RetailBI, the leading provider of data-driven insights for the shooting sports industry, today announced the launch of the RetailBI Firearm Sales Index (Same-Store Adjusted), a first-of-its-kind metric designed to provide the firearms industry with a far more accurate measure of consumer demand than traditional background check data, scheduled for publication 9/5/2025.

For decades, the firearm industry supply-chain has relied on adjusted NICS (National Instant Criminal Background Check System) figures as a proxy for consumer demand, correlating all background checks directly to interest in new firearm purchases. While new firearm sales do require a background check and would be reflected in the NICS results in most cases, this methodology proves to be flawed when considering common scenarios— such as permit applications, used firearm sales, transfers, denials, and multiple-firearm transactions — that make NICS an imprecise measure of new firearm demand.

The RetailBI Firearm Sales Index solves this problem by tracking same-store point of sale and ecommerce transactions from a network of firearms retailers nationwide, including those in states that do use NICS, and compares changes over time. By using a same-store adjusted methodology and a carefully selected subset of retailers based on their reporting start date, the Index eliminates distortions caused by store openings, closures, or changes in reporting partners. This ensures true apples-to-apples comparisons and delivers the most accurate measure of retail performance available to the firearms industry.

“We’re excited to introduce a transparent, data-driven benchmark that reflects actual new consumer purchases at the retail counter,” said Kaleb Seymour, VP of Data Analytics at Gearfire. “The firearms industry supply-chain deserves a measurement that isn’t clouded by irrelevant information, circumstantial influences, and unfounded assumptions. That’s exactly what the RetailBI Firearm Sales Index delivers.”

The Index will be published monthly and will highlight year-over-year changes in consumer firearm purchases. Because it is based on actual retail transactions, the Index will give manufacturers, distributors, retailers, investors, and policymakers an unprecedented view into true consumer demand trends.

Key Benefits of the RetailBI Firearm Sales Index (Same-Store Adjusted):

• Real World Accuracy: Tracks changes in sales at the register, not background checks, providing a true reflection of demand trends
• Baseline Consistency: Uses a stable same-store dataset for apples-to-apples comparisons.
• Timeliness: Reported monthly, rather than quarterly, for timely market insights.

The launch of the RetailBI Firearm Sales Index marks a major step toward modernizing how the shooting sports industry measures its own performance. The Index will be available to RetailBI subscribers beginning October, 2025.

About RetailBI

RetailBI is the shooting sports industry’s most comprehensive business intelligence platform, offering data and insights to help manufacturers, distributors, and retailers make informed business decisions. Powered by transaction data from over 2,000 U.S. firearms retailers, RetailBI delivers unmatched visibility into market trends, consumer behavior, and competitive performance.

About Gearfire

Since 2012, Gearfire has been at the forefront of providing comprehensive software solutions designed to empower independent retailers by addressing the unique challenges and operational needs of outdoor and shooting sports retail. Seamlessly integrating e-commerce, point of sale (POS), range management, firearm-friendly credit card processing, and data analytics. Gearfire provides a true end-to-end retail technology solution for businesses to confidently navigate the modern retail landscape with efficiency and profitability. For more information, visit gogearfire.com.