is the commercial weed market recession proof ?

[Yes4Prop215]

seriously, its that time of the year. last year it didnt hit until august when i found myself completely dry, but this year it hit a good month early. and i thought there were more people growing?!!?!? did a bunch of big timers suddenly decide to take a vacation?

WHERE ARE THE BUDS !

 

[stoned16]

In my neck of the woods hash and weed has gone down in price slightly since the recession hit!!!yeeehaaaa

 

[Sleestak]

seriously, its that time of the year. last year it didnt hit until august when i found myself completely dry, but this year it hit a good month early.

Funny. You're halfway across the country from me and everyone around these parts is complaining about the same thing. Usually people start bitching early August, but like you say seems the time has come a month or two early this year.

Feel bad for the peeps that have to rely on others.

 

[randude101]

We are going to need a lot of federally sponsored grief couselors.

 

[ItsGrowTime]

Periodic bump. How's your market looking?


Biz has slowed down substantially for me lately. People just aren't as willing or able to drop the kind of cash it costs for high quality smoke anymore, especially with the holiday season draining people's extra cash. I'm wondering how to network more to expand customer base but not exactly sure how? Even my most reliable customers have been cutting way back lately. Any suggestions? Is the recession/depression affecting biz more? Is it still "recession proof"?

 

[el capitan!]

ItsGrowTime, actually it is obvious that the current recession the rest of the world has been in has finally hit this underground and medical market!! Prepare yourself, I believe it will continue to deteriorate over the next few years.
We are in the time, same as every year, of the outdoor bumper harvest flooding the market with cheaper product. Seems worse, or more, than last year, and the year before that. The holidays dont help either, but there is always a little bump right before Christmas.
Dont know what we can do to "promote" our wares other than keep up on your customer service, happy customers are return customers, many people look past that.
Getting out there is more exposure, which could be positive if you meet that right client and you click and are on the same page, but is could be negative also. There are a lot of "newbies" out there trying to make a buck, but dont give a shit about the "cause", "movement", "medicinal value" or "KARMA"!!
Due to the economy so many people are moving to cannabis as an opportunity to make a living, but dont realize the actual amount of work it does take to do it right. They have seen the TV shows and think its easy money.
We all know better now dont we...and the more and more people that learn or try affect the market in one way or another.
A grow shop may be the smartest move in this market right now, as the political climate is in a constant state of flux, we are heading in the direction of atleast decriminalization, and are certainly miles ahead of recent past. So more people will try, the market will continue to dive, some will get out, some will stay solid and connected, and you never know what tomorrow will bring, period...
I do not believe this biz is "recession proof"!
Networking is literally pounding the pavement, cold calls, road trips, samples, negotiations, repeat.
good luck

 

[zenoonez]

I think the only answer is to diversify your market. If your patients aren't buying and you need to make ends meet, find a set of dispensaries that you can vend to. If they aren't paying what your work is worth, then pound the payment and find more dispensaries. The biggest problem I see is a slumping middle class. As middle class American's get squeezed harder and harder they are going to cut out what they have to to make ends meet. The deterioration of the Cali scene is probably directly linked to the recession and the media coverage of the scene. As the recession is easing and jobs begin to grow again I would suspect that the scene will begin to see increased demand. If that means higher prices being paid to growers I don't know but only time will tell. I have been told by a number of people who have encouraged me to move out to Cali that the past couple of months have made them think twice about that advice.

 

[SpasticGramps]

I didn't read the whole thread. My

I think history bares this true. Drugs/Intoxicants are always in high demand. In economically depressed times, use increases and public tolerance of "illicit" drugs increases. Vice versa. Enter Regan and Just Say No with the economic boom. One of countless examples of this trend.

Considering the implications of the information revolution. I'm curious to see if this trend continues. I think we are swinging towards legalization of all drugs in the next couple of decades.

 

[mean mr.mustard]

I don't even get the question...

Is it "Is the weed market recession proof?"
or
"Is the scwag market recession proof?"

 

[ureapwhatusow]

Periodic bump. How's your market looking?


