SoapBoxSample Announces Exciting Partnership with WeedWeek

Industry leaders collaborate to provide research and insights in the cannabis space

WeedWeek, the go-to media company for diverse cannabis news, announced a collaborative partnership with market research firm, SoapBoxSample, creating a council consisting of thought leaders and influencers in the cannabis space. The council will provide insight into the fast-evolving landscape allowing followers to keep their fingers on the pulse of the industry.

SoapBoxSample continues to expand its leadership and position within the cannabis space not only as a research provider, but as a collaborative influencer for brands, ancillary businesses and anyone looking to grow and build a cannabis business or brand.

“It’s so exciting working in a space driven by belief and passion. The opportunity to help businesses survive and thrive in such an explosive industry is not only fulfilling, but exhilarating.” said SoapBoxSample COO,  Jacqueline Rosales. “Every day is something new – a new challenge and a new opportunity. It’s exciting to see the immediate impact of our work helping clients.”

WeedWeek and SoapBoxSample came together on the heels of NECANN, the largest Cannabis Convention on the East Coast with more than 100 speakers, 300 exhibitors and approximately 10,000 attendees. Jacqueline Rosales’ session entitled, “When Patients Become Customers: How Understanding Consumer Types Can Help Your Cannabis Business Survive the Green Rush”, explained how business owners and decision makers can better understand consumer needs and wants through the use of research.

The WeedWeek Council’s responses and ideas will appear in a dedicated section of the WeedWeek newsletter. The council will be comprised of 25-30 people from various backgrounds and expertise in the green space and members are selected based on a competitive application process.

WeedWeek was founded in 2015 by Alex Halperin when he saw a need for a media company covering the many facets of the cannabis industry. Helperin, a successful journalist who has written for Washington Post, LA Times, Huff Post, Hightimes and Business Insider also runs ReCharge Events as well as a podcast. WeedWeek covers politics, law, culture, health and business as they relate to cannabis.

“WeedWeek Council is an exciting new way WeedWeek will share exclusive insights on the green rush with our thousands of readers,” said Alex Halperin.

SoapBoxSample has been actively conducting cannabis research since 2016 and continues to expand its offerings. Most recently, SoapBoxSample launched the CANNApinon poll, a national bi-weekly survey of cannabis consumers whose insights enable industry-specific details on consumer needs and wants for dispensaries, growers, media companies, food and beverage producers, distributors, and the cannabis beauty industry.

WeedWeek and SoapBoxSample are now accepting applications for membership to the WeekWeed Council. For information on how to join, click here.

To learn more about SoapBoxSample’s cannabis offering, visit SoapBoxSample.com/cannabis

About WeedWeek: Founded by award winning journalist Alex Halperin, WeedWeek’s free newsletters aggregate the latest developments in cannabis politics, business, health and science, law and culture. And the podcast features interviews with the most interesting voices in the space. Smart, credible and free, WeedWeek is the best way to keep up with the green rush. Subscribe at WeedWeek.net.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

SoapBoxSample Launches the CANNApinion Poll — A Cannabis Consumer Feedback Offering

To meet the growing needs of cannabis businesses, SoapBoxSample launches bi-monthly poll of cannabis consumers

SoapBoxSample announces its newest research solution for cannabis businesses, the CANNApinion Poll. With the rapid growth of the cannabis marketplace nationwide, brands need reliable consumer feedback to thrive in a crowded market. The CANNApinion Poll meets this need by providing a platform for the cannabis industry to ask their target audience relevant questions, allowing them to discover emerging  trends and areas of growth opportunity.

“As we’ve seen with other emerging industries, the brands who understand consumer segments and how to market to them are the ones who will become legacy brands. The CANNApinion Poll is a way for brands to gain direct access to their target market, and understand the why behind consumer purchasing habits,” said Jacqueline Rosales, SoapBoxSample COO.

Market experts predict that cannabis brands will soon compete for finite retail space in prime locations. Dispensaries and delivery services will be forced to make choices about their inventory. The CANNApinion Poll will help brands respond quickly to the needs of their customers, ensuring that their products are the ones that stay on the shelves.

A new wave of the CANNApinion Poll runs every two weeks to allow clients to get timely answers to their most urgent business questions. With each new wave, clients are given the opportunity to submit questions as they look to gain actionable insights into growing pains and growth barriers that are present within the cannabis consumer experience. Each wave consists of 8-10 questions to ensure cannabis consumers are actively engaged within the poll and contribute robust data. Clients can submit multiple choice questions, open-ended questions, and display product images or videos.

The CANNApinion Poll is the first cannabis-specific service within SoapBoxSample’s portfolio of products. SoapBoxSample is an early thought leader embracing the cannabis space, and has been actively conducting cannabis research since 2016. Clients rely on SoapBoxSample to develop new products, crowdsource ideas, test ads and branding, test products and concepts, track consumer habits online, and gather in-the-moment feedback.

How Generations Feel When Brands Take a Stand

Infographic by: Leigh Kettle, Senior Research Manager, icanmakeitbetter

How Generations Feel When Brands Take a Stand

GENERATION NATION 2019: Defining America’s Gen Z, Millennials, Generation X and Boomers. This study provides a comparison of attitudes and behaviors across these four cohorts, to expand upon current intelligence and cut to the core of what it means to be an American in 2019. Aided by technology, media, politics, and more, we can see Generational values shifting at a faster pace than we’ve ever seen before.

