What the Numbers Say: Discounting Isn’t the Strategy—It’s the Signal

Update: 2025-09-26

Description

Episode 1 of the Series: Escaping the Discount Death Spiral

Margins are shrinking, and discounts are to blame.

Even when traffic is strong, brands and dispensaries across the U.S. are watching profits erode under the weight of discounts. This episode of Cannabis Marketing Live takes you inside the numbers to show how and why the industry has fallen into a discount spiral, and what to do before it’s too late.

We’ll reveal national and state-level data from Headset.io with Data Scientist Mitchell Laferla spotlighting where discounting is most aggressive, why states like Michigan and California are driving the trend, and how consumer behavior is shifting in response. More importantly, we’ll show you what to do about it: how to move from blanket discounts to smarter, data-driven strategies that protect your margins, increase basket size, and keep customers loyal without racing to the bottom.

Here’s what you’ll learn

The Numbers Behind Discounts: National and state-level data showing where discounting is most severe (CA, MI, and more).
The Hidden Margin Killers: Why bigger discounts often shrink cart size and reduce long-term customer value.
Smarter Strategies: How to use basket analysis, attachment rates, and value-based products to discount strategically.

Plus: You’ll walk away with our free 90-Day Discount Escape Plan, plug-and-play model that lets you test your own numbers, spot red flags, and map out a more profitable path forward.

This session is for multi-location dispensaries, retail operators, marketers, and brand leaders who are done with the hamster wheel of discounts and want a sustainable growth strategy.

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