EDIT: perhaps I should have stated I posted this also to r/danknation.
welcome to bigOIL's "Why we're not on CGMC story". Happy to hear everyone's opinions on the matter.
I've been contemplating this post for months now, and have finally reached my breaking point.
I'm just sick of people constantly asking us why we aren't on CGMC, and having to explain to each of them the reason individually. So. I'll explain once and for all, and let those of you who are reading it make the decision for yourself.
When AB and Hansa almost instantly disappeared, we lost our two best sites. We were the top concentrate vendor on each according to the stats. Our sales took a nose dive. There was talk of a TOR vulnerability. Scary times. We contacted CGMC almost immediately, in order to join the market we deemed most active, as well as safest. We're a strictly THC shop, why wouldn't we want to vend on the THC only market. Not to mention, it was a goal of ours from the start. An invite only THC market?! Sweet. We supplied the necessary stats, feedback, length of time in the industry, etc. They were slowww to respond.
Three or four days later, Marko said he would look into it and get back to us. A week goes by. I follow up. We're barely operating, a little apprehensive about joining the new markets popping up. I message Marko again. He says he's going to put it to a vendor vote. Another 3-4 days go by. Still no word, I approach him a third time. At this point, a little desperate to get on a quality site. Marko(and whoever the other mod is) stall me again.
HERE IT IS! My big crime. I then offer to pay Marko $2500 in btc. to expedite getting us into the vendor vote. At this point I've lost 3 weeks of sales. $2500 seems worthwhile to keep the business operating. We have a large team and a lot of overhead.
Magnus and Marko respond with (rather quickly compared to his previous response times...) "Wow. Trying to bribe us? That won't work out well for you at all. I'm going to have to reject you on that alone. Good luck in your future endeavors".
To which I reply that I'm shocked. and just wanted to expedite getting vending again. Wasn't trying to challenge anyone's integrity.. blah blah blah. Minimal responses. Zero sympathy.
and yea. I've asked twice in the four months since then. Shot down both times.
So. That's the story folks.
Here's the bigOIL take on it.
Why wouldn't the largest/only cannabis based market want the largest and most reliable THC vendor on there? One can only imagine it has something to do with the fact that our pricing, volume, and ability to deliver quickly and consistently challenges the little vacuum they have created for themselves. By selectively choosing vendors to allow on board, they are doing the customer base BOTH AN INCREDIBLE SERVICE(by giving them a much safer purchasing experience) and at times, A MASSIVE DISSERVICE (by not allowing vendors on board that will disrupt the little price fixing scheme they call CGMC.
My belief is that Marko and them were stalling on letting us on-site, as they didnt want to, but couldn't find a good reason to not let us on board. When I offered to pay to expedite the process, they jumped all over their perfect excuse, and immediately shut us down for good.
NBD. It's not the end of the world. Regardless of my personal beef with them, in some respects I apprecaite what they're doing for the cannabis industry. Through their, albeit expensive, service, they are making it safer/more reliable for true patients nationwide to access the meds they need. Good stuff. It just rubs me the wrong way when they trying to inhibit market forces from dictating pricing by not letting a well reputed, deserving vendor into their site.
It's pretty simple. BigOil is a big vendor will good prices. CGMC vendors don't want the competition so they won't let him onto the market.