One of the discussion areas centered around perceptions of whether brands should take a stand on social and political issues.

 

Cannabis Use and Buying Habits Influenced by Age/Gender, According to New Findings from SoapBoxSample

Generational Differences Play  a Role in the Cannabis Products Consumers are Choosing, and How They Describe Their Experience

New cannabis companies are launching everyday, and their success or failure will hinge on their ability to attract a loyal user base. SoapBoxSample conducted a comprehensive nation-wide survey of cannabis users, to find out whether demographic factors are influencing buying habits. It turns out that gender and age both play a role in users’ motivations and purchasing habits.

Women are more likely than men to use cannabis as an anxiety or stress reliever (60% of women reported using it for this purpose compared to 53% of men). More men reported using cannabis for enjoyment (49%) than women (35%). The biggest difference between the genders is among those who say they consume cannabis to socialize. While 31% of men say they are social users, only of 17% of women are.

Men have different motivations for using cannabis. According to SoapBoxSample’s study, they also have different considerations when it comes to choosing new products. Men are more concerned about the potency of products than women (57% of men say this is a consideration when choosing new products to try, compared to 50% of women). Quality of construction is another factor that men (30%) are more likely to consider than women (25%) when choosing a new cannabis product.

A whopping 91% of Milennials who responded to SoapBoxSample’s survey said they have used cannabis in the last 90 days. They are more likely than other age groups to say they use cannabis for social reasons. 26% of Millennials say they use cannabis to socialize. 19% of Gen Xers and 18% of Baby Boomers reported the same. The generation most likely to use cannabis simply for the enjoyment of it – Baby Boomers (44%).

When it comes to assessing new cannabis products they might like to try, every generation reports that price is their biggest concern. Every generation cited potency as their second greatest concern, with the notable exception of Millennials — who reported a greater concern over safety than potency.

SoapBoxSample was also interested in learning if there is a significant difference between age groups in the way they describe using cannabis. Overall, “weed” is the most popular slang term for cannabis. However, Baby Boomers are also partial to the term “pot,” 31% prefer this term, compared to 20% of Gen Xers. “Pot” did not even crack the top three for Millennials, who like to call cannabis “weed”(35%), “marijuana”(16%), and “bud”(10%).

The survey results presented in this press release are part of a larger study of cannabis users (N=1,003) and non-users (N=502), fielded between June 28, 2018 and July 2, 2018, with a margin of error of +/- 3%.

Read Another Cannabis News Release – In the Cannabis Market, Big Spenders Plan to be Bigger Spenders

In the Cannabis Market, Big Spenders Plan to Be Bigger Spenders

New research from SoapBoxSample reveals cannabis spending will increase even faster than expected, as new products attract big spenders in higher income brackets

 

Consumer spending on cannabis products is on the rise with no signs of slowing. A nation-wide poll conducted by SoapBoxSample uncovered that users intend to spend more on cannabis this year than last year, and even more next year. The study focused on a range of cannabis consumer types, their shopping habits and the motivations behind their purchasing decisions.

How do cannabis consumers currently get their supply? 52% buy their supply from a friend, 37% go to a dispensary and 18% shop online for cannabis. (This data includes people who shop in multiple outlets.) By narrowing in on the preferences of cannabis users with the spendiest habits, SoapBoxSample uncovered some trends unique to this group. Those who spent more than $101 dollars last month use cannabis products to relieve stress (65%), and also for enjoyment (50%), but not necessarily for social reasons (29%).

Not surprisingly, the biggest spenders are likely to buy in dispensaries, where they can browse through an array of different products. An unexpected finding is that 47% of users in this high-spending group rely on recommendations when deciding which dispensary to visit, compared to 32% of those in the lower-spending categories.

While big spenders are throwing down for premium products, they are also looking for deals. 44% of users in the high-spending group look for special offers for new users when choosing a dispensary to visit (compared with 31% of users who spend $51 – $100 per month, and 29% of users who spend $1 – $50).

The survey also revealed that the highest-spending group is looking forward to trying new products. Among respondents who have not tried them, edible baked goods or candies, topical ointments, vaporizers, and cannabis-enhanced beverages are a few of the products likely to be sampled in the next six months.

To predict trends in the cannabis maket, SoapBoxSample also looked at the preferences of users in high income brackets. Those with incomes of $100K+ are more likely to purchase cannabis products through a dispensary than those with lower incomes. Additionally, users who make over $100K per year are more likely to choose vaporizer or edible products that those who make between $50K and $99K.

As new dispensaries pop up, and competition tightens, consumer preferences will determine which locations will survive. SoapBoxSample revealed that when it comes to in-store cannabis buying, everyone wants a good price, but women are more concerned with the friendliness/helpfulness of dispensary employees (59% of females say they look for this quality when choosing a dispensary compared to 45% of males.) Another interesting finding — 20% of men say they look at advertising when choosing a dispensary, compared to 12% of females.

Every generation of dispensary shoppers say they look for price, location, and friendly employees. Baby Boomers are more likely than Gen Xers or Millennials to state that they look for friendly employees when finding a dispensary. Baby Boomers and Gen Xers are more interested in the dispensary location than Millennials.

The survey results presented in this press release are part of a larger study of cannabis users (N=1,003) and non-users (N=502), fielded between June 28, 2018 and July 2, 2018, with a margin of error of +/- 3%.

To learn more about SoapBoxSample’s cannabis research, visit SoapBoxSample.com/cannabis