Cannabis delivery customers increasingly favor mobile apps over websites when placing orders—and the trends supporting this shift are both compelling and instructive.

Convenience & Seamlessness

According to industry data, 59% of cannabis buyers use apps to research products before purchase, compared with lower rates for web-only browsing. Mobile apps provide a streamlined, purpose-built experience—featuring features like personalized product recommendations, integrated loyalty rewards, and real-time delivery tracking—elements that typical websites seldom match.

Personalized User Experience

Mobile apps often use AI to analyze user habits, enabling tailored suggestions and promotions. As seen with DispensaryMate, such “smart” personalization boosts engagement and encourages repeat orders. Websites, by contrast, tend to provide a generic, one-size-fits-all browsing experience, with less ability to leverage customer data in real-time.

Offline Accessibility & Speed

Apps have the advantage of caching essential information—like menus, favorites, and past orders—making them faster and more reliable than websites, especially where internet connections are unstable. Even when website orders are possible, app-derived insight remains prevalent: 51% of app users ultimately choose products in-store, and 41% convert within hours.

Regulatory & Payment Constraints

However, regulatory complexities shape the experience. Because federal policies still classify cannabis as a Schedule I substance, many commerce-capable cannabis apps are blocked from mainstream app stores. To work around this, organizations often deploy mobile-optimized web apps or in-market apps. Nonetheless, when properly configured, fully native apps can offer superior features and convenience.

Growing Market & Device Penetration

The cannabis delivery market continues expanding rapidly: projected to hit $40 billion by 2024 with over 24.5% CAGR. Amid rising smartphone adoption, more customers expect the app-like ease they’ve grown accustomed to in other industries.

Desktop Use Persists for Planning

Despite app dominance, the desktop/web channel remains important—especially for bulk or first-time purchases. As Native Roots (CO) noted, website orders for pickup averaged 50% higher spend than in-store purchases. The comparative ease of browsing large catalogs supports this behavior, especially for patients or adults placing recurring or high-volume orders.

Balancing Strengths

Ultimately, customers use both mobile apps and websites—but apps are winning on usability, engagement, and loyalty. Websites excel for high-dollar or first-time decisions, slower, consideration-focused shopping. Smart cannabis operators often maintain both channels: a best-in-class app for regular users, enriched with personalized features, and a full-featured responsive website for planning purchases and reaching less‑mobile customers.

Why This Matters for Analysts & Providers

• Delivery platforms need robust app development to capture demand and build loyalty.
• Marketers should leverage in-app personalization and loyalty mechanics to boost basket size.
• Analysts should track engagement and conversion metrics by channel to better understand user behavior and optimize investments.