But as the market becomes saturated with more and more people hoping to make it in the business, it’s important to know what to look for when buying CBD online.
What to Know About Buying CBD Online
Experienced online shoppers know that some companies care more about profit than quality and safety. Here are five signs to consider when looking for your next online CBD retailer.
1. Has it Been Lab-Tested?
Certificates of Analysis, or lab reports, are the easiest way to confirm what’s in the product. Without a lab report, you’ll have a harder time considering the other items on this list.
First and foremost, you want your CBD to be tested by a third-party laboratory. Ideally, the lab will be accredited by the International Organization for Standardization. And since there are no regulations on how often CBD products must be tested, the more recent the results, the better.
Another thing to pay attention to is how accessible the CBD company makes its lab reports. Sometimes the company will post them to its website. Other times, they may only provide them if you’ve purchased a product or submitted a formal request.
There’s not always a shady explanation behind this; sometimes, a company may just forget to update its website.
However, be wary of companies that don’t mention lab reports on their websites or respond to inquiries about them. This could mean their products don’t contain the stated amount of cannabinoids, or they contain contaminants.
2. THC Content
More and more states are beginning to decriminalize THC for either medicinal or recreational uses. However, the legal amounts of THC continue to vary state by state.
Depending on the legal status of THC in your state, the maximum amounts of THC usually don’t exceed 0.3% or 0.5%. Those amounts are generally considered safe and don’t activate the psychoactive effects of the chemical.
THC content depends on what type of CBD is used in the product. Generally, CBD types fall into one of three categories.
CBD isolate is the purest form, extracted from the hemp plant but isolated from all other cannabinoids. This type of CBD produces a 99% pure extract.
Full-spectrum CBD is extracted with all other cannabinoids, including THC.
Broad-spectrum CBD is extracted with all other cannabinoids except for THC.
If you’re unsure of the legality of THC in your state, it may be best to avoid products containing full-spectrum CBD.
3. Other Ingredients
There are a number of contaminants that a safe CBD consumer should watch out for when shopping for CBD online. Heavy metals, mold, and bacteria can have negative effects on your health.
If the product contains a safe level of those contaminants, the lab report will list the word “Pass” under the status column, usually found near the bottom of the report.
If the product exceeds the safe amount of those contaminants, the status column will say “Fail” — a good indicator that you should probably avoid that product.
But contaminants aren’t the only thing to look for, either. The labels of products can tell you more about the dose’s possible effects. If the company does not include an ingredients list on its products or website, that could be considered a red flag.
Some good signs on the ingredients list might include organic, all-natural ingredients, or “premium” ones that enhance the intended effects of the product, like sleeping aid or pain relief.
If there are ingredients you can’t pronounce, don’t panic yet. A quick Google search can tell you more about where they come from and how they might affect your health.
4. CBD Content per Dose
CBD can be consumed in a variety of ways: tinctures, topicals, sprays, and edible gummies, to name a few.
Regardless of the CBD product, the formula for calculating CBD content per dose is the same. Simply divide the total CBD content of the product by the number of servings included.
For example: Suppose a 30mL bottle of CBD tinctures contains 500mg of CBD. Since each serving, or filled dropper, contains 1mL of liquid, the CBD content per dose would be roughly 16.67mg of CBD.
The recommended CBD dosage typically depends on the reason for using it. Generally, beginning CBD users are advised to start small and gradually work their way up.
5. Consumer Reputation
When purchasing CBD online, Don’t underestimate the power of online customer reviews. While they may vary since everybody reacts differently to CBD, pay attention to what customers are saying about the quality of the products and the customer service.
Don’t just rely on the company’s testimonials, either. Search for third-party reviews through Google or other websites that specialize in aggregating CBD products, like Leafly.
And if a reviewer makes bizarre claims about the benefits of CBD — like the product cured their cancer — it’s probably too good to be true.
Fair prices and return policies are other good indicators that the company prioritizes customer satisfaction. Compare the prices to those of similar products from competitors. If there’s a significant difference, can it be justified? Is there a grace period for refunding returned products?
The address of a company’s website may also indicate how secure it is. Reputable CBD websites should include “https://” at the beginning of the URL. This means the information you send over the site is encrypted, making it harder for hackers to steal.
The checkout page should also be secure. Since you’ll be entering your payment information and other personal details, it couldn’t hurt to ask the company how they store and use customer data.
Shop Wisely When Buying CBD Online
Now that you know what to look for when buying CBD online, it’s time to find the right product for your lifestyle.
Nature’s Arc Organics prides itself on safe, secure products that contain zero THC. Visit our online shop to find the right one for you today.
