If you’re a cannabis retailer building or updating your website, you’ve probably run into the terms widgets and plugins. They might sound like tech jargon, but knowing the difference—and understanding how they impact your site—can help you create a smoother shopping experience for your customers and a more efficient workflow for your team.
Widgets: Making Your Website Engaging
Widgets are like tiny, interactive building blocks you place directly onto your website’s visible pages. They add functionality exactly where you want it—like a strain suggestion carousel on your homepage, a daily deals box on your menu, or a terpene explainer widget next to your product listings.
The beauty of widgets is their immediacy: they’re designed to grab customers’ attention, guide them to products, and encourage them to buy without ever leaving the page they’re on. Many website builders and platforms like WordPress or Shopify let you add widgets with a simple drag-and-drop. For cannabis retailers, widgets are great tools to showcase popular strains, highlight limited-time discounts, or offer quick educational snippets that help new customers make informed choices.
Plugins: Powering Your Website Behind the Scenes
Plugins, meanwhile, are like powerful modules you install on your website to extend what it can do. Unlike widgets, they usually don’t display anything directly to customers. Instead, plugins work in the background—handling tasks like age verification pop-ups, integrating with your POS for real-time inventory, or managing tax and compliance reporting.
A plugin can completely change how your cannabis website operates. For instance, a compliance plugin can ensure your site stays within the legal limits of your state or province, automatically adjusting product availability or restricting sales based on customer location. These tools tend to require a bit more technical know-how to install and configure, but are essential for scaling your cannabis business safely and efficiently.
Which Should You Choose?
Here’s the bottom line: you probably need both.
- Widgets should be your go-to for enhancing customer experience. They’re perfect for creating an engaging storefront that keeps shoppers browsing longer and adds interactive touches like live menus and personalized suggestions.
- Plugins should be your priority for back-end essentials. From staying compliant with cannabis regulations to syncing your inventory and processing payments, plugins give your site the muscle it needs to operate reliably.
What It All Means
For cannabis retailers, striking the right balance between widgets and plugins is key. Widgets drive sales by improving what customers see and how they interact with your shop. Plugins keep your business running smoothly and legally behind the scenes. By combining both wisely, you’ll set up your dispensary website for success—offering a better experience for your customers and a stronger foundation for your business.