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New products are foundational to bringing customers in for a visit. As supply-chain challenges have made fulfillment more difficult than ever before, Shooting Industry’s three-part 2022 New Product Showcase launches in the December issue with new-for-2022 options dealers can look to stock in the new year from nearly 60 brands.
Even in times of uncertainty, there’s value in looking ahead to prepare for what’s likely to happen. In “7 Burning Questions For 2022,” Tim Barker interviews a panel of retailers to assess their new-year expectations, including ways to retain the legion of 2021 and 2022’s first-time gun buyers. John Havlick, owner of Frank’s Gun Shop in Gloversville, N.Y., suggests, “If you can get them out shooting and meeting other people who enjoy shooting, the next thing you know they’re back here looking for another gun.”
For business owners struggling to combat thinning profits, Doug VanderWoude contends there’s a creative solution: carrying only MAP-supported products. He weighs the pros and cons of this approach and offers this food for thought: “MAP holidays, where the manufacturer promotes a window of time where all sellers can violate MAP to drive sales, can work well if you’re a retailer who has overbought or undersold and needs to move inventory out.”
To further help storefront dealers prepare for 2022, additional features in this New Business Year Edition include: NASGW President Kenyon Gleason’s “Forecasting The Future Of The Shooting Sports Industry,” FMG Publications Video Producer Shari LeGate’s “Video Marketing: Look Back To Move Ahead,” “Roadmap To Marketing Success” by Ashley McGee, “5 Ways To Elevate Retail Relevance” from Hank Yancek and Carolee Anita Boyles’ “Adjusting To Life In A Pandemic.”
With the cost of guns, and particularly ammunition, seeming to have gone through the roof, many customers believe they’re being price gouged. In the Personal Defense Market column, Massad Ayoob provides a “Perspective On Prices” to help explain today’s prices — and keep their business. Women are not as mysterious as they seem, especially when it comes to firearms ownership and personal defense. In the Arms & The Woman installment, “What Women Want,” Laura Evans suggests committing to welcoming and serving female customers is always a winning strategy. And in Best Practices, Tim Barker highlights ways gun-shop owners looking to offer training services can get by without a range.
The semi-annual appearance of SI’s “Greatest Buyer’s Guide In The Universe” rounds out the Dec. issue. This comprehensive directory of information provides hundreds of connections to industry-affiliated businesses.
Discover more at ShootingIndustry.com: Easy-to-navigate sections, new products, online exclusives and digital versions of every issue are just a click away. Sign up for Dealer Advantage emails to get the latest industry news and new product introductions delivered right to your inbox every week. Join the conversation anytime: comments@shootingindustry.com or facebook.com/shootingindustry.
CONTACT: JADE MOLDAE