Biz has slowed down substantially for me lately. People just aren't as willing or able to drop the kind of cash it costs for high quality smoke anymore, especially with the holiday season draining people's extra cash. I'm wondering how to network more to expand customer base but not exactly sure how? Even my most reliable customers have been cutting way back lately. Any suggestions? Is the recession/depression affecting biz more? Is it still "recession proof"?

hang in there

just like any market, dynamics change, you can adapt

there are markets that are still paying top dollar for top tops and specific stains or types of meds

and the recession coupled with quasi legality and high profits have added in a very short term exponentially to the product available now

this is great stuff, because a flooded outdoor market of a perishable commodity will humble the shit out of everyone who thought growing weed and consistently growing weed for a profit were just as easy

there is no free lunch and when these people make nothing after investing so much into this they will drop like flies

thankfully greed and stupidity go hand in hand

youll be ok hang in there good luck

 

[ureapwhatusow]

the american pot grower is the closest thing we have to a real life robin hood

a direct tie into the capitalist mainline, and it is piped directly to the mouths of the middle class

the common quite unassuming person obsessed with a plant a state of being and a way of life is one of the greatest unsung heros of our days

it is the ultimate act of peaceful civil disobedience and devotion to something you believe in

and in this headier than thou, the only good grow is a legal grow, go in the jungle and get a land race to grow in your garden or repent cause those genes are tainted by the blood sweat and tears of the illegal grower

 

[PhenotypeX]

No matter how bad the recession is ppl will still buy weed.

 

[SoCaliSmoker]

In my area, alot of people are buying weed still, just not as much as they used too. The same person who was buying an ounce at a time to hold him down is now buying a half. Once you and Mary have a relationship, it's very hard to break up with her.

But the economy going to shit the way it has, plus with the explosion of growing, equals alot of people with ANY kind of weed (good and bad), trying to get rid of it to alot of people who are not bringing in the kind of cash they used too. Dispensaries will still buy what you have, but try and low ball the hell out of you.

For some people, getting an eigth for $50 is the difference between getting high now or paying their cell phone bill. Its getting rough out here man....

 

[THCV]

weed IS recession proof. but this is a depression. no one escapes. all the newbies and their mids have entered the Cali grow scene just as it is about to collapse, and they have hastened that collapse. But if/when it is legalized next year, which is beginning to seem likely, we can expect outdoor weed to be almost WORTHLESS within a few years, since anyone with a yard that smokes (and is hurting for cash!) will be growing; it'll take some time for those new law-abiding folks to get good, but if they are already growing prize roses or tomatos, they might get it right the first time. You think it's flooded now...fuck.

Indoor, well, who knows? People still drink Black Label even though you can get just as drunk off PBR. I think A++ indoor will always have a place and value, but it might be worth a LOT less. Just not worthless like outdoor. Think it's bad now? It has only just begun to get bad. Diversifying barely helps; if your current clients are full up and that hasn't happened before, are you really expecting to find new clients who aren't full up? Everyone (dispensaries, dealers) is drinking from the flood and trying to improve margins as sales go down, cuz all the end users are hurting for cash. Might be time to find a real job. Oh wait, there aren't any. Lucky we all have plenty of pot to smoke as an escape. Anyone want to buy 12 1ks? hahaha

Of course, i could be totally off base, and the economy could totally turn around in short order, a new boom could start, and pot could be made MORE illegal and we would be back to 2006 levels, when i got 6400 a lb for OG. Sure, and monkeys might fly out of my butt!

Sorry if this sounds like a downer, but in your heart, you know i am just keeping it real. The days of making a living off a small grow are coming an end, that is for sure. Well, in Cali anyway. Have a nice day!

 

[Hydro-Soil]

I go without razors, have a set of clippers that gets close enough.

My shoes are 3 years old, the only pair I have.

I haven't bought clothes in nearly 3 years and even then it was at a thrift store.

I don't go to the movies, drink coffee from 'shops', buy fast/junk food.

I haven't had a pair of glasses in 3 years.

I don't have any hobbies that I spend money on anymore and don't have money to spend on it anyway.



Up until recently... I spent all my extra cash on sanity.... Sativas. Being 'productive' was worth it at any cost and the benefits to the family as a whole, unbelievable. Now I have no 'extra' cash but am fortunate to have enough equipment to grow my own. This last 'lean time before the windfall' has been difficult.


I won't say that sales won't be affected but I would put cannabis on the same level as the power bill and so would a lot of folks. It gets paid.

Stay Safe!

 

[SoCaliSmoker]

I'm on the same boat with Growers who are doing this to survive.

Parents are divorced, leaves my mom and my brothers and sisters. If you have a payment for a 4 or 5 bedroom house:

$2,900 Mortgage
$400.00 Utilites
$1,200 Food for 5-6
(and not including car payments, cell phone bills, insurance, cable, etc...)

Your damn near having to clear $5,000 a month just to keep your head above water. Rack up your Credit Cards to live (there's another payment) and you're wondering how the hell things can get better.

So THANK GOD for weed because we enjoy it, but sometimes you have to grow it just to live. Just to LIVE. Literally. And I wish prices would go back to 2006 prices, but 2006 was the start of the Real Estate boom and at least people had "some" money at that time. It is just getting harder and harder everyday in Cali.