Insights From NASGW SCOPE’s 2021 Annual Report
It’ll come as little surprise to those beyond the counter, but concealable handguns
commanded a sizable portion of the firearms segment in 2021 as personal/home
defense was a key purchase motivator for consumers. (Image: Adobe Stock).]
Data is king, especially during times of uncertainty — and, perhaps even more so when it’s available in real time. Since late 2018, this is exactly what the team at the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) has been endeavoring to accomplish through its SCOPE Data Program. Thanks to input from distributors and point-of-sale providers alike, SCOPE provides a clearer look at the sales and inventory within the wholesale distribution channel.
For the first time, NASGW has released an annual SCOPE Report compiling distributor sales and inventory data from 2021 — available at no cost.
“NASGW has been compiling data for the last few years and reporting is something we’ve wanted to provide for a long time,” said Kenyon Gleason, NASGW president. “With the addition of some key new team members, we are excited to provide a standard to measure trends in our industry.”
“This first report is just the beginning of what we plan to provide on a consistent basis.”
— Easton Kuboushek, NASGW Director of Data Programs
Focusing exclusively on the firearms market, the 2021 Annual Report is derived from SCOPE DLX, NASGW’s distribution data collection platform. Sales and inventory data are aggregated from 18 leading firearm distributors to analyze market trends, category mix and top products. (The report is also available with regional breakdowns for a more granular analysis.)
According to NASGW, future National reports will be available for purchase on a quarterly and annual basis. Additionally, there will be quarterly and annual reporting from SCOPE CLX (retailer sales) in the future as NASGW continues to bring on more POS partners and retail stores.
“We’ve got big things happening with SCOPE right now,” said Easton Kuboushek, NASGW director of data programs. “We’re currently adding some significant partners, expanding our reach, growing our users and delivering on the vision we laid out years ago to be the standard for data in the shooting sports industry. This first report is just the beginning of what we plan to provide on a consistent basis.”
Takeaways From The Annual Report
In the report, NASGW Senior Data Analyst Tom Hopper provided some key takeaways that will impact business planning in 2022.
“Firearms sales have shown no change in the level of product mix. Handguns, MSRs, Rifles and Shotguns still sell proportionately the same 2019–2021. The primary difference has been a focus on personal/home defense. Handgun concealability and tactical rifles/shotguns have been ‘top of mind’ for the consumer. The end of 2021 saw hunting-style long guns increasing popularity,” he observed.
The National report includes analysis of sales by sub-category (breaking down sales of semi-auto handguns by trigger action, semi-auto vs. pump-action shotguns, bolt-action vs. lever-action rifles and more) and year-over-year sales and productivity. In the full version of the report, insights such as the top manufacturers, UPC rankings, regional trends and more are revealed.
Summarizing 2021, Hopper concluded: “Overall, the ‘New Normal’ in market demand is above 2019 levels. Panic buying is slowing.
Manufacturers are driving inventory improvements and retailers have an opportunity to build productive inventory assortments.”
To download a free copy of the 2021 SCOPE Annual Report, visit scope.nasgw.org/resources/the-scope-report.
For previous articles on NASGW’s SCOPE developments in Shooting Industry, see: “Data: The Key To The Kingdom” and “Forecasting The Future Of The Shooting Sports Industry.”
