ICYMI: INDUSTRY NEWS
FROM MAY 31–June 4, 2021
Guns.com Partners With Credova Financial
Guns.com has partnered with Credova Financial to provide financing options to customers — giving them the option to apply online in seconds and get a near instant approval decision without any impact to their credit score.
“Guns.com has one of the largest selections of firearms and gear available online, and our goal is to give customers a level of service they would expect from top ecommerce sites in any industry,” said Greg Minkler, Guns.com CEO. “Credova has given us one more way to help Americans exercise their 2A rights without breaking the bank.”
“Credova is very excited to roll out our partnership with one of the most recognizable websites at the forefront of the industry, Guns.com, and offer the leading 2A friendly, tech forward Buy Now, Pay Later solution that’s built to help their customers efficiently pay for their next firearm and accessory purchase with small, monthly payments,” added Kamron Davis, Credova VP revenue.
For more info: guns.com/financing.
HIVIZ Sights Now Available At Hicks Inc.
HIVIZ Shooting Systems has a new distribution partnership with Hicks Inc. The year ahead will see a substantial expansion of HIVIZ products offered through Hicks Wholesale distribution and their two annual shows.
This expanded program builds on an agreement launched in late 2020 to now include many of the most popular HIVIZ products including sight replacement systems for rifle, handgun and shotgun platforms. Among them is the new HIVIZ LiteWave H3 Tritium/Fiber-Optic Sights with 24-hour illumination for handguns and shotguns. This family of products includes sight options for Ruger, Walther, Smith & Wesson and H&K pistols, as well as all 1911 production models. HIVIZ replacement shotgun sights fit a wide variety of makes and models, as well.
To view the entire product line available, visit www.hicksinc.com. Use the search key words, “HIVIZ sights” to see the lineup.
For more info: hicksinc.com, hivizsights.com.
Smith & Wesson Launches GUNSMARTS Series 2
Smith & Wesson expands on its successful GUNSMARTS video series with fresh, new content for summer 2021 — adding more than 30 new education videos for both new and experienced firearms owners. Hosted by industry experts Ken Scott, Julie Golob and Jerry Miculek, Smith & Wesson’s GUNSMARTS Series 2 covers a comprehensive set of topics that include firearms education, shooting tips, gear recommendations, and more – all in a simple, inviting manner.
“This new content series provides new, exciting videos to help both new and experienced gun owners improve their firearm knowledge and skillset,” said Matt Spafford, Smith & Wesson senior marketing manager. “We hope GUNSMARTS Series 2 encourages firearms owners to get outside, enjoy the shooting sports and brush up on their skills.”
New GUNSMARTS Series 2 content is hosted on YouTube and will be released weekly throughout the summer; the first one launched June 1.
Visit youtube.com/c/SmithWessonInc to watch the videos.
For more info: smith-wesson.com/gunsmarts.
NSSF, Project ChildSafe Urge Firearm Safety
In observance of National Safety Month, NSSF and Project ChildSafe urge new and existing gun owners nationwide to prioritize safe firearm storage — and are providing the resources to do so.
“Every year, National Safety Month is an opportunity to remind gun owners their most important responsibility is to store their firearms securely when not in use,” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF president and CEO. “We know there has been a significant increase in the number of new gun owners in the past year, and they’re looking for guidance on storing firearms responsibly. We’ve worked hard to give them the resources they need to secure their firearms to help prevent accidents.”
In the past year, Project ChildSafe updated its resource library with an emphasis on providing information to first-time gun owners, those who may be reevaluating their firearm storage practices and parents whose children were likely home more than ever while schools and other activities were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Project ChildSafe also partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) to develop a joint resource on teen mental health and firearm safety — recognizing the challenges of 2020 made it more important than ever to have discussions on preventing unauthorized access to firearms for youth facing mental health challenges.
For more info: projectchildsafe.org
Southwick Associates Releases Reports On 2020 Growth
2020 fundamentally changed the volume and types of hunting, fishing and firearm-related products consumed. In response to many factors such as distancing requirements, social unrest, political changes and more, demand reached unanticipated levels, creating challenges no business expected entering the year. To help businesses understand the size of the 2020 retail markets, Southwick Associates has released two reports, one covering the $10 billion fishing tackle market and the other covering the $24 billion firearms, hunting and recreational shooting market.
“2020 presented many business challenges that both spiked and suppressed sales,” said Nancy Bacon, Southwick Associates VP. “COVID-19 and social issues drove demand to all-time highs. Simultaneously, the same factors resulted in depleted wholesale and retail inventories, closed factories, shortages of materials, and backed-up ports, causing significant supply pressures. These new market size reports are designed to help businesses better understand the new operating world.”
All major categories tracked by Southwick Associates showed increases. After slight growth in the first quarter of 2020, firearms and ammunition sales exploded the rest of the year, experiencing growth exceeding 60% even with supply constraints. Hunting and shooting sports accessories also saw growth, along with fishing tackle retail sales that saw an overall 55% increase.
The new reports are available from Southwick Associates for $3,500 each. Both present retail unit and dollar sales estimates. The hunting/shooting report lists more than 100 products directly associated with hunting and recreational shooting and includes breakouts by action type, caliber/gauge, the primary purpose for consumers’ purchases and more.
To purchase a report, or to discuss any custom research needs, contact Nancy Bacon at nancy@southwickassociates.com.
For more info: southwickassociates.com.
G5 Honors PMG For 15 Years Of Service
Jeff Bergmann, president and founder of Providence Marketing Group (PMG), launched his new marketing agency in 2006. One of the first partnerships formed when Bergmann met the Grace family and G5 Outdoors. PMG and G5 continue to work together on promoting three brands in the archery industry: G5 Outdoors, Prime Archery and Quest Archery.
“We’re grateful to have been given the opportunity to work with G5 for the past 15 years,” said Bergmann. “In many ways, the Grace family was the springboard for us as an agency. The future is extremely bright for them and we hope to assist with their marketing efforts for many years to come.”
“We’ve enjoyed a wonderful partnership with Providence throughout the past 15 years,” said Matt Grace, president of G5 Outdoors. “Our companies have grown alongside one another, both becoming stalwarts in our industry. Providence continues to bring a great deal of value to our brands in a variety of ways and we look forward to a strong future.”
For more info: providencemarketinggroup.net, g5outdoors.com.
