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Retail | BLAZE Brands FAQ

BLAZE Brands is a cannabis retail media network that allows dispensaries to monetize their existing online menu traffic. Brands pay to place native, "Sponsored" product promotions directly at the point of conversion on retailer e-commerce menus. Retailers opt in once to earn a recurring revenue share of ad-driven Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV), which lowers their total cost of ownership (TCO) while BLAZE automates the entire process. Powered by an 18-month global normalized product catalog and a dual inventory model (BLAZE brands + Surfside), this program delivers closed-loop attribution that competitors cannot match.

Prerequisites

  • An active BLAZE E-Commerce menu.
  • An active BLAZE Retail POS account.
  • An invitation email or opt-in link provided by your BLAZE Account Representative.

Key Retailer Benefits

  • Lower Net Cost / TCO: Your revenue share offsets your BLAZE subscription cost, acting as a financial wedge against competitor discounts.
  • Increased SKU Velocity: Sponsored placements move more units and accelerate inventory turns on the products you already stock.
  • Bigger Baskets: Strategic top-of-cart and cross-sell placements lift average order value (AOV) and e-commerce basket sizes.
  • Zero Operational Lift: Opt in once. The program is fully automated with built-in guardrails to protect your operations.
  • Closed-Loop Attribution: Brands receive precise, POS-driven new-customer and sales reporting with no tracking pixels or guesswork, driving continuous brand reinvestment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is BLAZE Brands?

BLAZE Brands is a retail media program that lets cannabis dispensaries earn a share of brand advertising spend automatically through their existing BLAZE-powered online menu. Brands pay for "Sponsored" placements, and retailers earn effortless revenue.

How does it work?

The program operates in three seamless steps:

  1. Enrollment: The retailer opts in once. There are no campaigns to manage or daily approvals required.
  2. Ad Delivery: Sponsored items appear natively on the retailer’s menu alongside regular inventory.
  3. Payout: The retailer earns a percentage of the brand ad spend generated on their menu, paid 30 days in arrears.
What do the ads look like on my menu?

Sponsored products sit naturally next to regular items and are clearly labeled "Sponsored." The experience is entirely native—free of disruptive banner ads or pop-ups. BLAZE enforces strict menu guardrails:

  • Only brands and products you currently carry and have in stock will ever be featured.
  • If you stop carrying a brand or an item goes out of stock, the ads stop instantly.
  • Your store's custom e-commerce design, branding, and homepage look are fully respected and preserved.
Do I have to manage or approve anything after signing up?

No. The program is 100% automated after the initial opt-in. BLAZE handles all brand relationships, underlying technology, targeting, and reporting.

Will brands I don't carry show up on my menu?

Never. Only products currently sitting in your active inventory are eligible for sponsored placements, protecting your menu integrity and customer trust.

Is there any cost or risk to the retailer?

No. The program is completely free to join and operate. It represents pure, high-margin incremental revenue on top of your existing sales.

How much do retailers earn?

The revenue share percentage is established at the company level during your sales cycle. Once a company opts in, all current and future dispensary locations are automatically enrolled at that same rate. Earnings scale with volume: the more brand ad spend your menu attracts, the more you earn.

NOTE: BLAZE Brands beta campaigns delivered a 3x–4.5x average Return on Ad Spend (ROAS). Because attribution is tied directly to your POS data, brands confidently reinvest, keeping your revenue stream consistent.

Payout & Financial Schedule

How Rev Share Credits Apply

For most dispensaries, your revenue share earnings are applied monthly as a credit directly toward your BLAZE software invoice.

When You Receive a Physical Check

If your store is a high-performer and your revenue share earnings exceed your total BLAZE invoice amount for the month, BLAZE will wipe out your invoice balance and issue the remaining funds as a physical check.

IMPORTANT: BLAZE does not issue revenue share payouts via ACH. Any balance exceeding your invoice total will always be sent as a physical check.

Timeline Example

Revenue share is paid 30 days in arrears. Review the table below to understand the monthly reconciliation cycle:

Month Ads Run Reconciliation Period Invoice Credit Applied
June (Ads live on menu) July (BLAZE reconciles numbers) August 1st Bill (Credit/Check issued)

How to Get Started (Opt-In Process)

To activate BLAZE Brands across your e-commerce menus, follow these steps:

  1. Request a quote at blaze.me or contact your BLAZE Account Representative directly.
  2. Open the BLAZE Brands introduction email and click your unique opt-in link.
  3. On the short form presented, select your regional market (US or Canada).
  4. Enter your company and contact information.
  5. Review and acknowledge the Retailer Addendum, the Data Processing Agreement (DPA), and your pre-assigned revenue share rate.
  6. Click Submit.

Our team will activate the ads behind the scenes, and the program will automatically apply to all your current and future menu locations.

How to Opt Out / Disable BLAZE Brands

If you ever need to disable the program, the opt-out process takes less than two minutes:

  1. Navigate to the official BLAZE Brands Opt-Out Form link.
  2. Enter your store and contact information.
  3. Click Submit.

Our backend team will process the request and disable all sponsored ad placements on your e-commerce menu within a few business days.