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During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are staying home as much as possible, limiting their travel and shopping to as few stores as possible, and buying online whenever possible. The same can be said within the kratom industry, and many kratom lovers were already doing most of their shopping online before these changes took place.

Though the use of kratom has not changed because of the pandemic, the way that people are shopping, spending their money, and buying from small businesses has been put into a new perspective in our industry and beyond.

If you want to keep supporting the kratom industry from home, here is what you can do.

Shop Online For Easy Shopping

The easiest way to continue to support the kratom industry during this time is to keep shopping for kratom as you normally would! Though some vendors have had delays due to shipping and warehouse delays during the COVID-19 pandemic, most kratom vendors are still working hard to ensure that their customers are able to easily get the products that they want to order.

Seek Reputable Sites

As always, it is important to make sure that you are shopping from reputable vendors during this time.

In addition to the usual safety measures that need to be taken to ensure that your kratom supply is handled safely, vendors are now taking into account the safety measure necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at their offices and warehouses. Suppliers and vendors that are doing this properly are taking the well-being of their employees into concern, and that is something that is worth supporting.

Try Different Products

If you want to expand the amount of kratom that you usually buy during this time to give an extra boost to your favorite seller, one unique way to do that would be to buy a few different products than you usually try! There are a lot of different strains of kratom, and there is a good chance that you haven’t tried every kratom product that your favorite vendor carries.

It’s a great time to explore new strains and see what else you might enjoy!

Social Distancing & Kratom

If you live in an area where the guidelines for COVID-19 management have been loosened to allow for in-person shopping at your local brick-and-mortar store, you can head there to shop for kratom as well. Stores like this have lost a lot during these difficult times, and shopping from local small businesses can be a good way to support your local economy.

Should you choose to do this, however, it is important to make sure that you follow your local guidelines and the store owners’ requests as far as social distancing, cleaning, and protection measures. These measures allow for the stores to remain open during this crisis, so keep that in mind when you choose to visit a physical store.

Curbside Pickup & Other Services

If you prefer to shop for kratom in person or you simply want to be able to get your supply faster than waiting for shipping to come in from online, it might be possible to do curbside pick-up. To do this, you’ll need to find what local shops sell kratom if you aren’t already sure.

Often, CBD and smoke shops will stock kratom, so give these local stores a call and find out what type of kratom they carry. From there, see if you can place a no-contact or curbside order. Many small businesses that have limited online stores are allowing for these types of transactions to expand their business during lock down, so you should be able to find a shop that can make the necessary accommodations for you.

Once you’ve made your order, follow the store’s directions to arrive and pick up your supply. Doing this once will help you to figure out how easy it is, and then you can decide if you want to do more orders in this way in the future or not.

Constantly Evolving Situation

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a lot of change in America. Things are constantly changing based on the spread of the virus, and each area of the country has different rules and guidelines in place.

It’s impossible to give a cut-and-dry way to handle the situation. The best that we can advise is to ensure that you are following the guidance of local and state leaders as necessary while still supporting local businesses that sell kratom. The kratom industry is strong enough to survive this pandemic but only with the help of consumers like you.

Support Kratom Advocacy

The last thing that you can do to ensure that the kratom industry feels your support during the COVID-19 pandemic is to support ongoing kratom advocacy efforts.

You might be familiar with the fact that kratom is legal but not very well protected or monitored in America. This means that disreputable kratom vendors can get away with selling subpar products to consumers without their knowledge. Organizations such as the American Kratom Association have been working to protect consumers, but many of those efforts are now delayed due to pandemic.

While those organizations are going to continue their work as much as possible, they need more support now than ever before. Here are some ways that you can help ensure the future of the kratom industry is a good one:

Monetarily support the American Kratom Association
Write letters or make phone calls to your local legislatures about kratom protections
Support initiatives in your local and state communities that protect kratom
Join local kratom advocacy groups to find out what types of actions are needed nearby

Don’t Give Up On Kratom

If you’ve enjoyed kratom and feel that it improves your quality of life, the ongoing pandemic doesn’t need to take that away from you. Your usual shopping methods might need to change, but remember that there are other ways that you can gain access to kratom during this time.

Consider shopping here at Left Coast Kratom if you are looking for a reliable and reputable seller to use for your next batch of kratom. We’re happy to help you find what you’re looking for and explain anything that you might be curious about our products as well.

