Green Wednesday: What Cannabis Sellers Need to Know
Green Wednesday has become the unofficial kickoff to the cannabis holiday season, and one of the strongest sales windows of the year. Retailers stock up, brands push volume, and consumers hunt for deals ahead of Thanksgiving weekend.
LeafLink data shows a familiar pattern annually: high order activity and a notable dip in price-per-unit (PPU) as operators lean into promotions for the holiday. For brands and retailers success hinges on understanding these shifts and aligning inventory and deals to match demand.
What We’re Seeing Going Into Green Wednesday
PPU Drops Across Almost Every Category (11/25-11/30)
LeafLink’s wholesale data from November 25-30, 2024 shows that promotions are leading to significant PPU declines across most major categories, continuing the trend from 2023.
| Category | Avg PPU (2024) | Avg PPU (2023) | % YoY Change | Median PPU | GMV | Order Count |
| Cartridges | $14.87 | $16.74 | -11.20% | $12.45 | $18,997,149 | 6,256 |
| Concentrates | $9.36 | $10.10 | -7.30% | $6.25 | $6,189,633 | 3,346 |
| Edibles & Ingestibles | $0.06 | $0.06 | 1.1% | $0.05 | $9,287,539 | 5,761 |
| Flower (per lb) | $1,496.94 | $1,617.37 | -7.40% | $1,295.98 | $19,522,854 | 3,959 |
| Pre-Rolls | $5.01 | $4.88 | 2.7% | $5.00 | $12,761,193 | 5,431 |
Demand Rises in the Weeks Leading Into the Holiday (Data from 11/11–11/24, 2024)
LeafLink wholesale data from the two-week period before Green Wednesday (November 11–24, 2024) shows a clear pre-holiday stock-up pattern, with order counts and GMV rising across nearly every major category:
This lines up with historical behavior: retailers typically begin replenishing inventory 10–21 days before Thanksgiving, not during the week of Green Wednesday itself. Brands that finalize promotions and inventory planning during this window are best positioned to capture that early wholesale activity.
| Category | Avg PPU | Avg PPU YoY | GMV | Order Count |
| Cartridges | $15.62 | -7.50% | $64,449,983 | 21,884 |
| Concentrates | $10.00 | 0.4%4 | $20,701,970 | 11,835 |
| Edibles & Ingestibles | $0.06 | -3.50% | $35,646,158 | 20,938 |
| Flower (per lb) | $1,594.87 | -2.60% | $74,148,042 | 13,556 |
| Pre-Rolls | $5.48 | 5.0% | $41,671,056 | 18,893 |
Edibles Lead the Holiday Playbook (Data from 11/25–11/30, 2023 + 2024 trend signals)
Edibles continue to dominate Thanksgiving-week category share.
- In 2023, edibles and ingestibles increased their share of sales by 23% during Thanksgiving week, making them one of the strongest-performing categories of the holiday season.
- In 2024, LeafLink data from both the two-week pre-holiday period (11/11–11/24, 2024) and the early Green Wednesday window (11/25–11/30, 2024) showed stable PPU and high order volume, indicating similar demand patterns this year.
| Category | Avg PPU | Avg PPU YoY | GMV | Order Count |
| Cartridges | $15.58 | -8.20% | $53,340,394 | 19,381 |
| Concentrates | $9.84 | -3.50% | $20,361,393 | 10,161 |
| Edibles & Ingestibles | $0.06 | -10.50% | $27,526,081 | 17,898 |
| Flower (per lb) | $1,581.54 | -5.20% | $65,816,600 | 12,015 |
| Pre-Rolls | $5.20 | -0.80% | $36,155,364 | 17,894 |
To take advantage, retailers should:
- Deepen inventory in gummies, chocolates, beverages, and other holiday-friendly SKUs.
- Use multi-unit bundles to increase basket size.
Brands should:
- Offer targeted category-specific promos rather than platform-wide discounting.
- Use volume-based deals to protect margins while securing shelf space during the most competitive week of the year.
Promotions Are Essential, But They Shape the Market (Data from 11/25–11/30, 2024)
Holiday discounting is now baked into cannabis retail strategy, and it shows clearly in the numbers.
LeafLink wholesale data from November 25–30, 2024 (the core Green Wednesday sales window) shows:
- Significant PPU declines in cartridges, concentrates, and flower due to promotions.
- Aggressive deal-making across both brands and retailers, with pre-rolls and edibles showing the strongest promotional lift.
Looking back at 2023 provides additional context:
- Over 5,100 retailers purchased discounted items on LeafLink during the top holiday sales days.
- LeafLink POS partners reported that ~90% of consumer baskets included a holiday-related promotion.
Given identical early discount patterns in 2024, we expect similar (or even stronger) promotional activity this season.
How Operators Can Win Green Wednesday 2024
Smart Stocking
Use wholesale data from 11/11–11/24, 2024 to guide inventory: edibles, cartridges, giftable SKUs, and ready-to-smoke products all rise ahead of the holiday.
Watch PPU and Plan Promotions Carefully
LeafLink’s 11/25–11/30, 2024 data shows marketwide PPU contraction.
Focus on:
- Targeted category promos
- Buyer-tiered volume deals
- Limited-time SKUs instead of across-the-board cuts.
Ensure Payments & Fulfillment Are Smooth
High order weeks strain ops. Digital payments, transparent delivery expectations, and coordinated fulfillment help avoid bottlenecks.
How LeafLink Can Help
LeafLink supports operators through every stage of the Green Wednesday cycle, from forecasting demand to making sure payments and fulfillment run smoothly. With marketplace tools, integrated payments, and wholesale management built for cannabis, LeafLink helps brands and retailers stay ahead of seasonal demand, run margin-smart promotions, and keep inventory moving during the industry’s biggest sales week.