Onboarding users for personalized cannabis shopping.
Picture this: You're new to cannabis, standing in front of a dispensary with hundreds of products, dozens of brands, and absolutely no idea where to start. That overwhelming feeling? That's exactly what new users experienced when they first landed on Weedmaps. Despite being the world's largest cannabis platform, we had a conversion problem. New users would arrive excited to explore, only to bounce off the platform within minutes, lost in a sea of unfamiliar products and brands.
timeline
8 Weeks
Role
Lead Product Designer
Team
Conversion & Growth
Tools
Figma
How might we transform that overwhelming first experience into a guided journey that actually helps people find what they're looking for?
The User's Dilemma
Diving Deep: Understanding the Real Problem
Through user research, we discovered that new cannabis users faced a unique challenge. Unlike other e-commerce platforms where users might know they want "running shoes" or "a coffee maker," cannabis newcomers often don't even know what questions to ask.
What we heard from users:
"I don't know the difference between indica and sativa" "There are so many dispensaries...how do I choose?" "I'm not sure what I'm looking for, but I know I don't want to feel overwhelmed"
The Business Impact
This confusion wasn't just frustrating for users, it was costly for business. Every user who left without making a purchase represented lost revenue and a missed opportunity to build a long-term relationship.
The Solution: A Personalized Journey from Day One
An onboarding experience that feels like having a knowledgeable friend guide you through your first cannabis shopping experience.
Step 1: Meeting Users Where They Are: We start with simple, approachable questions that don't require cannabis expertise:
Step 2: Building Their Profile: Each answer helps us understand not just what they want, but who they are as a consumer. A busy professional looking for sleep aid has very different needs than a creative looking for inspiration.
Step 3: Curated Recommendations: Based on their responses, we present a carefully curated selection of local dispensaries and products that match their specific needs and experience level.
The Technical Magic Behind the Scenes
The data collected doesn't just improve the immediate experience. It feeds into our affinity models, making the platform smarter with every interaction. The more users engage with the onboarding, the better we become at serving the entire community.
Key Features That Make the Difference
Personalized Results
The Problem: Generic recommendations that don't match user needs The Solution: Dynamic results that adapt based on user preferences, location, & experience The Impact: Users see only relevant options, reducing decision fatigue
Guided Journey
The Problem: Overwhelming browsing experience for newcomers The Solution: Strategic question flow that serves as a funnel, guiding users to clarity The Impact: Users skip the overwhelming browsing phase and land directly at dispensaries that make sense for them
Personalized results
Adapting the brands we show based on a users' preferences
Guided journey
Onboarding questions serve as a funnel that skips the overwhelming browsing phase and guides users to a relevant nearby dispensary.
The Results: When Design Meets Data
Measurable Impact
While specific metrics are confidential, the onboarding experience delivered significant improvements in: User conversion rates Time to first purchase User retention and repeat visits Overall user satisfaction scores
The Qualitative Win
Beyond the numbers, user feedback showed something even more valuable: people felt understood. Comments like "Finally, someone gets what I'm looking for" and "This made cannabis shopping actually enjoyable" validated that we'd solved the right problem.
final thoughts
Key Lessons Learned
Relevance Over Everything
The most beautiful interface means nothing if it doesn't show users what they actually need. Our success came from prioritizing relevance over flashy design elements.
Onboarding as Experience, Not Feature
We learned that onboarding isn't just about collecting information, it's about building trust and demonstrating value from the very first interaction.
Data-Driven Personalization Creates Compound Value
Every user who completes onboarding doesn't just get a better experience themselves, they make the platform better for everyone who comes after them.
Reflection
The Bigger Picture
This project taught me that sometimes the most impactful design work happens before users even see your main product. By solving the "getting started" problem, we unlocked value that was always there but hidden behind barriers to entry.The cannabis industry is unique in that it's simultaneously highly regulated and rapidly evolving. Designing for this space requires empathy not just for user needs, but for the broader context of an industry helping people navigate something that's new to them.
What's Next?
This onboarding experience became the foundation for a more personalized Weedmaps experience overall. The success of this project opened doors for deeper personalization throughout the platform, proving that when you truly understand your users, you can create experiences that feel almost magical in their relevance.
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