Most kratom lovers are used to shopping for kratom online, connecting with other kratom fans online, and generally keeping all of their kratom-related activities in cyberspace. That, however, is not a requirement anymore.

Sticking to online spaces for all-things-kratom made sense up until a few years ago when the tide of laws about kratom use and legality in the US began to change. As kratom is legally protected and regulated in some states now, there are many areas where you can visit a local store to do your shopping.

Are you reading to learn how to find kratom near you? Are you excited at the idea of being able to buy kratom instantly rather than ordering it online and waiting for it to arrive?

There are benefits to being able to buy kratom in stores (just as there are benefits to buying online). Find out what these pros and cons are, and then learn how to find kratom stores near you.

The Pros of Buying Local

Considering buying kratom from a local hangout? There are some huge benefits to shopping this way, but you need to know what to expect.

When you buy in person, there are a few key benefits:

Get personalized assistance
See what you’re buying
Meet fellow kratom users

First, it’s possible that you’ll be able to get personalized attention and recognition in the moment while you are shopping for kratom at a local store. While you can get assistance online, this often involves a waiting period and may not be as fulfilling as having a discussion in a store.

Second, you can actually browse through the available stock to decide what you want to buy. While choosing the right kratom product for you isn’t necessarily about looks, it can be rewarding to see and touch the packages before you purchase anything.

If you aren’t sure what you want at all, going into a shop and simply choosing something that seems appealing to your mood that day will get you started on your kratom journey. Plus, you’ll be able to browse what is all available at the shop in a relatively short amount of time!

Finally, hanging out at a shop that sells kratom is sure to hook you up with locals in the community who are also fans of kratom. As it can be overwhelming to learn about kratom and the ongoing legal issues with kratom, having a community of supportive friends can be life-changing. Be sure to ask about any local kratom organizations while in the shop!

The Pros of Buying Online

Not everyone is going to like shopping in person, and that’s okay, too! There are great benefits to sticking to online purchasing, such as:

Easier to compare prices
No rush
Vetting vendors may be easier

First, it is much easier to compare prices between different vendors and products when you are shopping online, as you can visit multiple online storefronts at one time. This means that you may be able to get a better deal than you would find in person. You might even find a larger selection of options when shopping online from kratom vendors than you would in person.

Second, there isn’t any deadline or pressure to buy something in a certain amount of time. You might not feel comfortable mulling over your choice for hours in a physical shop, but you can leave your shopping windows open and come back with a decision on your own time when shopping online.

Finally, some people find that it is easier to vet vendors to ensure that they are following quality manufacturing practices when shopping online. Seeing accreditations and verifying that they are legitimate is somewhat less overwhelming online. Of course, it is also possible to check these things for a physical retail location as well.

Where To Find Kratom Near You

If you have decided that buying kratom at a store near you would fit in with your current plans better than buying online, it’s time to learn how to find where you can do your shopping. You might not be familiar with any kratom-specific shops in the area, but there are more and more shops that are now carrying kratom each month.

The most common shops that stock kratom include:

Smoke shops
CBD shops
Health shops

Are you familiar with any stores like these in your area? If not, you can simply look online to see what shops show up when you search for keywords like “kratom,” “CBD,” and “smoke shop.” From there, give the shops a call and see if they can point you in the right direction!

Consider Local Legalities

Has kratom been clearly legalized and regulated in your area? If so, it should be fairly easy to find out where to buy kratom locally. If you aren’t sure, do a quick search of your state’s name and “kratom laws” to find out what the status is.

If your area is not yet kratom-friendly, you might have to stick to buying online for the time being. Keep in mind, however, that even if kratom is clearly legalized it might not be illegal, either. If the laws are still unclear, call your local CBD and other shops to find out if they know of anywhere that reliably stocks kratom.

Remember: Check Their Reputation

As you should do when shopping from any kratom vendor, it is important to check the reputation of the seller. Where do they source their kratom from? Can they guarantee its quality in any way? Do they buy from AKA-approved sources?

It’s important to ensure that you are buying your kratom from trustworthy vendors, so do your due diligence and research the shop before you commit to buying anything. Regardless of whether you decide to shop online or to visit a local kratom store, be sure that you are doing the necessary research to keep yourself safe.

As more protections and guidelines for the kratom industry are created, this will be a less crucial step. For now, however, you must keep this in mind.

Keeping Kratom: How To Support The Kratom Industry From Home