A SHOT Show
Unlike Any Other
Smaller crowds at SHOT Show 2022 facilitated better quality time. Time will tell if that’s better
for long-term business, but it was a nice change of pace from previous frenzied years.
Despite being inundated with orders over the past two years, exhibitors like
Aimpoint demonstrated a willingness to welcome new dealers.
Though supply chain challenges and COVID surges continue to disrupt daily life, there is hope 2022 will be a step closer to something resembling “normal.”
One example: SHOT Show returned as an in-person event after going virtual last year. Held Jan. 18–21 at the Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, SHOT Show 2022 was unlike any other in its 44-year history. Yes, attendance was noticeably down from previous years, but of those 43,000 registered attendees who were in Vegas during SHOT Show week, it would be hard to miss the budding sense of opportunity after two years of (mostly) virtual contact.
Without some of the biggest names in the firearms industry — Ruger, SIG SAUER, Springfield Armory, Beretta Holding Group and more — other companies stepped up their SHOT Show presence with expanded or even multiple booths to increase brand awareness and capture market share.
Smaller crowds and more meeting space afforded ample opportunities to have better-quality conversations with exhibiting companies and other attendees. And, given the tactile nature of our industry, prospective buyers had more time/flexibility to handle products than years past, too. but seeing evidence of companies willing to take on new dealers is a sign they’re beginning to catch up with demand.
After nearly two years of having limited (in-person) face time with industry partners, SHOT Show 2022 provided a significant stepping stone to a return to normalcy. Shooting Industry’s April issue will include a full review of the industry’s mega trade event, and feature an extended showcase of product introductions garnering attention.
Kicking off SHOT Week, the two-day Supplier Showcase (held Monday and Tuesday) featured 500 suppliers eager to meet the needs of manufacturers and dealers. I attended this event on Monday; while exhibitors noted attendance was down from Monday during SHOT Week 2020, it was stronger than expected.
The bright Caesars Forum — which pushed SHOT Show’s exhibit footprint to 800,000 net sq. ft. — was a welcome addition, providing refreshing respite from the usual indoors-only trade show experience. Though missing some of the planned “anchor” exhibitors in this new space, the folks I talked to were generally happy with the foot traffic they received during the week.
Throughout the show, there were prominent displays welcoming new retailers to sign up and become stocking dealers — which was encouraging to see.
Business has been anything but straightforward over the past two years,
DDM4 Cleaning Kit
Otis Technology Partners With Daniel Defense
Otis Technology has partnered with Daniel Defense to provide custom cleaning gear for their firearms.
Interest in working together was kindled when Daniel Defense began utilizing the Otis B.O.N.E Tool in their armorer courses. The two companies have developed a catered M4 cleaning kit: the DDM4 Cleaning Kit, which is now available to all Daniel Defense customers.
“At times, our MILE (Military and Law Enforcement) Team is requested to provide turnkey solutions,” said Joe Marler, Daniel Defense L.E. sales manager. “This can be as simple as adding an optic or sling, but at times, we’re asked to provide a complete rifle package that includes everything an end user would need — and that includes weapons care.”
“It has been exciting to work with their team and we’re looking forward to continued collaboration,” added Mollie Martin, Otis Technology’s L.E. sales manager.
OEMs interested in partnership opportunities can reach out to sales@otistec.com to get started. / otistec.com
/ danieldefense.com
Coreware Enhances NASGW SCOPE CLX
Coreware has partnered with NASGW to expand SCOPE CLX, a retail sales data platform designed to analyze consumer buying trends.
As a point-of-sale provider, Coreware’s support of SCOPE CLX will help NASGW advance its goal to grow the shooting sports industry by collecting, standardizing and analyzing data. The addition of Coreware will add anonymous sales from over 300 stores, making SCOPE CLX the largest sample of the independent FFL market.
“Adding Coreware is a game-changer for us,” said NASGW President Kenyon Gleason. “They are such a major player in our industry and we couldn’t be more excited to be working with them to expand data analytics in the shooting sports industry.”
Coreware integration is expected by spring of 2022.
“We are extremely excited about our partnership with NASGW,” said Ezra Weinstein, CEO of Coreware. “Our mission is to help small businesses survive and thrive. By integrating into the SCOPE CLX platform, our customers will have access to better tools and data to help them make better buying decisions. The data offered by the SCOPE CLX platform will become an integral part of helping our customers increase sales, cut costs and increase profits.”
Coreware joins other point of sale partners including Celerant, AIM and Orchid POS in contributing anonymous sales data to NASGW for the benefit of the industry. In the past five years, NASGW has taken up the mission of providing the industry a more comprehensive platform for sales, inventory and distribution data — helping businesses make smarter decisions and strengthening the relationships in the two-step distribution channel. / nasgw.org / coreware.com
