Uncover the high-performing products, pricing strategies, and promotional plays that define 420 success.

Key Takeaways:

• 4/20 remains cannabis’ biggest sales day—but brands and retailers are getting smarter about how they win.
• Strategic discounting and list price padding allowed businesses to drive volume without sacrificing margin.
• Premium, high-potency products—especially Infused Pre-Rolls and Rosin—captured more share than ever.

The essence of a winning 4/20 approach lies in the careful calibration of attractive discounts with genuine value, while not cutting deeply into costs. This can be achieved through strategic promotions for the potent, high-quality products this holiday shopper seeks. Reel in the shopper’s wandering eye with an attractive sale that doesn’t break the bank on margin.

How We Got Here: 4/20 Sales Highlights

4/20 is the single most important sales day of the year, but it’s even more important than the sales dollars themselves. It’s an opportunity to not only sell a lot of products but to create deeper connections with your customers.

In 2024, the week of 4/20 saw a 28% increase in average daily sales vs a non-holiday week. This increase looks very similar to the increase we saw on the week of 4/20 in 2023 (29%), and the 2024 sales were accomplished with less discounting. In other words, brands and retailers reaped bigger benefit from the increased sales day last year. After years of price compression, I’m sure it will come as a relief to know that driving sales on 4/20 this does not necessarily come at the cost of margin – in comes strategic pricing and discounting.

List Price Padding and Strategic Discounting

4/20 is a particularly special sales day, because it’s not shared with other shopping occasions and competing sales dollars with other channels or categories – 4/20 is exclusively about cannabis. However, while cannabis consumer demand is at its peak, so is the competition. Brands and dispensaries flood the market with creative promotions of all kinds, each aiming to capture the attention of shoppers and drive traffic on what is often the biggest cannabis sales day of the year.

When looking back at 2024, average retail price (ARP) was down just 3% during the week of 4/20 compared to the average week – this is referring to the final purchase price. This price decrease was less compared to 2023, which was a 5.5% decrease in ARP the week of 4/20 compared to average. However, there’s much more to the story as you look at the list price padding we saw occur. 

Perhaps surprisingly, the week of 4/20 original (menu) list prices increased by +6.6% while discounted list prices were slashed -7.9% vs their non-holiday counterparts. Furthermore, the original list prices on the day of 4/20 last year increased by a whopping +14.8% vs a non-holiday while discounted list prices decreased by -16%.

With this pricing approach, we can see that retailers were able to minimize margin drop while maintaining strong incremental sales by providing customers with the sentiment of value that’s become iconic to this holiday shopping experience. The strategy: mark products at their most premium original price and showcase strategic online promos to attract attention. In addition to the strategic positioning of list price and discounts, a significant percentage of products sold weren’t being discounted at all.

Festive 4/20 Shoppers Show Category Preference

Overall, shoppers continue to reach for the staple categories during 4/20, however there are some sales share shifts when you look closer, especially to high-potency categories such as Extracts and Infused Pre-Rolled.  Flower and Vape both saw small share declines (-1.7% and -1.1%, respectively) in favor of Edibles (+1.9%), Pre-Rolled (+3.5%) and Extracts (+4.4%) during the week of 4/20 last year vs a typical week.

Looking deeper at what is happening in the Vape Category, Vape Disposables (-8.6%) took a big share hit during the 2024 holiday while Vape Cartridges (+2.7%) saw a bump in interest. In the extracts category, dabbers got their torches out, with both Resin (+3.4%) and Solventless (+9.8%) heating up. Meanwhile, Infused Pre-Rolled (+7.3%) was a true holiday winner and non-Infused share remained flat. Premium, high-potency products remain at the top of the 4/20 shopper’s list.

Potent Pricing and Promotion

Because of the sheer volume of promos offered to an overwhelmed consumer on this holiday, it’s key to stand out with attractive offerings that differentiate the purchasing behaviors that drive volume on this special holiday. Focus on categories with high demand and that maintain their premium price points.

