Dwell Time Data: Why Some States See Longer Cannabis Shopping Trips and How Dispensaries Can Capitalize
Cross-Shopping Is on the Rise: How Dispensaries Can Keep Customers Loyalty
September 5, 2025
If you’ve ever walked into a dispensary in New York, you’ll notice something: people don’t just pop in and out. They browse, they ask questions, they compare products. On average, New Yorkers spend about 17 minutes in-store, one of the longest dwell times in the U.S.
Head to Texas, and it’s the same story, consumers linger for nearly 17.5 minutes per visit, despite limited access and stricter regulations. Meanwhile, in Colorado or Arizona, trips are noticeably shorter. Customers know exactly what they want, and they’re in and out in minutes.
This contrast tells us something powerful: dwell time isn’t just a number… It’s a window into customer behavior, loyalty, and opportunity.
Why Longer Dwell Times Matter
When customers stick around, they’re giving you something invaluable: time and attention. And time in-store often translates into deeper engagement and larger baskets.
Here’s why:
Education drives trust: In newer or evolving markets, shoppers still have questions. A well-trained budtender can turn curiosity into confidence, and confidence into bigger purchases.
Exploration fuels upsell: Longer visits mean customers are browsing beyond their usual products, maybe upgrading to premium flower, adding an edible, or trying a wellness SKU.
Experience builds loyalty: The more comfortable and understood a customer feels during their visit, the more likely they’ll come back, not just once, but consistently.
Think about New York: despite a dip in visitors, engagement remains the highest nationally. That’s a signal that while competition is heating up, stores that invest in education and services can secure long-term loyalty.
Why Shorter Visits Aren’t Bad, They Just Require a Different Strategy
In states like Colorado and Arizona, dwell times are dipping. At first glance, that may feel like a red flag, but it’s not. Shorter visits often signal a mature, efficient market where customers already know what they want.
In these markets, the opportunity isn’t in extending visit length, it’s in maximizing frequency and loyalty. Here are ways to do so:
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Streamline checkout: Customers want speed, mobile ordering, express pickup, and digital menus make a difference.
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Push loyalty programs: When trips are short, the best way to keep customers coming back is through rewards and incentives.
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Upsell outside the store: SMS, email, and retargeted ads can suggest add-ons before the next visit, since in-store time is limited.
In other words, efficiency markets reward operational excellence, not just customer engagement.
Engagement vs. Efficiency: Two Models of Cannabis Retail Success
Across the U.S., two clear models of dispensary performance are emerging and both can be successful when executed with intention.
1. Engagement-Heavy Markets
Examples: New York, Texas, Vermont, Massachusetts In these markets, customers are spending 14–17+ minutes per visit, often because the category still feels new, the product menus are expanding rapidly, and education is in high demand. These shoppers aren’t just making a transaction; they’re exploring, comparing, and asking questions.
Opportunities here:
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Train staff to act as educators, not just order-takers.
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Design stores to encourage browsing, interactive menus, product displays, or even sample scent jars.
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Use the longer window to upsell bundles or introduce higher-margin SKUs.
Here, success comes from maximizing every minute of engagement and converting curiosity into confidence and confidence into bigger baskets.
2. Efficiency-Driven Markets
Examples: Colorado, Arizona, Washington. In contrast, mature markets show shorter dwell times. Customers already know the brands and products they prefer, so they move quickly: in, out, repeat. These are loyal, efficient buyers who prize speed and convenience.
Opportunities here:
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Streamline checkout with pre-order, express pickup, or mobile menus.
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Focus on loyalty programs and repeat-visit incentives.
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Push add-ons and upsells through digital channels like SMS or email, since in-store time is limited.
Here, success comes from making every visit as frictionless as possible, and keeping customers returning frequently.
Neither model is inherently better. Engagement-heavy markets win by deepening each visit, while efficiency-driven markets win by increasing visit frequency. The key isn’t to force one approach, it’s to recognize which market you’re operating in and align your strategy accordingly.
When you know where your state (and your store) falls on this spectrum, you can shift from reacting to data to actually designing experiences that grow loyalty and market share.
Turning Dwell Time Data Into ROI
Here’s the mistake too many dispensaries make: they track foot traffic, but they don’t measure what happens once the customer walks through the door.
Across all markets: benchmark yourself. If your dwell time is lower than the state average, ask why. Are customers waiting too long? Not finding what they want? Or worse… Walking to competitors?
The right data turns dwell time from a passive metric into an active growth strategy.
Take Control of Your Dispensary Data
Dwell time, visit frequency, and customer loyalty are more than metrics, they’re signals. But if you don’t know where you stand, it’s impossible to act.
With shopEQ, you get both perspectives: the microscope to see what’s happening inside your store, and the telescope to understand trends across your state and market. That clarity empowers you to:
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Optimize staffing and in-store experiences.
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Identify which campaigns drive real foot traffic and loyalty.
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Capture more market share before competitors do.
Instead of guessing, you can make data-driven decisions that grow revenue, strengthen customer relationships, and future-proof your dispensary.
Conclusion
Some customers want speed. Others want time. The difference is knowing which kind you serve and how to maximize every visit.
Dwell time isn’t just trivia for data nerds, it’s a signal of engagement, loyalty, and opportunity. When you measure it and act on it, you stop guessing and start growing.
👉 Ready to see where your dispensary stands? Explore shopEQ and Equio.ai today and turn dwell time into real ROI at www.equio.ai.
FAQ: Cannabis Dispensary Dwell Time
Q: What is cannabis dispensary dwell time?
A: Cannabis dispensary dwell time measures the average length of time a customer spends inside a dispensary during a single visit. It’s a critical metric for understanding engagement, shopping habits, and the potential for upselling or cross-selling products.
Q: Why is average dispensary visit length important?
A: The average dispensary visit length reflects how engaged your customers are. Longer dwell times often indicate that customers are exploring products, asking questions, and building trust with your staff, all of which can lead to larger purchases and higher repeat visit rates.
Q: What is a good benchmark for cannabis dispensary dwell time?
A: Benchmarks vary by state and market:
Engagement-focused markets (like New York or Texas) typically see 17+ minutes per visit.
Efficiency-driven markets (like Colorado or Arizona) may have shorter visits but higher visit frequency. The key is to compare your store’s dwell time against state and market averages to spot opportunities for improvement.
Q: How can dispensaries increase dwell time?
A: To increase cannabis dispensary dwell time and maximize revenue:
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Train staff to guide and educate shoppers on products and consumption methods.
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Create an inviting store layout that encourages browsing.
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Offer sampling, demos, or product bundles to keep customers engaged.
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Develop in-store experiences that give customers a reason to stay longer.
