Push Notifications vs. Email Deals: Which Works Better for Cannabis Rewards?
Cannabis rewards programs continue to evolve alongside retail technology, and two of the most important communication tools remain push notifications and email deals. Both channels play a role in driving engagement, redemptions, and repeat visits, yet they operate very differently. For dispensaries and cannabis brands navigating strict regulations and crowded inboxes, understanding how each channel performs can determine the overall success of a rewards strategy.
Speed and Timing: Push Notifications Take the Lead
Push notifications excel at immediacy. Delivered directly to a customer’s smartphone, they appear in real time and are often seen within minutes. For cannabis rewards programs, this makes push notifications ideal for limited-time offers, flash sales, and inventory-driven promotions.
When a dispensary adds a new batch of flower, drops a daily deal, or needs to move expiring inventory, push notifications provide instant visibility. Platforms commonly used by dispensaries, such as Dutchie, integrate push alerts directly with menus and loyalty systems, allowing offers to trigger automatically based on product availability or time of day.
Open rates for push notifications are typically higher than email, particularly among mobile-first shoppers. In cannabis retail, where many purchases are impulse-driven or tied to convenience, speed often translates directly into sales.
Depth and Detail: Email Still Has an Edge
Email marketing offers a different kind of value. While emails may not be opened immediately, they provide more space for education, storytelling, and complex promotions. Cannabis deals often come with disclaimers, eligibility rules, and product descriptions, which are better suited to email than a short push alert.
Email campaigns work well for weekly newsletters, reward point summaries, birthday offers, and educational content about new brands or product categories. Services integrated with cannabis-friendly platforms such as Weedmaps allow retailers to segment email lists based on purchase history, location, and preferences, helping ensure that deals feel relevant rather than spammy.
Another advantage of email is longevity. Customers can search their inbox later, forward deals to friends, or reference expiration dates without relying on a fleeting notification.
Engagement and Opt-In Behavior
From a technology standpoint, opt-in behavior differs significantly between the two channels. Push notifications require users to enable permissions on their devices, which creates a smaller but highly engaged audience. Those who opt in tend to be loyal customers who want timely updates.
Email lists, on the other hand, are easier to grow during checkout or rewards sign-up. However, inbox fatigue is a real issue. Cannabis retailers must compete with mainstream brands, personal emails, and promotional clutter, which can reduce visibility over time.
Data from loyalty platforms consistently shows that push notifications generate higher click-through rates, while email produces steadier long-term engagement. In cannabis rewards programs, this often means push notifications drive immediate redemptions, while email supports ongoing brand loyalty.
Compliance and Deliverability Considerations
Cannabis marketing faces unique regulatory and technical hurdles. Push notifications bypass many of the deliverability challenges associated with email, such as spam filters or blocked keywords. Since notifications are app-based or browser-based, compliance is handled at the platform level.
Email requires careful list management, consent tracking, and content moderation to avoid account suspensions. However, when managed correctly, email remains a compliant and reliable channel for cannabis promotions.
Which Works Better?
The answer is not either-or. Push notifications work better for urgency, real-time deals, and high redemption rates. Email works better for education, relationship building, and detailed rewards communication.
The most effective cannabis rewards programs use both. Push notifications spark action. Email builds trust. Together, they create a balanced, technology-driven approach that meets customers where they are and keeps rewards programs competitive in an increasingly digital cannabis marketplace.