2025 was a banner year for cannabis. From exciting updates in the cannabis tech and retail space to closing the year with federal rescheduling, we saw these trends reflected in Sweed platform stats and in consumer sentiment. We predict that 2026 will be a monumental year in several key areas, including online shopping and eCommerce, payments, marketing and loyalty, AI, and more.
This guide combines aggregated, anonymized transaction data pulled from the Sweed platform from January 1, 2025, through December 1, 2025, with survey results from a recent cannabis consumer survey conducted in partnership with Wired Research that surveyed 955 adults 21+ in the United States between October 6-10, 2025, with a margin of error of ±3.2%.
These insights have allowed us to take a quantitative and qualitative approach to understanding key takeaways from cannabis retail in 2025, while making data-driven predictions on how 2026 will shake out. Specifically, our findings show that:
- Online impacts ordering more than ever.
- Cash remains dominant, but digital payments are accelerating.
- Product preferences are diversifying.
- Millennials and young Gen X consumers lead spend.
Here’s what Sweed’s co-founder, Rocco Del Priore, had to say about 2025 and the year ahead:
“The biggest digital transformation happening in cannabis retail is about intelligence. Consumers have always wanted fast, frictionless recommendations that actually make sense for them. AI makes that possible at scale. For the first time, dispensaries can provide the same personalized 1:1 experience from every touchpoint – that’s becoming the new standard. The retailers who embrace AI-driven operations in 2026 and beyond will see exponential gains in loyalty, efficiency, and revenue.”
2025 Takeaways:
- Online ordering shapes how customers choose where to shop and what to buy.
- Cash remains king, even as electronic payments grow.
- Flower still leads the market, but consumer preferences are diversifying.
- Customers shop between midday and early evening, mirroring traditional retail rhythms.
2026 Predictions
- Online ordering will surpass one-third of all cannabis revenue.
- Delivery will become the fastest-growing fulfillment channel.
- Cash will fall below 50% of total cannabis payments for the first time.
- AI will influence 40-60% of cannabis transactions by year-end.
- Product mix will shift toward precision experiences, not just format preferences.
- Promotions will become more scientific thanks to AI predictions around demand and timing.
- “Experience consistency” will become a top KPI as churn rises.
Key Takeaways for Cannabis Retailers
As we wrap up 2025 and usher in 2026, there are several key takeaways that retail operators and leaders should keep in mind. Notably:
- Online ordering is now a primary decision layer, influencing where customers shop and what they buy, even when fulfillment happens in-store.
- Digital convenience and speed drive loyalty, with shoppers prioritizing pre-ordering, one-click rereordering, and cash checkout.
- Cash still dominates, but electronic payments are accelerating, setting the stage for a majority-digital payment mix in 2026.
- Product demand is diversifying, making education, guided selling, and AI-powered recommendations more important.
- Shopping behavior mirrors traditional retail rhythms, reinforcing the need for predictable staffing, promotions, and fulfillment.
- AI is becoming a competitive requirement, influencing recommendations, promotions, loyalty, and operational efficiency.
- Experience consistency is emerging as a top KPI, directly tied to churn, repeat visits, and lifetime value.
To combine insights and data to the takeaways and predictions above, download our full "Inside the Modern Dispensary” guide.
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