Is Your MN Retail Ready for Green Wednesday?

Get ready for Green Wednesday, a fun cannabis celebration that takes place every year on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving! Think of it as Black Friday for cannabis. It’s a great time to hit up dispensaries across the country for incredible deals—perfect for stocking up before the holiday weekend. Whether you’re gearing up for family gatherings, avoiding the Thanksgiving rush, or just looking to snag some awesome savings, Green Wednesday has something for everyone.

Like the popular shopping events of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Green Wednesday has become a beloved tradition among cannabis enthusiasts. With more states legalizing cannabis and dispensaries offering great promotions, the savings only seem to get better year after year.

Green Wednesday Campaign Ideas

25% off on the 25th	25% off a short, clearly marked list of eligible products; use a smaller discount if margins require it.	Headline offer: “25% off on the 25th”
The $25 Menu	Create a clearly marked collection of products priced at $25 or less before tax. Offer several formats rather than pushing larger quantities.	“Your Green Wednesday finds—$25 and under.”
Choose Your Savings	Let customers choose one of two offers—for example, a discount on one featured cannabis item or a larger discount on an eligible accessory. No stacking.	“Your visit. Your choice of savings.”
Green Wednesday Exclusives	Secure an exclusive cultivar, package size, or manufacturer-produced assortment. Use exclusivity instead of relying entirely on discounts.	“A local exclusive, arriving 11/25.”
Local harvest/producer spotlight	Feature a verified Minnesota maker and host a confirmed indoor educational appearance—not a consumption or sampling party.	"Meet your local grower X and save 15%"
Premium Without the Premium	Discount a few higher-end products individually so customers can explore premium options without buying a bundle.	“Meet your next top-shelf favorite.”
Build Your Own Discovery Set (Deli-Style Setups)	Let customers select from a short list of separately packaged products at clearly disclosed promotional prices. Preserve original packaging and item-level tracking.	“Explore something different.”
Accessory Upgrade Day	Offer special pricing on selected grinders, rolling accessories, or other permitted merchandise—available independently of a cannabis purchase.	“Refresh your setup.”

📣Make sure to highlight

• Convenience: Explain existing order-ahead and in-store pickup procedures clearly

• Retention is Important: Invite adults to join an age-affirmed, opted-in email list for future local product announcements and holiday season specials. If you have a loyalty program, the holiday season provides a perfect time to premote it.

• Test discount tax treatment: Store-funded and third-party-reimbursed coupons have different tax consequences. Revenue guidance is not blanket OCM approval of incentive arrangements.

🗓 Plan the campaign rollout

• November 11–13: Select products; approve margins, funding, terms, and compliance.

• November 14–17: Build the landing page; send the save-the-date message to the age-affirmed, opted-in list.

• November 18–20: Feature the local maker; train staff on the offers.

• November 21–23: Publish final specials; test POS and online pricing.

• November 24: Send one useful reminder; verify inventory and pickup staffing.

• November 25: Assign inventory, queue, and offer-troubleshooting owners.

• November 27–30: Thank customers; avoid automatically extending a one-day offer. Have holiday season offers in place.

• December 1–10: Measure repeat visits and campaign gross profit.

🛑Hard stops

• These drafts are not complete advertisements until the applicable full OCM warning is added. OCM requires warning language for business and product advertisements, including online and social media promotions. (OCM GM-2025-07, updated August 7, 2026)

• Avoid child-appealing cartoons, animal mascots, alcohol imagery, medical promises, and overconsumption language. These are subject to Minnesota advertising restrictions.

  (Minn. Stat. 342.64)

• No free cannabis products: Minnesota's cannabis retail giveaway prohibition covers cannabis flower, cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and other listed regulated products. Do not assume nominal-price add-ons are an approved workaround. (Minn. Stat. 342.27)

• No outdoor sale banners or sandwich boards: OCM also treats promotional window and door signs visible from outside as outdoor advertisements. The limited fixed-sign allowance is not general authorization for holiday sale displays.

• No unapproved SMS blast: Twilio prohibits cannabis/CBD businesses on its U.S. and Canadian SMS/MMS routes, regardless of message wording. Confirm provider and carrier permission; do not disguise messages. (The Twilio policy)

• Test discount tax treatment: Store-funded and third-party-reimbursed coupons have different tax consequences. Revenue guidance is not blanket OCM approval of incentive arrangements.

Campaign scorecard: Track your results!

Track transactions, net sales, gross profit dollars, average order value, discount rate, new customers, email signups, pickup completion, stockouts, and repeat visits. Give each offer a margin floor and a firm end date.

Follow-up with other customer-focused promotions

Promotion	How it could work	Sample hook
Budtender Picks Showdown	Have three staff members nominate a product and explain their selection. Let adults vote for their favorite recommendation, with no purchase or prize required.	“Three picks. Which gets your vote?”
You Pick the Spotlight	Ask your age-affirmed email audience which of three eligible products should receive the featured offer. Announce the winner before Wednesday.	“Help choose the Green Wednesday special.”
First-Visit Fast Track	Provide a designated welcome associate, a simple menu guide, and a short consultation for new customers. Avoid promising immediate service unless you can deliver it.	“New here? We’ll make it easy.”
Regulars Get the First Look	Give existing opted-in adult customers a preview of the menu—not necessarily earlier access to sales or an extra discount.	“Your first look at what’s coming.”
Product Passport	Create a simple take-home guide comparing featured products by format, flavor, producer, and price. Link each entry to the live menu.	“Find your next favorite—without the guesswork.”
Limited-Edition Store Merch	Release a small run of adult-oriented branded merchandise for sale, subject to what your license permits. Make it genuinely limited rather than manufacturing urgency.	“The Green Wednesday edition.”

Need help planning events? Reach out to info@carpfishcreative.com and let our folks assist you.