Here’s what the data says in 2025: consumers overwhelmingly search for—and buy—hybrids first, indicas second, and sativas third. Several datasets point the same direction. Headset’s transaction-level analyses consistently showed Hybrid flower topping all products by share of retail transactions, with Indica and Sativa trailing behind; more recent category deep-dives continue to show hybrids dominating key “inhalables” baskets.

Zooming in on a fast-growing format, pre-rolls, Custom Cones USA’s 2024 market reports summarize retail scanner data across multiple states: hybrid SKUs lead overall, while indica-dominant SKUs reliably outsell sativa-dominant ones month after month. That pattern persisted through mid-2024, with hybrid “single-strain” lines posting steady $73–$100M per month and indica pre-rolls regularly beating sativas by several million dollars.

Why the hybrid and indica edge? Part supply, part demand. On the supply side, pure sativa plants flower longer and yield less, which makes them harder to keep in stock at competitive price points; retailers and growers therefore lean toward hybrids and indica-leaning cultivars that are faster to produce and more economical to scale. Availability drives discovery and purchase.

On the demand side, consumer goals skew toward balanced or relaxing experiences—after-work winding down, stress relief, and sleep support—which map more naturally (in shopper perception) to hybrids and indicas. BDSA’s ongoing consumer work shows inhalables (flower, vapes, concentrates) dominate dollars, reinforcing that “effect-led” flower selection is where preferences show up most strongly at the register.

There’s also a gradual shift beyond the Indica/Sativa labels toward effect and terpene shopping, which ironically still benefits hybrids. Large studies have found that “indica,” “sativa,” and “hybrid” are not clean genetic buckets; labels loosely correlate with a few terpenes (e.g., myrcene) rather than distinct lineages. As education spreads, consumers rely more on dominant terpenes (limonene for brightness, myrcene for calm, etc.) and less on the legacy triad—yet most modern cultivars are hybridized, so “hybrid” remains the practical default on menus and in search.

Real-world sales snapshots reinforce the point. In California’s massive flower market, 2024’s best-sellers were classic and modern hybrids (e.g., Blue Dream, Gelato, Wedding Cake), reflecting both availability and consumer familiarity. National editorial roundups of top sellers similarly skew hybrid. While sativa notables still break through—especially for daytime and creativity use cases—the average shopper’s basket tilts hybrid/indica.

What this means for consumers

• If you’re shopping for balanced effects, start with hybrids and then refine by terpene profile (e.g., limonene/pinene for uplift; myrcene/caryophyllene for calm).
• For relaxation and sleep, indica-leaning cultivars remain the most commonly stocked and purchased options.
• If you specifically want energetic sativas, expect fewer listings and faster sell-outs due to cultivation economics; use dispensary filters and watch drops.

Bottom line: Hybrids lead search and sales due to sheer availability, versatility of effects, and consumer movement toward terpene-guided shopping. Indicas come next, aligned with common evening use. Sativas, while loved by many, are a smaller slice—driven as much by grow cycles and supply as by demand.