GUIDELINES FOR SELLING CANNABIS
DIRECTLY FROM YOUR BOOTH
Personally interacting with buyers, and putting your products directly in their hands, is a key benefit to selling cannabis products from your booth at the Event. This option is now available to all exhibitors except Craft booths.
We understand that the regulations imposed by the state of California can create a lot of hurdles, so we’ve worked hard over many years to make the process as seamless as possible.
To have your Cannabis Goods for Sale (CGFS) in your booth, it is imperative that exhibitors carefully review the In-booth Sales Standard Operating Procedures & the guidelines below to ensure you’re fully equipped to adhere to all DCC regulations.
We’re honored to have you as an exhibitor at Hall of Flowers, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Licensing & Permits
Submit your Retail License Information to Hall of Flowers
Conducting cannabis sales within your booth is equivalent to operating a small dispensary. Therefore all sales must be conducted by a licensed retailer. If your company does not have its own (active) retail license, you must partner with a licensed retailer, a licensed non-storefront retailer, or a licensed microbusiness that is authorized to engage in retail sales.
You will need to submit the License you are using for cannabis sales and your onsite point of contact to Hall of Flowers by September 6th. The Cannabis License Form will be emailed to your designated point of contact. If you haven’t received the Cannabis License Form, please reach out to dispensary@hallofflowers.com.
Register For a Santa Rosa Cannabis Industry Tax Certificate
The City of Santa Rosa requires retailers conducting cannabis sales at the event to obtain a Cannabis Industry Tax Certificate. Apply Online using the “New Application - Special Event” form. A $100 annual Registration Fee applies to each cannabis business that is subject to the Cannabis Industry Tax.
Your Santa Rosa tax return and payment are due the last day of the month following the end of the quarter (12/31).
For exhibitors using the Meadow Full Service In-Booth Sales with an appointed retail partner, tax registration and tax remittance will be coordinated and paid by Meadow’s retailer partner.
For questions regarding the City of Santa Rosa Cannabis Industry Tax, please call (707) 543-3170 or email revenue@srcity.org.
Estimating Your Cannabis Goods Allotment
Determine the Quantity of Cannabis GOODS to Bring to the Show
Accurate sales projections and careful planning will help you maximize your success at the show. Finding the right balance between showcasing your best products to retail buyers and selling popular items to consumers is key.
On Day 1 (Industry Day) of the show, your primary goal is to showcase your top products to retail buyers for a nominal fee. This is a unique opportunity to build relationships with retailers and provide them with a firsthand experience of your best offerings.
Focus on quality over quantity, selecting products that best represent your brand and have a high likelihood of generating interest and future orders.
Day 2 (Festival Day) of the show will be open to the public for the first time ever, allowing you to sell directly to consumers. Your goal is to provide your best-selling products while conducting instantaneous market research and potentially recouping the costs associated with exhibition.
Estimate projected sales based on your product's popularity, market demand, and the appeal of your product offerings to the general public. Bring only enough inventory to meet consumer demand without overextending, aiming to sell through all of your stock by the end of the day.
SKU & Unit Limits:
After careful consideration of sales completed at previous shows, average market price, booth expenses and cost of services, the following SKU & Unit limits are recommended by Hall of Flowers.
Nabis Distribution: If you are using Nabis distribution services, you must adhere to the product SKU and unit limits set for the show. These limits are in place to ensure a smooth and compliant operation.
Self-Distribution: If you are distributing products yourself, there are no set limits on SKUs or units. However, it is crucial to carefully consider the amount of product you can realistically sell through at the show. Avoid overstocking, as unsold products will need to be transported back to you, incurring additional costs.
Complete Your Product Upload Form By September 9th (Only For Exhibitors Using Meadow Pos)
For exhibitors using the Meadow Full Service In-Booth Sales with an appointed retail partner, Meadow will handle the logistics of importing your product information into the POS system for the Event. To facilitate this process, the Meadow team will provide you with a Product Upload Form to be completed before September 9th. If you have not received this form or have questions, please contact events@getmeadow.com.
Distributing Cannabis Goods for Sale to the Show
Exhibitors have two main options for getting their cannabis products to the show. Regardless of the delivery option chosen, all cannabis goods sold at the event must be transported by a licensed distributor or licensed microbusiness and comply with regulatory requirements.
Option 1: Deliver to Nabis—1 Week before the show
Arrange for your cannabis goods to be delivered to one of the two Nabis distribution facilities by a licensed distributor one week prior to the show.
For detailed guidelines, review and follow the instructions provided in the Nabis Distribution Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
Requirement: If you are using the "Meadow Full Service In-Booth with an appointed retail partner" option, all cannabis products for sale must be distributed through Nabis. Additionally, anyone using the centralized dispensary at the show must also distribute their products to Nabis.
Option 2: Distribution to Your Own Retail License—1 Day before the show
You can have your distributor deliver your cannabis goods for sale directly to your retail license on the following dates & times:
Thursday, September 19th between 12pm - 5pm
Friday, September 20th between 8am - 9am
Saturday, September 21st between 9:30am - 10:30am
Review and follow the SOP for Using Your Own Distribution License or Partner.
