The Dispensary of Tomorrow - Part 2: The Most Open Ecosystem in Cannabis
Hey everyone, Chris O here, Dutchie’s CTO.
Last fall I kicked off our “Dispensary of Tomorrow” series with a look at Dutchie E-commerce Pro and a promise: to keep building the most reliable, most innovative, and most collaborative way to run a cannabis storefront. Today I want to follow up on that promise, because how we keep it matters as much as the products we ship.
Why we believe in Pro
We believe Dutchie E-commerce Pro is the flagship product for cannabis retail, because it is built to combine maximum creativity with powerful commerce tools that actually drive revenue. That means agentic commerce that turns a shopper’s intent into a built cart, deeply integrated payments and Loyalty & Marketing that lift average order value and bring customers back, and AI-powered personalization that surfaces the right product for every shopper. The “Managed Core plus Extensions” model lets agencies pour their energy into a brand-defining storefront while we run the high-performance engine underneath. That combination is what we are investing in, and it gets better every quarter.
And we are constantly expanding the ways you can get more out of your Dutchie Pro website. Recent additions include CLI access, custom product cards, and global CSS styles, as well as the recent launch of Dutchie Consumer AI’s Agentic Commerce, embedded right into the same Dutchie Pro experience.
So I want to be direct about a decision we have made, and the thinking behind it.
Our commitment to the customers who built with us
When we launched Pro, we said we were committed to supporting our Dutchie Plus customers, and we meant it. Since then we have listened closely to operators running Plus sites and to the agencies who serve them. The message was consistent: many of you have invested heavily in Plus, you value its flexibility and performance, and you want room to plan your next move on your own timeline.
We heard you. We are extending our commitment to Dutchie Plus. We are not putting a hard sunset date on it. If you are running a Plus site today, you can keep running it, and we will keep supporting it. Our investment is focused squarely on Pro as our flagship platform, and that is where the newest capabilities will live. Where we find opportunities to add functionality that is genuinely in the best interest of our Plus customers, we will consider bringing those updates to Plus as well.
Why make this call? Because the right path forward is the one the customer chooses. No operator should feel forced off a platform they rely on to run their business. Trust is earned by how you treat the customers who are already with you, not just how you pitch the ones you want next.
The most open ecosystem in cannabis
This decision is not a one-off. It reflects something we believe deeply: the future of cannabis retail is open.
Dutchie works with more integrators and partners than any other cannabis technology company. Our integrations marketplace spans more than 90 partners across more than 20 categories, from accounting and analytics to delivery, marketing, menus, and payments. Our Certified Partner Program brings the best digital agencies in cannabis directly onto the platform, so they can focus on the creative work that makes a brand unique while we run the foundation underneath.
We do not treat partners and agencies as competition. We treat them as the reason our customers can build exactly the business they imagine. An open ecosystem means you are never locked in and never stuck with a single way of doing things. The more great builders we invite in, the more our customers win.
Here is how I would put the whole picture together. If you are ready to move to Pro, we will make the transition smooth, and our certified partners are ready to help. If you are happy on Plus for now, we will keep supporting you and keep making it better. Either way, you are a Dutchie customer, and that means we are building for you.
That is what an open ecosystem looks like in practice: a clear vision for where the industry is going, and respect for every customer’s right to get there on their own terms. There is much more still to come in this series.
Onward,
Chris Ostrowski
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dutchie sunsetting Dutchie Plus?
No. We are extending our commitment to Dutchie Plus and will continue to support it. We previously communicated support for legacy Plus through the end of 2026, and we are removing that hard cutoff. Plus customers can keep running the sites they have invested in.
Will Dutchie Plus get new features?
Our innovation is focused on Dutchie E-commerce Pro, our flagship platform, and that is where the newest capabilities will live. If we find opportunities to add functionality that is genuinely in the best interest of our Plus customers, we will consider updates to Plus as well. We are not making specific feature commitments today.
Should I still consider moving to E-commerce Pro?
Pro is our flagship, next generation e-commerce platform and where our innovation is focused. If you are ready, it is a great time to start the conversation with your Customer Success Manager about the right migration path. If you are not ready, there is no forced deadline.
I work with an outside agency. Are they welcome on Dutchie?
Absolutely. An open ecosystem is core to who we are. We encourage agencies to join our Certified Partner Program, and we are glad to connect customers with certified partners who can bring their vision to life. Your agency and your tools are welcome here.
