Strain "quality" and pricing per ounce

[Blackfriars]

Good morning.

So this may be a sensitive topic for some. I cast no aspersions on any vendors but am curious...

In your opinion, is there much difference in an oz. for $200 vs. an oz for $350 or $400? Strains vary widely and so does phenotype variation... Without sampling first, I never know what is a decent price for "top shelf." Plus, anyone can call his product high quality - and they do. ;-)

How much have you paid for 28g / 1 oz.? How much might you pay?

 

[XiolaOne]

Supply and demand

 

[Melting Pot]

Good morning.

So this may be a sensitive topic for some. I cast no aspersions on any vendors but am curious...

In your opinion, is there much difference in an oz. for $200 vs. an oz for $350 or $400? Strains vary widely and so does phenotype variation... Without sampling first, I never know what is a decent price for "top shelf." Plus, anyone can call his product high quality - and they do. ;-)

How much have you paid for 28g / 1 oz.? How much might you pay?

Maybe some info here
http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/what-do-you-pay-per-ounce-of-cannabis.23454/

 

[CarolKing]

Supply and demand is right. Anybody can price their product for what the customers will pay. The stores here are around $10 - $14 a gram. The same stuff for $14 is selling for $10 somewhere else. Here the producer and the stores decide the prices. I just saw a 1/2 oz go for $56. If I would have been interested in making edibles right now I would have bought a whole oz. It said 26% THC.

In the black market days I was paying around $500 an oz back in the late 1990s and early 2000. That was when I still combusted.

Edit
This might need to go in the cannabis discussion thread. "What are you paying per ounce" thread maybe, its in the community discussion thread.

 

[Blackfriars]

Supply and demand is right. Anybody can price their product for what the customers will pay. The stores here are around $10 $14 a gram. The same stuff for $14 is selling for $10 somewhere else. Here the producer and the stores decide the prices. Different in a black market area.

In the black market days I was paying around $500 an oz back in the late 1990s and early 2000.

We have come along way and still further to go. Mods, feel free to close this thread. It may be duplicative. I apologize.

With increasing legalization in the US, I expect prices to continue to drop.

 

[VANVAS]

It is possible to have an oz here in Spain , around 100€ from a good friend or something like that , a good staff like green poison or critical , full of thrichomes

 

[howie105]

If you look at it as a consumer the lower the better. If you look at it as a member of the industry or as the tax man the higher the better. So I am all for everybody who can going into their back yard and taking care of themselves and their friends, screw the tax man.

 

[TwistedGray]

I think rewording the title to reflect your question might help a little. The root of your question is what is the difference between the cheapest bud available versus the most expensive. I've always wondered that as well...

 

[Squiby]

From an intensity vs cost perspective. I've purchased sale priced popcorn bud Death Bubba for $5 gm that had very mild to almost no effects. I use it as a bed for hash in my Vapcap. Compare that to $12 gm extremely intense premier cola Super Sour Widow. It is so intense that I only use it for extreme pain and a knock out.

Now this of course is not comparing similar or same strains offered for different prices. But, I do seem to get what I pay for.

I can grow my own and achieve pretty close to the top draw quality offerings at a dispensary for the cost of the seeds and a bit of fertilizer. But dispensaries have the advantage of variety, which is fun.

 

[Diggy Smalls]

I'm in NY ever even medical MJ is a joke. I pay around 10 a gram regardless of the quality. Sometimes it's killer, sometimes it's light, fluffy, and weak. There is definitely a difference, but I'm not going to know until I can inspect it. Then I can decide if I want to offend my dealer by saying I don't like the quality lol

 

[Joaon]

There is not so much choice here ..

In the streets, you would have to pay around 10€/g, maybe more; for poor quality
(sometimes piece of wood/grass, sometimes white powder in herb or other funny stuffs ..)