Infused Pre-Rolls were amongst the most resistant to any sort of margin reduction. By maximizing original list price (+18.2%) with an attractive discounted list price (-5.7%), they enjoyed an average retail price increase (+5.1%) vs a non-holiday week. That’s right, margin may have improved for retailers selling Infused Pre-Rolls last 4/20 versus the competitive prices provided throughout the rest of the year.

Following along the same trend, Rosin, saw a large original price increase (+13.5%) and discounted price (-8.3%) which resulted in a major increase to average retail price (+5.5%). These increases in ARP, compared with the decrease in average retail price found with non-infused Pre-Rolled (-15.8%) or all other Extracts (-3.6%) help showcase the importance of targeting specific categories on this holiday.

What’s equally important to maintaining strong yet attractive promotions and pricing, is the yield in sales performance. Of course, Rosin is a relatively small category and it’s not a basket you’d want to put all your promotional eggs into despite the healthy boost in holiday sales performance and favorable pricing. This isn’t the holiday to reinvent the wheel of what shoppers want!

Steps to Win on 4/20

4/20 is and has always been the annual staple that keeps customers reaching for cannabis products, and this year provides an opportunity for you to create lasting loyalty. The first step is to define what success looks like to your brand or dispensary – is this attracting new customers to a new product or helping to remind them why they fell in love with you to begin with? Coming in with clear goals will help you ask the important questions.

For instance; if you’re looking to bring new shoppers into your store, you should consider what products have been popular in your local area and how you might be able to build a promotion which stands out with this local audience. BDSA has solutions to identify what’s winning in your area, as well as how those products have been priced on previous holidays, such as last 4/20, to give you the advantage in setting up your promotion. As you’ve seen, evaluating both list price and the purchase price is particularly important when evaluating and setting holiday strategy.

For brands aiming to ensure your products are stocked on all the right shelves, BDSA’s Sales Enablement works to give your sales team the upper hand. The Distribution Assistant provides insights to easily re-stock products, target optimal shelves to sell into and arms reps with the story that proves your value on a shelf.

Past 4/20’s have shown us time and time again why this holiday needs to demand your focus and strategic planning. It’s easy to capture incremental traffic, however it’s just as easy to give away the farm when doing so. It’s critical to remember that is not a necessary evil. There is a path to increased revenue. For 2025, make sure you capture consumer interest in a way that’s unique to your business strategies and do so in a way that’s sustainable to your short and long-term success.

Balancing Discounts and Value for 4/20 Success

Wrapping up our examination of 4/20 in the cannabis consumer space, it’s clear that success lies in data-informed strategies paired with inventive promotions. BDSA’s insights provide the groundwork for these strategies, acting as both a guide and an inspiration for thoughtful planning. The essence of a winning 4/20 approach lies in the careful calibration of attractive discounts with genuine value.

• Strategic Discounting: It’s not about slashing prices across the board; it’s about precision. By identifying high-demand products and tailoring discounts to these items, retailers can drive traffic and sales without compromising their bottom line. 

• Creative Promotions and Branded Merchandise: Beyond the allure of discounts exists the untapped potential of storytelling through products. Limited, branded merchandise represents a narrative thread that weaves your brand into the fabric of your customers’ 4/20 experience. 

• The Value of Long-term Brand Loyalty: Immediate sales are just the tip of the iceberg. The true measure of 4/20 success is the lasting connection forged between your brand and its customers. Consider the experience consumers have on 420 and how your retail presence or brand can be a part of that experience. This approach cultivates a community of loyal patrons who see your brand as an integral part of their cannabis journey.

The blueprint for 4/20 success is multi-faceted, blending retail savvy with the science of data-driven decision-making. This sets the stage for a 4/20 that benefits both your profit margins and your brand’s legacy. Let this 4/20 be the moment your retail strategy blossoms, rooted in insight, and blooming with innovation.

Dive deeper into the data-driven strategies that can transform your 4/20 planning from standard to stand out. Connect with us for personalized insights and expert advice calibrated to your unique retail needs.

Author: Kevin Tear

Updated March 28, 2025