentrates – 13.9%
- Infused Edibles – 7.4%
- Other – 1.7%
Sales by Age Group
- Under 30 – 29.2%
- 30-40 –30.6%
- 50 – 19.3%
- 50-60 –11.9%
- Over 60 – 9%
Sales by Gender
- Female – 36.7%
- Male – 63.3%
Headset Green Wednesday
Here are the sales totals across all Headset Insights Premium Markets for Green Wednesday, Thanksgiving, and Black Friday 2020, plus the relative growth over last year’s totals for the same days:
Total Sales (CA, CO, NV, OR, WA)
| 2019 | 2020 | YoY Growth | |
| Green Wednesday | $29.4M | $33.2M | 12.9% |
| Thanksgiving | $9.7M | $11.2M | 15.2% |
| Black Friday | $31.4M | $31.1M | -0.9% |
Headset noted that that overall sales increased this year on Green Wednesday and Thanksgiving, but sales on Black Friday were actually slightly lower this year than last year. The company said, “This is big news because this would be the first time we’ve seen a year-over-year decrease in such an important retail holiday in cannabis.”
“Also very notable, this is the first time that total sales have been higher on Green Wednesday than on Black Friday. Headset fans may remember that data analyst Cooper Ashley predicted this in his recent interview on Cheddar TV. “
Sales Increase vs Previous 4 Weeks
| 2019 Sales Lift | 2020 Sales Lift | |
| Green Wednesday | 59.5% | 40.2% |
| Black Friday | 16.3% | -4.7% |
“Here we can see that this year both holidays had less of an increase in sales versus the previous four weeks. Green Wednesday’s relative increase dropped from around 60% last year to 40% this year, whereas Black Friday had 16% growth in 2019 and actually had about 5% fewer sales in 2020 versus the previous four Fridays. Both of these decreases could be related to the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases and increased lockdown measures in many recreational cannabis states.
And lastly, we can see that on both holidays average basket size was much larger in 2020 than in 2019, which is something we’ve seen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Basket Size
| Date | 2019 | 2020 | Growth |
| Green Wednesday | $38.84 | $48.38 | 25% |
| Black Friday | $41.85 | $50.56 | 21% |
Julie AitchesonNovember 24, 2020‘Tis the season for America’s favorite foodie holiday, and whether turkey, tofurkey, or none of the above are on the menu, this is sure to be a Thanksgiving like no other. With Covid-19 spikes turning the U.S. map red and growing concerns about the capacity of states to handle an even higher coronavirus positivity rate if citizens choose to gather, some thought leaders in the cannabis industry are taking a stab at predicting the impact on Thanksgiving sales.
Cannabis compliance technology company Akerna (NASDAQ: KERN) anticipates a 78% increase over average daily sales for 2020 during this Thanksgiving weekend, hitting $270 million between November 25 and November 28. James Arendt, Akerna’s Business Intelligence Architect, explains that the huge sales spikes typically happen on Green Wednesday and Black Friday as most dispensaries are closed on Thanksgiving Day, but this hasn’t prevented Thanksgiving from being one of the Top 5 sales holidays of the year. A trend that is expected to continue in 2020.
Akerna projects that the average order total will be around $83.30 for adult-use consumers and $128.46 for medical consumers. This is an increase of roughly $13 over average order totals for the rest of the year. Cannabis flower is predicted to be the top seller, garnering 42% of sales with cartridges and pens coming in a strong second at 37%. Male users will likely make up the majority of consumers at 64%, with under 30’s and 30-40 year-olds making up a combined 58% of the top consumers over Thanksgiving.
Akerna’s data doesn’t make correlations with anticipated sales and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, but Joe Caltabiano, founder of cannabis and medical marijuana company, Cresco Labs, (OTC: CRLBF) highlights the fact that cannabis was deemed essential at the pandemic’s outset. “At the same time,” he adds, “we saw regulators rapidly adopt emergency rules allowing online ordering, curbside pick-up, and delivery in areas where it’s permitted.” These measures will no doubt contribute to keeping cannabis sales strong for Thanksgiving, as retail sales increased by 40% after the measures were taken and remained high even after the stimulus paid out by the federal government in April was exhausted. Caltabiano posits that the pandemic has made consumers even more comfortable with ordering online as a safer and more convenient purchasing option, with retailers offering special deals for those who choose to purchase online, further brightening the prospect for chart-topping Thanksgiving totals.
