hunting & sporting shotguns

An election year, a global pandemic and the start of fall hunting season have created somewhat of a perfect storm for firearm dealers. During the first half of the year, adjusted NICS data showed a record 10.3 million firearm transactions in the U.S.

While guns primarily for personal and home defense have been flying off the shelves, there’s also been an uptick in sales of long guns for sporting and hunting. Particularly shotguns able to serve a dual purpose for recreation and protection.

Thanks to stay-at-home emergency orders in the spring, many states saw an increase in hunting license sales. The trend is likely to continue through the last quarter of the year and into 2021, as hunting and shooting sports are a great way to enjoy recreational activity and follow physical distancing recommendations. Additionally, hunting provides a solution to food supply chain concerns.

Of course, seasoned hunters were already well aware of these benefits, but many people are taking to the woods and fields for the first time. In fact, NSSF surveys show firearm retailers believe 40% of all gun purchases this year have been to first-time buyers.1

Target Experienced & First-Time Shooters

At NOVA Armory, in the Arlington, Va. area, Owner Shawn Poulin said shotgun sales currently make up around 15% of their total firearms sales. (Though he noted this figure would be slightly higher if there was perfect supply chain availability to meet the demand.)

NOVA Armory specializes in high-end sporting and self-defense arms and accessories, but as far as hunting in particular goes they’re in an interesting market. Of their total shotgun sales, 60% are purchased for home defense and the other 40% for hunting/sporting.

“The closest place to hunt is around an hour away, so many of the hunters we see are destination hunters,” Poulin noted.
For these seasoned hunters and general shotgun enthusiasts, Browning and Benelli shotguns are the most popular.

“Benelli shotguns are all about speed and reliability, but we generally don’t recommend them for entry-level hunters and shooters because we want repeat customers,” he said. “The last thing we want to do is oversell. We’d rather sell a relationship to customers than a product.”

there’s a lot of opportunity to attract new participants and reengage previous customers due to an increased interest in hunting and shooting sports.

For entry-level shooters or those just getting into hunting for the first time, Poulin said Turkish shotguns brands — like TriStar — are growing in popularity because they’re a great option for those discovering what type of shotgun they want without breaking the bank. He doesn’t see a reason for customers to spend more than $300–$700 for a basic shotgun.

“What we’ve learned is we can offer our customers a great– quality shotgun at a lower price point by seeking out smaller niche distributors,” he continued. “And the feedback we get on these products has been overwhelmingly positive.”

$700 To $40,000

Carrying a selection of shotguns at varying price points allows NOVA Armory to meet the diverse needs of their customer base. Due to its location, many of their regular customers include local police officers, legislators and federal law enforcement agents. They also draw customers from neighboring areas like Woodbridge and Baltimore.

“We’ve been here four years, and we’ll still hear from people in our immediate area who say they had no idea we were here, but then we also have customers who drive close to an hour just to come shop with us even though they pass several other gun stores along the way,” Poulin shared.

At NOVA Armory, a first-time hunter spends an average of $700 on a shotgun whereas more experienced hunters spend on average $2,000 or more. Their shotgun inventory sometimes includes models up to $30,000–$40,000. Though sometimes bought for use, these high-end shotguns are often sought out by collectors because they increase in value over time.

Price is certainly a factor. However, there are others that come into play when someone is purchasing a shotgun.

“Especially in the current climate, we’re seeing some purchases being made based on ammunition availability,” Poulin observed, “particularly by those with less disposable income who can’t easily buy a different gauge if the ammunition for what they already have isn’t available.”

Others may select a shotgun based on dual-use features so it can be used for home defense as well as hunting or shooting sporting clays.

As with social media advertising policies, Google Ads also prohibits advertisements for guns, explosives and other weapons. Ads for gun parts and associated items that increase the safety of a gun such as gun locks, trigger locks, safety pins and chamber blocks are permitted, as are advertisements for hunting gear and accessories.

Though firearms can’t be promoted directly, you can find success attracting customers by promoting non-firearm hunting products.

In NOVA Armory’s case, they still make it a point to carry a selection of parts and gear including barrels and chokes although they aren’t located in a rural area surrounded by ample hunting land. They also stock ancillary items like trail cameras, decoys and game calls, all of which can be promoted through paid digital marketing campaigns.

“The last thing we want to do is oversell. We’d rather sell a relationship to customers than a product.”

Shawn Poulin, owner NOVA Armory Arlington, Va.

When combined with the data from a CRM system, campaigns can target previous customers or visitors to your website in order to get them back in the door or onto an e-commerce platform.

Marketing and advertising strategies aside, one of the most effective methods to encourage repeat customers is by offering continued service for every firearm they sell.

“Customers can bring their gun back any time and we’ll take it apart and show them how to properly clean it,” Poulin added.

Beyond The Short Sale

While the uptick in gun sales across the country is one of the few positives to come out of 2020 to date, it’s important not to get caught up in the short sale. As we look ahead to the final couple months of the year, there’s a lot of opportunity to attract new customers and reengage previous participants due to an increased interest in hunting and shooting sports.

After all, hunters and sport shooters are some of the most reliable repeat customers a gun store can have.

Take a look at the shotgun price points you offer, consider incorporating value-added services like gunsmithing and cleaning and identify ways you can utilize technology to reach more existing and prospective hunters.

1. nssf.org/millions-of-first-time-gun-buyers-during-covid-19

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