Whether using Nabis or your own distributor, plan your logistics carefully to ensure timely delivery and proper handling of your products.
Regulatory Requirements
To ensure compliance with the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) regulations, avoid penalties, and ensure a smooth experience for both staff and attendees, exhibitors must have the following items in their booths:
Secure, Locked Containers: All cannabis goods for sale must be stored in secure, locked containers. These containers should not be accessible to the public, ensuring the safety and security of the products.
State-Issued Retail License: The retail license issued by the state must be prominently displayed within plain sight of the public. This ensures transparency and verifies that the booth is authorized to sell cannabis products.
Employee ID Badges: Retail workers must wear ID badges.
Opaque Exit Packaging: All cannabis goods purchased by customers must be placed in opaque exit packaging.
How Sales Will Work
It is imperative that brands & their retailer partners carefully review the In-booth Sales Standard Operating Procedures to ensure you’re fully equipped to adhere to all DCC regulations.
In order to remain fully compliant, all Cannabis Goods provided to attendees must be treated as a sale transacted by your retail partner. As a result, your retail partner shall purchase from you each unit of the Cannabis Good for Sale. Invoices shall be made to your Retail Partner.
For cannabis goods designated for sale on Day 1 (Industry Day), we recommend that you invoice your retail partner for a final wholesale price of $0.01 per unit. Those cannabis goods should be sold for a retail price of $3.00 per unit after taxes.
The retail price of your Cannabis Goods sold on Day 1 should be tax-inclusive. Therefore, your retail partner should include the excise tax on the wholesale price of the goods ($0.01 per unit), as well as applicable local and state taxes, for a final total of $3 per unit at sale. Units should not be discounted nor labeled as trade samples.
For cannabis goods designated for sale on Day 2 (Festival Day), exhibitors and retailers should work together to determine the wholesale price and the retail markup - similar to regular dispensary flow.
Payment remittance of all taxes including excise tax, sales tax, and local cannabis tax, will be the sole responsibility of the exhibitor's retail partner. HOF & HOF distribution partner will not collect or remit any payments. Exhibitors are responsible for ensuring Excise Tax on Cannabis Goods for Sale (CGFS) are properly calculated, collected, and remitted by the Exhibitor’s on-site retail partner.
Read this for more information on California’s New Excise Tax Calculations.
Unsold Cannabis Goods
It is very important to carefully consider the amount of cannabis goods you are bringing to the show, as handling unsold products after the event can be costly and cumbersome.
For exhibitors using Nabis to deliver cannabis goods to the show site
Day 1 Unsold Cannabis Goods
Any cannabis goods designated for sale on Day 1 that remain unsold will not be returned to the location of origin. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to sell through all products on this day. However, exhibitors have the option to purchase back any remaining products at a cost of $3 per unit. This purchase can be made from 8 pm to 9 pm on the last day of the event. Please note that all transactions must adhere to Adult Use daily purchase limits.
Day 2 Unsold Cannabis Goods
Nabis offers a complimentary service for returning any unsold cannabis goods designated for sale on Day 2. This service is available to all exhibitors using Nabis’ services at the event, regardless of whether they are current clients of Nabis. After the show, these unsold products will be returned to the distribution warehouse where they were initially received. Exhibitors can then coordinate with their distributor to pick up the products and return them to inventory. To use this service, exhibitors must opt-in when completing the Nabis distribution form.
All unsold units must be dropped off on Saturday, September 20th (exact times will be provided) at the initial product pick-up location at the show site.
Before dropping off your product, ensure all unsold units are counted and sealed and that the digital Metric transfer has already been completed and sent to the following location:
Nabis NorCal
License: NabiTwo LLC C11-0001274-LIC
Address: 5733 San Leandro St. Suite A + B, Oakland, CA 94621
For Exhibitors Self Distributing to their retail license (not using Nabis):
Instructions for remaining Cannabis Goods at end of event & Return Transfers will be provided shortly.
IMPORTANT DATES
Deadline to submit your DCC or CDPH issued Retail License Information
Deadline to apply for Santa Rosa Cannabis Industry Tax Certificate
Deadline to complete Meadow’s Product Upload Spreadsheet (Exhibitors using Meadow Full Service with Assigned Retailer)
Deadline to complete the NABIS Distribution Form & schedule a Product Intake appointment at one of the Distribution facilities. (Exhibitors using Nabis)
Product intake at SoCal Distribution facility, by appointment only. (9am - 4pm)
Product intake at NorCal Distribution facility, by appointment only. (9am - 4pm)
Pick up your Cannabis Goods on show site (12pm - 4pm)
Pick up your Meadow Hardware (12pm - 4pm) Exhibitors using Meadow Full Service with Assigned Retailer
Deadline to submit your Cannabis Tax return and payment to the City of Santa Rosa