Initial Impression From 2024 NASGW Expo? Continued Unpredictability
Given its close proximity to Election Day, the 2024 National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) Exhibits and Annual Meeting — held last week in Kansas City — was marked by two overarching questions: Who will be sitting in the White House come Inauguration Day in January, and how will the market respond?
It’s two almost impossible questions to answer. And, gleaned dozens of conversations I had with NASGW Expo exhibitors and attendees last week, the industry is taking a measured, even cautious approach to 2025 — regardless of who wins.
And, unlike the runup to the 2016 election, manufacturers and wholesalers aren’t putting the cart in front of the horse banking on a rampant demand surge from a Harris presidency.
Throughout this year in Shooting Industry, dealers have shared the impact of what we’ve dubbed as “crisis fatigue” — there have been so many “once-in-a-generation” moments in close proximity to each other that consumers have grown almost numb to chaos. Rising prices aren’t helping, either, which has further stunted growth in the market.
Shift Toward Two-Step
It’s not all bleak, though. I spoke with several first-time NASGW exhibitors — some of whom are established companies with decades of experience with a D2C model — who decided to shift gears and focus on the commercial side of their business by entering the two-step distribution and retailer space. These first-time exhibitors were encouraged at the initial response they received from wholesalers and sales rep groups at the show.
Later this month, we’ll publish a more in-depth review of the 50th NASGW Expo, featuring the perspective of NASGW President Kenyon Gleason, some first-time exhibitors and household names in the industry. For now, though, the only guarantee seems to be continued unpredictability of how the market is going to respond once this presidential cycle concludes.
