# Understand a dispensary comparison

## Begin with the pair

Competitive dispensary intelligence helps you explore a dispensary alongside a competitor. Start with the two selectors. The page offers nearby choices and catalog search. This lesson uses the comparison already visible in the recording.

## Read coverage first

Check coverage before drawing conclusions. The menu-source legend distinguishes POS, scraped, and unavailable menus. Differences in source coverage can affect overlap and pricing comparisons. A missing observation is not proof that a store lacks an item.

## Compare the public presence

Continue down the report to listing details. Contact information and public links help you understand each business's online presence. Treat these as research signals and verify important details before acting on them.

## Review service signals

Services and other listing signals add context beyond the menu. Look for useful differences, while remembering that incomplete source data can leave gaps in the comparison.

## Explore the assortment

The assortment section shows shared categories and brands. Use it to identify questions worth investigating, then review the underlying data and its freshness. You have moved from selecting a pair to understanding coverage, presence, and assortment.