With a "contact", you can have for 8-10€/g some good imports from Amsterdam or Marocco
One, maybe two strains/quality max

Recently I found a grower who have some very good and all organic Sensi Skunk Indica. -> 5€/g
Yep, 140€ for 28g / 1oz of local, organic and grown with love stuff


Clearly not as much variety as some others ..

Spoiler

I would LOVE to build a sustainable bioclimatic house, called Earthship, and have a part of the greenhouse dedicated for a growth/bloom hidden lab !

Then, there would be variety, choice, breed, and lot of fun !

 

[Winegums]

$200 per oz is my max and it better be really really good stuff as I can get an Oz of nice weed for $140.

I'll also pay $200 if it's a rare strain I don't usually see. I love my Green Crack if I can get it.

 

[psychonaut]

They mark down unimpressive harvests, as far as the quality goes. I think the flower still had good quality but the stem/calyx ratio is not as good. Seeing prices of $100-125 for those less than impressive buds, while the quality harvests will bring in more of the $175-250 range. Also I see even higher THC bud going for less money, but that doesn't always mean the medicine is stronger. I've had plenty of sub 20% strains that blew away 20%+ strains.

It can be a little misleading IMO.

My caregiver doesn't have separate prices for strains. The 25% Durban Poison is going to cost the same as the 13% Purple Urkle.

 

[CarolKing]

I think some strains are so over priced and it doesnt equal better cannabis. I've noticed the Willies Reserve brands are always more. I used it and wasn't impressed more with that, than some other strains and different companies. He has his own cannabis names on his products and that's OK. A high price doesn't mean the cannabis will get you higher or make you feel better.

Some growers charge more. If you live in a medical state or legal, if you are able to follow a certain brand/grower that has great quality at a reasonable price.

Different states are doing different things. It's not always best interest of the consumer. I can't justify $48 for an 1/8, when you can find something just as good for $35. Shop around I say. Some places offer discounts for folks over 55. Or specials on different days of the week.

At $48 an 1/8 that's way too much for folks in my state of WA or the area where I live. There is some really good cannabis out there for much less. Some good deals out there if you look.

 

[TwistedGray]

I can't justify $48 for an 1/8, when you can find something just as good for $35.

People have the same opinion about other consumables such as beer, wine, and food. I value cannabis in the same light. I am willing to pay more for something that, to me, is more desireable. I think those living in recreationally legal states see this: craft versus commercial. There is a market for both, fortunately

 

[muunch]

On the "blackmarket" here I have a pretty good variety.

I see sub $200 oz and oz up to like $360.

You get what you pay for. Look at the prices of some of the connoisseur-grade stuff in the rec/med states (ie Jungle Boys)

Yes it's a lot of money comparatively and people will say "dam breh u pay $280/oz? i get dis shit for $150/zip fammmmm" but that $150 oz looks like garbage compared to the $280 oz and I'm sure the labreports would confirm that. Sure it may still vape/get you baked and whatever but it's likely of a more dubious origin than the higher-priced bud (among other things) and definitely won't have the wonderful scent/taste/terp profile of high-grade stuff.

I think sub $200 is good for mid-grade stuff and more power to you if that's what you smoke/vape daily.

Just don't knock the higher-priced stuff because it's not as "cost-effective" or whatever you want to cite as your reason. It is better. That is objective.

Sure you can always get stuff "cheaper than retail" if you know the right people, but those instances are highly specific and not the norm.





edit: oh shit, I see what @CarolKing is saying and I totally agree, in the case of those products, it's all marketing hype.

I forgot I live in an illegal state and I don't have to deal with all the idiotic nuances that will come....

 

[CarolKing]

I will pay more for good quality. I always have but the consumer can get ripped off easily with fancy packages and names. You wonder how they come up with some of the names? Something that the people will like the name of that sounds good. I fall for that too. I'm not buying something thats called Cat Piss.

Where we live cannabis is prepackaged in 1 Gram, 1/8, 1/4 and sometimes you see ounces. We can't feel or smell before we buy. It's important to keep track of the store and the brands and names that we buy here. There are some producers I won't buy from because of an inferior product. I look on the package too and see when it's harvested. Most areas haven't gotten to that point yet. Keep track whatever way works for your area.

