Do You REALLY Know How To Buy CBD Online?

How many times have you seen something on TV or a website and ordered it, just to discover upon receipt that it doesn’t live up to your expectations? Sometimes it’s like a totally different thing altogether! Uh, yah, we’ve all been there.

With CBD, it can be the same experience. Especially when buying from a virtual vendor. You don’t want to fall victim to advertising hype or misleading practices and end up not getting what you were expecting.

So, doesn’t it make sense to bone up on how to purchase CBD online? It’s the best way for you to become a confident consumer and ensure your CBD purchases hit the mark.

Fortunately, you don’t have to go it alone; we’re here to help. Hence we’re sharing some of our fave expert tips for buying CBD products online. You’ll know what to do, what to avoid, common pitfalls and more in no time!

Online CBD Buying Tips

A lot of these tips distill down to: Do Your Researchand Use Good Common Sense. You’ll be a zillion times better off if you understand the marketplace, the products and how to compare and select what’s right for you. You know that whole caveat emptor thing and all.

YES, Do These Things

1. Learn about CBD and CBD products. Educate yourself on the types of CBD (full-spectrum, broad-spectrum and isolate) and the different formulations (e.g., oil vs topicals). See what kinds of CBD products are frequently recommended for your condition. Familiarize yourself with variations and quality so you can make intelligent comparisons. Ask around and see what your family, friends and health and wellness practitioners recommend.
2. Narrow down your options. Before diving into your CBD shopping spree, have some idea of what you want to buy. Otherwise, it’s like heading into a rabbit’s warren with a mind-boggling array of choices. By simply knowing, for example, that you want berry-flavored gummies in a certain dosage — you can weed out sellers that don’t have anything like that.
3. Only get high-quality CBD products. Dur! We don’t mention this just to reiterate the obvious. Our intention is to clarify what “high-quality” means. (You’re putting this stuff in and on your and your family’s bodies — so it’s gotta be the best.) Select products that use as pure a CBD source as possible and that’re free of sketchy fillers/binders/additives. Be sure to examine each CBD product’s certificate of analysis (which should be done by an independent third-party lab!) so you can see for yourself exactly what’s in it.
4. Learn how to read CDB product labels. This will help you understand how much CBD you’re getting, how the product was made (e.g., the extraction technique), storage requirements and more.
5. Get products with CBD made from American hemp. US hemp is subject to rigorous cultivation and testing practices. Foreign hemp’s more likely to be a complete mystery as there aren’t any international standards for this raw material.
6. Buy from a reputable retailer. This is important for two main reasons: you are putting this product into your body and you don’t want to waste your time and money (or otherwise get swindled). A legit retailer will have clear and reasonable sales policies and accessible customer service. It’ll also be in good standing within the industry community.
7. Establish a relationship. A good (and smart!) retailer will want to keep you as a long-term customer. So they'll be eager to establish rapport and make you happy. This relationship is mutually beneficial and leads to trust.
8. Do look for ways to save money. Regular use of CBD products can get a bit spendy. Good news is that many fine purveyors of CBD have subscription, bulk discounts, member rewards or other similar programs to help you keep CBD affordable.
9. Use secure payment options. On the topic of money, make your purchases using more secure payment methods — like PayPal or credit cards, which offer certain consumer protections. Oh, and make sure the site you’re shopping on is a secure website (i.e., It has “https” at the beginning of its URL and/or a little lock icon in the address bar.).
10. Consider using privacy-preserving tech practices. Use a private, secure internet connection (read: not the open-to-everyone-to-see-your-biz Wi-Fi at the café or library), a VPN and a private browser (i.e., one that doesn’t keep a history of your web session). This is a smart tip to employ when doing your research as well as while shopping.
11. Know the law. Hemp-derived CBD that contains 0-0.3% THC are federally legal. The key here is to know if the CBD products you’re buying are within these limits. If not, you need to understand what’s allowed in your area, whether or not you can cross state lines with it, etc.

NO, Don’t Do These Things

12. Don’t go gangbusters. At first. If you’re new to the CBD world or getting your goodies online, consider starting slow. This will let you get a feel for the products and retailer you’re trying out before making substantial commitments or investments.
13. Don’t pick CBD products solely on the basis of price. Price often correlates to quality. A bargain-basement price tag could mean a cheap, low-caliber supplement. So definitely consider of factors such as product ingredients and production processes, the retailer’s reputation and store policies.
14. Don’t trust promises of a cure. Run, quickly, away from products and sellers that make epic wellness claims. CBD is like any other supplement or medication in that it could help with certain conditions. But, there are a lot of variables at play. Every person and his or her health issue is unique and may respond differently to CBD products. So, you have to trust the scientific research, your healthcare providers and your own usage to see if and how CBD is effective for you and your specific needs.
15. Don’t buy from mega-retailers. You know who we mean. Those guys who sell everything from gaskets to gourmet popcorn to girdles. They are great for some stuff, but CBD it can be the Wild West. You’re less likely to find those hallmarks of a reputable seller and high-quality products that we hit on in the Dos section above.
16. Don’t stick with products or retailers you don’t like. It’s your body and your money. Make sure you’re getting products and service you’re satisfied with. If you aren’t getting an acceptable level of value from your current CBD products or provider, move on to something else.

To Sum It Up

The only way to ensure you’re getting CBD products that meet your needs and expectations — especially when buying CBD online — is to be a savvy shopper.

Pure Craft’s your ally in navigating the CBD virtual marketplace. You can use our insider tips — based on our extensive cannabis industry and ecommerce expertise — to safely, securely and confidently stock up on your CBD products. But in essence, our advice to online BD shoppers boils down to:

• Do your research.
• Use good common sense.