Tapping Into Surging And Evolving Markets Inside March’s Shooting Industry
(ArmsVault.com) – The March issue of Shooting Industry offers a valuable and comprehensive look at several markets ripe with opportunity for retailers — including recreational shooters, cutlery and long guns. In the feature “Attracting The Next Generation,” ranges capable of catering to a new breed of shooters stand to benefit from conscientious designs and country club-style services.
Expectations of the next generation of shooters have changed significantly the last few years. On average, they’re younger, female and from urban areas. Enterprising range owners have recognized the significance of attracting these tech-savvy customers by creating a destination-type experience. Amenities such as restaurants, lounges and concierge services — enhanced by the Apple retail store concept — are leading the charge to increased engagement with this segment.
“The more time [customers] are at your range, the more likely they are to spend money, bring a friend and get more involved in the shooting sports,” reveals Jeff Swanson, co-founder and an owner of Wilshire Gun, and managing member of NexGen Range Consulting.
In “Edges Ahead,” three cutlery industry professionals forecast there’s no reason to expect anything but steady sales from the cutlery world in this user-friendly, post-election climate. They also anticipate the likelihood of new knife customers ready to expand their collections, while knife makers can focus efforts on innovative design and collaborative productions.
Readers will find no shortage of noteworthy content in the March issue of Shooting Industry. Dealers will learn about how the ladies behind Girls With Guns clothing are making an impact on the growing women’s market and why Ruger’s newest handguns are sure to ring up sales for dealers. Additionally, retailers might better understand what their message says to a growing number of non-traditional shooters — and how it might benefit their store to “reach across the aisle.”
The entire March issue can be accessed online at www.shootingindustry.com/digital-version.
Have a comment after reading the issue? Send the SI team an email at comments@shootingindustry.com.