SMS Frequency Caps for Cannabis Dispensaries
The fastest way to wreck a dispensary SMS program is over-sending. Frequency caps protect opt-in rate, deliverability, and lifetime revenue per subscriber — and they're a carrier policy expectation, not a nice-to-have.
Cadence is the variable most operators get wrong.
Every additional weekly send raises opt-out rate non-linearly. Two well-targeted sends a week to a sharp segment typically out-earn five broadcast blasts to the full list — because the list is still there in month six.
Frequency caps are enforced platform-wide at the subscriber level, not per campaign. If two automations and a manual send would push a subscriber over the cap in a given week, the platform defers or skips based on your policy.
Carriers also look at per-subscriber frequency as a signal during 10DLC vetting and ongoing campaign review. Aggressive cadence is one of the most common triggers for silent throttling.
Built for cannabis, not generic retail.
Per-subscriber caps
Daily, weekly, and monthly caps enforced across every campaign, automation, and transactional path.
Carrier-friendly cadence
Cadence aligned with carrier vetting expectations to protect sender reputation.
Opt-out impact reporting
See the relationship between cadence and opt-out rate in your own data, segmented by audience.
Defer vs skip policy
Choose whether over-cap messages are deferred to the next allowed window or dropped — per channel.
Segment-level overrides
VIP/loyalty segments can run higher caps with documented consent; promotional segments stay tighter.
Cadence drift detection
Alerts when send volume per subscriber climbs above your stated policy across the calendar.
Questions buyers ask before booking.
What's a reasonable cadence for dispensary SMS?+
Most operators land between 2–4 marketing messages per subscriber per month, with transactional and loyalty messages on top. Higher cadence works only with sharper segmentation and explicit subscriber expectation set at opt-in.
Should frequency caps apply to transactional messages?+
Generally no — order-ready, appointment, and account messages bypass marketing caps. The platform separates the two so service messages always deliver.
How do caps interact with automations?+
Caps are enforced across all sources — automations, manual sends, and triggered flows. If an automation would push a subscriber past the cap, it's deferred or skipped per your policy.
What's the relationship between frequency and opt-out rate?+
Roughly non-linear: doubling sends typically more than doubles opt-out rate, with the inflection point around 5+ sends per month for most dispensary lists. We surface the curve in your own data.
Can VIP subscribers receive more messages?+
Yes — segment-level overrides allow higher cadence for explicitly consented audiences (loyalty top tier, VIP drop subscribers). Consent state and the overriding policy are documented per subscriber.
Do carriers actually check frequency?+
Yes. Per-subscriber send rate is a signal carriers weight during 10DLC campaign vetting and ongoing review. Aggressive cadence is one of the most common silent-throttling triggers in cannabis.
Get the cadence right on your store.
A 20-minute review of your current send frequency vs opt-out and revenue curves — with a recommended cap policy.