It wasn't that long ago I bought in the black market, almost 3 years ago. I always got great quality from my guy but often I wouldn't know the name let alone any THC levels. Sometimes I pinch myself to realize this is real and the choices out there for us in my state. There's some fantastic bud out there.

 

[muunch]

Sorry @CarolKing I misinterpretted your post!

I see what you're saying and agree.

The good news is while I don't have any direct contact and cannot see the product until well after I paid for it, there is a system that keeps everyone accountable (for the most part - there will always be some renegade mfers ) and I'll usually get a pretty detailed report with pictures of the actual product from a consumer (not the grower/budtender/seller/anyone related to the plant) before just blindly buying.

It comes to a point where I know to trust certain people to a certain extent... but even they can be guilty of a little marketing hype... but it's not always without reason.

I paid $60 for 3.5g WILLINGLY just a few weeks ago. I normally pay just shy of $300 for an oz and was told this was better quality and is priced higher for that reason. I saw other people confirm it and felt comfortable buying it.

I would easily pay for some of the other offerings he offers at that price point because the quality was worth it after having smoked it and compared it to the other offerings.

Also, imo the "catpiss" thing while dumb, is a pretty good way to describe the scent of some of the sativas I've had (that $60 eighth was one of them) and I assume that's where the name came from. Yes it's dumb and I'd change it if I could but...

 

[howie105]

Often the longer the supply chain the higher the price of the goods and the most expensive position to be in is the last person in a long line of buyers and sellers. My hope is folks patronize their local growers and cut out as many of those expensive grasping hands as possible. Of course its not a free market so options are often limited.

You get what you pay for measured in time and or money. So shop smart not at S-MART.

 

[herbivore21]

In your opinion, is there much difference in an oz. for $200 vs. an oz for $350 or $400? Strains vary widely and so does phenotype variation... Without sampling first, I never know what is a decent price for "top shelf." Plus, anyone can call his product high quality - and they do. ;-)

The 'strain' (aka variety, which is the correct botanical term) is not the main determinant of quality of flower. The main determinant in most phenotypes and chemotypes is the maturity of the flowers and the length allowed in the flowering period. The final few weeks of flowering are where the lion's share of the resin production takes place. No resin = schwag. Lots of mature resin glands = top shelf. The difference between top shelf and schwag is a few weeks on the same plant bro.

Folks don't grow varieties that can't produce the goods IME, the quality is down to the grower's abilities and execution, no matter what 'strain' you have.

 

[tepictoton]

I kindly disagree...

Even within the same batch of seeds once can find very distinct phenos. Some of those contain very specific terpenes that will not be found in other phenotypes!

This means, no matter how well it has been grown, it will just not push the same button as that other phenotype.

I have had the pleasure to dip my finger, uh my dabber, in thc isolate, and I can now more then ever sleep very well while proclaiming thc is not what most of us are after, yet something deeper is going on, something that some have started to call the entourage effect?

So, let's say, and for sure, the grower always will leave his fingerprint on the product he produces, yet he cannot change apples into oranges. I just do not see that happen.

Some varieties simple do not have what others have, and never will, grow it as good as you want...

Edit: also the most ridiculously frosted but u ever saw, a Headband pheno, just did not 'work' for me and friends...

 

[jojo monkey]

In WA, I just got a legit tested ounce for $115. Nice stuff too.

Back in the hole of a state that I left, an ounce is $300-400.

 

[howie105]

In WA, I just got a legit tested ounce for $115. Nice stuff too.

Back in the hole of a state that I left, an ounce is $300-400.

Hey jojo monkey Please help me with my ignorance and curiosity, what did you pay to get the test done? Is the lab a local or a mail in? Thanks

 

[jojo monkey]

@howie105 I did not test it. All the legal weed packs show the test results on the back.

 

[howie105]

Thanks jojo monkey now I am not as ignorant as I was.