Akerna announces eCommerce platform, Akerna Connect, enabling cannabis dispensaries to offer online ordering, loyalty programs, and text messaging

DENVER, Aug. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Akerna (Nasdaq: KERN), an enterprise software, leading compliance technology provider, and developer of the cannabis industry's first seed-to-sale enterprise resource planning (ERP) software technology (MJ Platform^®), announced a new offering, Akerna Connect. Akerna Connect is an eCommerce software which provides a suite of digital marketing tools to retailers and dispensaries so locations can reach their consumers and enhance the shopping experience through online ordering, loyalty programs, and text messaging.

Through Akerna Connect, dispensaries can reach consumers digitally when they are not in store. The platform allows the dispensary to design custom campaigns with interactive content and personalized messaging to attract customers back in the store, drive traffic to their online menu, and further engage their target audiences.

If a consumer is shopping at a dispensary that runs Akerna Connect, they can now order their cannabis products online via the retailer's website, which will display the dispensaries branding while running Akerna Connect on the backend. In addition, consumers can opt-in for loyalty programs and text message alerts.

While Akerna's MJ Retail POS system helps budtenders and managers run a smooth in-store experience, Akerna Connect helps them reach their consumers when they are not in-store and allows the cannabis consumer to have a seamless eCommerce ordering experience, keep up to date with store promotions, and communicate with staff.

"Akerna Connect allows dispensaries to convert more sales, increase customer engagement and remain competitive," says Jessica Billingsley, Chief Executive Officer of Akerna. "This new product continues to bolster our portfolio of technologies built for the cannabis industry, and we are proud to offer the most comprehensive ERP system in the industry. Through our ecosystem, cannabis businesses can manage, strategize, report on, and plan every facet of their business and supply chain."

Over a dozen cannabis businesses are successfully running the software, which was built to serve the industry's unique regulatory and compliance needs.

"The tools that Akerna Connect provides our dispensary are game changing. Akerna Connect is a central component of our marketing strategy that drives our foot traffic daily. We trust that our text messages and promos reach our customers' phones when and how we expect them to, and the ecommerce tools help us provide a continuous brand experience after the customer leaves our building," said Natalia Rivera, President of Emerald Cannabis Wellness Center.

Cannabis businesses interested in learning more about Akerna Connect and the Akerna ecosystem can set up a demo here.

About Akerna

Akerna (Nasdaq: KERN) is an enterprise software company focused on compliantly serving the cannabis, hemp, and CBD industries. Based in Denver, Colorado, the Company's mission is to create the world's most transparent and accountable supply chain by building a cannabis technology ecosystem connecting data points across the global cannabis supply chain from seed to sale to self. First launched in 2010, Akerna has tracked more than $20 billion in cannabis sales to date and was the first cannabis software company listed on Nasdaq.

Using connected data and information to propel the cannabis industry forward, Akerna empowers businesses, governments, patients, and consumers to make smart decisions. The Company's cornerstone technology, MJ Platform, the world's leading infrastructure as a service platform, powers retailers, manufacturers, brands, distributors, and cultivators. Akerna also offers a complete suite of professional consulting services and data analytics for businesses as well as solo sciences, MJ Freeway, Leaf Data Systems, Trellis, Ample Organics and Viridian Sciences.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this release and any accompanying statements by management are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words "estimates," "projected," "expects," "anticipates," "forecasts," "plans," "intends," "believes," "seeks," "may," "will," "should," "future," "propose" and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include but are not limited to statements regarding Akerna Connect potential ability to permit dispensaries to convert more sales, increase customer engagement and remain competitive, Akerna's future business plans, Akerna's potential business strengths in the market and any other statements expressing the views of Akerna's management on future business results or strategy. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside Akerna's control, that could cause actual results or outcomes (including, without limitation, the results of Akerna's contracts, strategic initiatives, and business plans as described herein) to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others that may affect actual results or outcomes, include (i) Akerna's ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of being a public company, (ii) competition, (iii) Akerna's ability to grow and manage growth profitably, (iv) Akerna's ability to maintain relationships with customers and suppliers and retain its management and key employees, (v) costs related to being a public company, (vi) changes in applicable laws or regulations, (vii) Akerna's ability to identify, complete and integrate acquisitions, including Viridian, and achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies in connection with acquired businesses, (viii) and other risks and uncertainties disclosed from time to time in Akerna's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including those under "Risk Factors" therein. Actual results, performance, or achievements may differ materially, and potentially adversely, from any projections and forward-looking statements and the assumptions on which those vary from forward-looking statements are based. There can be no assurance that the data contained herein is reflective of future performance to any degree. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a predictor of future performance as projected financial and other information, are based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to various significant risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond Akerna's control. All information herein speaks only as of the date hereof, in the case of information about Akerna, or the date of such information, in the case of information from persons other than Akerna. Akerna undertakes no duty to update or revise the information contained herein. Forecasts and estimates regarding Akerna's industry and end markets are based on sources believed to be reliable; however, there can be no assurance these forecasts and estimates will prove accurate in whole or in part.

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SOURCE Akerna