It’s been about two months since MedicateOH first reported on Spendr, the new mobile payments + rewards app that’s a first for cannabis consumers everywhere. Last month, Spendr officially launched at its first dispensary, Strawberry Fields Columbus.
What is Spendr?
Spendr is the first mobile payments + rewards app for Ohio cannabis consumers. Spendr works similarly to mobile apps like Starbucks, Venmo, or PayPal. The app is available both on iOS, Apple App Store, and Android at the Google Play Store. Spendr will also be available on the web.
A patient will start by downloading the app and creating a Spendr account. Once they create their account, they’ll be prompted to securely link their bank account. Either ahead of time, or at the point of sale, a patient can load their Spendr wallet instantly. They go into the app, deposit how much they want to load, and that money is instantly available in their Spendr wallet.
The dispensaries that accept Spendr payments will display a QR code to the patient. The patient then scans that QR code, confirms the payment details, and that payment will be pushed from your Spendr wallet to that dispensary. No need to enter a code on a pin pad.
My First Spendr Experience
Using Spendr for the first time was easy. Before I went to Strawberry Fields, I downloaded the app, and prepared to use my first $25 reward which I received for being among Spendr’s founding members.
Before Arriving
The first thing I did even before arriving at the dispensary was to add my bank information to the Spendr app. I chose to do this at home both to save time and for added security.
Even though I haven’t been to Strawberry Fields Columbus before, I was still able to order my product online through I Heart Jane. I chose some Kiva Camino Strawberry Watermelon gummies. It was a product that I was curious to try, but not the normal way that I medicate. With my Spendr reward, I found it was worth it to test this one.
Going into the dispensary
The Strawberry Fields Columbus staff was extremely helpful in walking me through how to use Spendr. After I signed up as a new patient in the lobby, I was able to go into the dispensary to purchase. The staff showed me how to set up my pin number (we can also do biometric instead of PIN), add funds from my bank, and check out. The whole process took less than 10 minutes.
Best news of all? I already received another $25 reward on Spendr and I went back to use my second reward last week. I was able to check out even more quickly (about 1 minute) since my pin was set up already this time.
I’m anxiously awaiting more dispensaries around Ohio signing on for this program. (Details for interested dispensaries below.)
Impressions
The savings I enjoyed with Spendr at the medical marijuana dispensary allowed me to try a new product that I might not have discovered otherwise. My general takeaway is that this service would be great for new patients who may want to explore new strains or forms of administration in a more cost-effective way. I know I’m certainly not the only patient who has spent a lot of money on discovering which cannabis products work best for my condition, and this is one way to help me (and other Ohioans) do that more affordably.
I found Spendr to be a benefit at the dispensary so that I didn’t have to remember to bring cash with me or worry about an ATM fee. I remember using a product called Hypur early on in the program, and found that to be convenient. I believe another dispensary in Ohio uses CanPay, a mobile debit processor out of Colorado. But Spendr really beats both of these as it adds a rewards program to the payment processing. It’s also locally-founded, which you can read more about here.
Not only can I use Spendr to pay for cannabis at the dispensary, but they will be offering other rewards on the Spendr app too! MedicateOH (Community Shares of Mid Ohio) has just signed on as a Spendr merchant and we are looking forward to offering our events and other fundraising efforts at a discount to patients through the Spendr app.
How to Get Spendr
Interested patients & consumers can join Spendr now as a founding member. For joining, new members get a $25 signup reward, access to exclusive events and merchandise.
Spendr is giving away gold Spendr coins to the first 10,000 people who visit a Spendr merchant and use the Spendr App to make a purchase.
Interested dispensaries can sign up to become a Spendr Merchant by contacting Spendr at hello@spendr.com.
Ohio patients and consumers can sign up for Spendr at www.spendr.com to stay informed of dispensary launches, events, and other information.
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