A vital tool for many cannabis businesses, the Dutchie POS system has generated a lot of attention lately because of its persistent system downtime problem. The biggest event was a major outage of the system on 4/20, a day associated with cannabis culture. Along with upsetting buyers, this unplanned outage also sparked doubts about the system’s dependability at times of high demand. The problem has generated a more general conversation on the necessity of dependable, strong point-of-sale systems in the quickly expanding cannabis sector.
What 4/20 Means to Cannabis Retailers
For those in the marijuana business, April 20, also referred to as 4/20, is more than just a date on the calendar. As with the retail sector’s Black Friday or Cyber Monday, it’s a worldwide celebration of cannabis. Originating as a code for smoking among a group of Californian high school students, “420” has subsequently gained popularity, mostly as a result of the Grateful Dead, and today represents a shared love of the plant.
Cannabis shops frequently experience a big spike in sales on this day since people all over the world celebrate. The continuous wave of marijuana legalization across the United States—25 states having fully legalized recreational use and others following suit—further highlights the significance of 4/20 to the business.
For merchants, though, this joyous day can also be a stress test. Demand can reveal weaknesses in retail systems, as the Dutchie POS system meltdown demonstrated. So, 4/20 is a day of higher income as well as a reminder of the need of strong, dependable processes in the quickly growing cannabis sector.
Three-Time Dutchie Performance
Dutchie is now somewhat of a tragicomic character in the cannabis retail industry. Retailers have been left in the dark for the past three years by a string of system failures that have occurred, not just on any old Tuesday. No, Dutchie seems to be adept at timing his naps to be the least convenient.
Dutchie’s system chose, in 2019, to take an unforeseen vacation on, you guessed it, 4/20. Retailers were left scurrying to manually handle orders, a chore made much more challenging by the joyous throng. Sales were lost and customers were irate while the several hours the system was unavailable.
2020 saw Dutchie resolve to go all out. The system crashed on 4/20, but on 7/10—another important date in the cannabis calendar—it also chose to take a nap. Retailers had backup systems ready this time, but the interruption nevertheless caused a great deal of inconvenience.
Twenty-first century then arrived. Not one to break with the past, Dutchie had system problems on 4/20 once more. But this time the disruption extended all day, which had a big effect on sales at stores.
These system failures have brought attention to how crucial a dependable point-of-sale system is. Retailers require a system that may manage the spike in demand on important days, show stock in real time, and reduce human mistake and loss. The industry was awakened to the requirement of strong, dependable systems by Dutchie’s three-peat performance.
There are a number of other POS platforms on the market. Just about all of them fired shots at Dutchie on 420 as soon as their network went down.
Why Stores Persist with a risky POS
Even though Dutchie’s system keeps having problems, a lot of shops still use it. The many causes of this are all related to the special value that Dutchie provides to the cannabis market.
First off, Dutchie provides services including Point of Sale, Ecommerce, Payments, and Insurance all in one digital platform. Cannabis companies may concentrate more on safely providing the advantages of cannabis to customers when they use this extensive range of services, which streamlines operations. Many retailers find great ease in having several services combined onto one platform.
Second, many retailers find resonance in Dutchie’s dedication to advancing the medical advantages of cannabis as well as justice reform and industrial equity. Further demonstrating its dedication to these principles is the company’s collaboration with the Last Prisoner Project, an organization that promotes the release of people serving time for cannabis-related charges.
And last, it is impossible to overlook Dutchie’s enormous expansion and sheer size. Serving over 6,000 dispensary partners and handling over $14 billion in cannabis sales a year, Dutchie is well-established in the market. Its size and room for expansion appeal to merchants trying to broaden their customer base and develop their companies.
In conclusion, even if Dutchie’s system problems have seriously disrupted business, a lot of retailers still use the platform because of its extensive service offering, dedication to industry ideals, and enormous room for expansion. But the cannabis business will keep changing, so solid, dependable systems will be even more important.
Review: Is the Risk Justified?
Given Dutchie’s frequent system outages—especially on important occasions like 4/20—one must wonder if it is worth the risk to stay with them. Many merchants have remained devoted to the platform because of its extensive service offering, dedication to industry values, and enormous development potential. But in the fast growing cannabis sector, a strong, dependable POS system is becoming more and more important. Outages can, as we have seen, cause major delays and lost purchases. Is te chance of another 4/20 outage therefore worth the price Dutchie charges for its advantages?