Caltabiano also predicts that the money saved on airfare, hotels, or other travel-related expenses by those choosing the “safer at home” approach this Thanksgiving may lead to a pandemic holiday trend of self-care. “This year’s new tradition could be treating oneself with an eighth of premium flower instead of buying a bottle of wine for the family dinner.” Between that and the fact that other pandemic-era holidays such as the 4th of July and Labor Day have seen increased retail sales, Caltablano thinks retailers will have ample reason to give thanks once Thanksgiving 2020 is done and dusted.
Julie AitchesonNovember 18, 2020
Though April 20th takes the top prize in cannabis sales year after year, Green Wednesday (Black Friday’s cannabis counterpart) has come in a strong second place since its inception in 2016, and 2020 looks to be no different. As a result of clever moves by retailers to offset pandemic-related impacts on buying behavior, starting deals and discounts earlier in the season than ever before, and tailoring the shopping experience to customer health and safety concerns, Green Wednesday sales for 2020 are poised to hit an all-time high.
A November 16th press release from the National Retailers Federation and Prosper Insights and Analytics cited the results of an annual survey which showed that shoppers are getting an earlier start on purchasing for the upcoming holidays. According to the survey, 59 percent of holiday shoppers had already started making purchases as of early November– a 21 percent increase over figures from ten years ago. Despite the Covid crisis, consumers seem to feel confident in the efforts retailers are making to keep them Covid-free, with 70 percent saying they feel safe shopping in stores. One such safety measure includes stocking shelves with gift items earlier in the season and offering special deals to avoid overcrowding as the season progresses.
Deliveries Increase
Eaze, a cannabis delivery platform in California, posted new data showing that Green Wednesday 2019 saw a 90 percent increase in deliveries over a typical Wednesday and a 147% increase in deliveries over the previous year. Cannabis data and analytics provider Headset posted a comparison of Green Wednesday and Black Friday sales from 2019 on its blog, which showed record Green Wednesday sales, although savings lagged behind Black Friday bargains. The study attributes this to bigger discounts and lower average item prices on Black Friday.
Retailers hit hard and early with special deals and holiday gift packages to tempt those seeking to spread some cheer this holiday season and they’re not letting up as the week of Thanksgiving approaches. Beyond the standard pre-rolls, tinctures, and vape paraphernalia, companies like Her Highness, a lifestyle brand based in New York City, offer 25% off gift items like the Grindzilla Cannabis Grinder and the Lip Service Ashtray (shaped like, you guessed it, lips) while Indiana brand Cannabolish is promoting its products with a 30 percent Green Wednesday deal featuring its popular Odor Removing sprays and gels and candles to make sure cinnamon and pine are the only top notes in your holiday home.
Caliva is also offering a variety of deals on products that will help you survive the season – whether that be teaching grandma how to get on zoom (again) or kickstarting your metabolism for the big Thanksgiving feast. On Green Wednesday (11/25) Caliva is offering up to 40% off select top brands: Caliva, DELI Nickels, Plus Gummies, KIVA, and more! On Black Friday the company said customers will receive an extra deal when they pay through Hypur, the first digital payment solution for cannabis transactions. The promotion will be available through Caliva delivery online and all Caliva / DELI retail stores.
Top Selling Products
According to LeafLink, a B2B e-commerce wholesale marketplace that connects retailers and brands, in 2019, sales through LeafLink increased by 5.45% during the two weeks leading up to Green Wednesday and the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. What products were the most popular as retailers stocked up for the holiday weekend? Flower was the most popular product category at the time, making up 31.2% of the market share in the week leading up to Thanksgiving. However, Disposable Cartridges and Pre-Rolls experienced the biggest sales lifts, seeing a 29% increase and a 44% increase, respectively.
Here are the top 5 selling Pre-Rolls of 2020, according to LeafLink List:
- Caviar Joint from Kaviar (CO)
- Mini Fuzzies from Sublime, CA
- Wedding Cake Pre-Rolls from Pacific Stone, CA
- Relax & Chill Pre-Rolls from Exotic Blendz, OR
- Bubble Joints from the Flower COllective, CO
So whether you go for some fancy swag, all-natural home care products, or perhaps a cozy fireside read like Bong Appetit (a weed cookbook from the editors of Munchies), there are ample ways to cross some friends and family off of your shopping list this year. If consumer behavior and favorable legislation continue on their current trajectory and retailers keep ably adapting to these uncertain times, Green Wednesday could give Black Friday and Cyber Monday some serious competition when the sales numbers come through for 2020.
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