Sales data?

P

Proffer

Inactive
Got into a discussion with a TV news producer earlier in the week after the whole Dick's/Wal-Mart thing. He wanted to push the story that the "two largest gun retailers in the country" we're no longer selling AR's.

I told him I kinda doubted that those two outfits were the largest. Sure, Wally World has a few thousand locations, and there are quite a few Dick's....but i didn't think they moved that many guns. But i kind of had to fall back on not knowing anybody who had ever bought one at either place...and that's not exactly hard scientific data.

He then opined that most sales probably came thru gun shows. Again, i said I doubted that...lots of lookers, not that many buyers. At least that's the way it seems at the ones I go to.

I'm of the opinion that the majority of sales are via the LGS...but that's just a guess.

Can anyone point me in the direction of some data? I've poked around a bit and found stats on the sources of guns used in crimes....but nothing about where the good guys shop.
 
Can't say about Dick's, but believe with their Field and Stream stores they are a large gun retailer. But I would find it hard to believe that most sales are via the small local gun store.

But gun shows? A lot of guns are sold at gun stores; however, the greater majority are legal via an FFL and the left likes to leave that fact out. And I don't believe there will ever be an accurate number of private sales from a gun store cause everyone I know would never answer the question; even if a completely legal sale from a private party.

But I sure would like to see the info myself out of curiosity.
 
Have to admit I've never even seen a Field & Stream store before. Plenty of Dick's outlets around (mostly in dying malls....).

Perhaps I'm just blessed by living in an area with lots of options. Got a Cabelas, a Bass Pro, and an Academy Sports within 15 minutes. Had a Gander Mountain close by as well, until the buyout. Will have to wait and see what replaces it.

Also have a ton of local shops (where I prefer to do business) Can't imagine that if each of them sold 2 or 3 firearms a day...it wouldn't take long for them to far outstrip the every 3 months or so gun show extravaganzas.

But again..I'm just guessing. Any gun shop owners want to clarify on average how many sales a week (not counting the whole transfer fee side business issue...)?
 
I’ve bought several guns at academy. My Mini14 was born at Walmart. ARs were pieced together from mail ordered parts.
 
If you’re looking for sales data, you have to do some extrapolation based on number of stores. Actual quantifiable data that answers your question is nearly impossible to find because most of the public companies do not break down sales into such specific categories, while other companies are privately held and do not disclose their data.

The largest gun retailer based on number of locations, by far, is WalMart, with 5,358 stores in the US. However, WalMart does not sell AR rifles.

Other publicly owner retailers, such as Big 5 Sporting Goods or Academy have 420 and 225 stores, respectively, are much smaller and do not come close.

For a privately held company, the largest is Bass Pro, which after the Cabela’s merger, is comprised of 177 locations.

According to Business Insider, there are approximately 51,000 firearms retailers in the country, with most being small gun stores.

So from that data, it’s a supportable hypothesis that most gun sales in the US are via an LGS.
 
Walmart is a big store, but they have never sold near as many guns as most independent stores. Especially AR's. Only seen 2-3 AR's combined in all of the Walmart stores I've been in.

Dicks hasn't sold AR's in years, and were never a major player. They did sell them at their sister Field and Stream stores. But IIRC there are only 35 Field and Stream stores nation wide.

Largely because of price. The independent stores have always beat the big box stores on price on AR's. The local shop where I do business is selling Ruger's basic AR for $499, out the door including tax.
 
I don't know how many they sale, But I would have told the reporter well if that's the story you're going with then obviously YOU should know the hard numbers in which case what are they?

They either..

1. did the research and have a number
2. did not do the research and made one up
3. did not do the research and if they admit to that nullifies their entire point.

Honestly I've not been in a dick's in years, And not just because of the stunt they pulled after sandy hook.. Their prices suck, I've never bought a gun from them.

I don't think I've ever even seen a field and stream.

Walmart.. They might be a big seller.. they don't have the greatest selection but their prices are often competitive.. so what they do sell they probably sell a reasonable amount.. more than you would first expect for a department store.

The problem with WM though is not every store sells guns.. None of the ones around me do I have to travel about 15miles to get to one that does.

I have bought 1 gun from walmart.. it was a Marlin 60 many years ago, cheapest around and my LGS didn't even have any in stock anyway.
If you go to buy a gun from WM you do it for price, not experience let me tell ya.

There is a GS I sometimes goto that is often busy enough that you have to take a number to get a sells person.. I'd bet they sell a ton of guns.. WM and Dicks im sure sells more guns then them if you count total sales nationwide but within say 50 miles I doubt it, But they only have like 2 or 3 stores.

So the reporters statement may or may not be true depending on what light you shine on it.

They may get their asses handed to them when you look locally at the stores individually but they may very well sell more total guns because the local competition might be 1 or a small string of stores.

Imagine a widly popular taco stand outside your work.. maybe they whip the nearest taco bell in # of taco's sold per day but they're 1 location VS 5,000 so taco bell wins in total sells.. know what I mean?

Now if you was to put all "GUN STORES" into 1 group vs WM, Dicks, what have you I agree with you that they probably get crushed in sales.



Regardless of what the truth is about sales I'd have laid it down for the reporter like this, No one in the gun enthusiast community cares cause they're overpriced anyway.
 
Proffer

If I had had the discussion with the reporter/editor I would have counseled to not use "largest" but change the word to "large"

Then the opening would be very technically correct and have the same impact as the point the story (I assume) intended to promote
 
One thing to keep in mind is that about 50% of gun sales in the U.S. are handguns and Wal-Mart hasn't sold handguns in years.
 
Machineguntony said:
The largest gun retailer based on number of locations, by far, is WalMart, with 5,358 stores in the US. However, WalMart does not sell AR rifles.
Click to expand...
To further complicate the issue, not all Walmart stores sell firearms. I don't know if there's any separate tabulation of how many do or don't sell firearms.

Dick's stores in my area purport to sell firearms. I don't think they mean it -- in the few times I've gone to one (usually looking for an advertised ammo sale that was fake), I don't think I've encountered a salesperson in the gun area more than once in ten or fifteen years. Dunno how you sell guns without salespeople.
 
Honestly, I think most of the these places just want the heck out of politics. They don't need a soccer mom walking by the aisle and seeing an AR with her kids in the cart. I don't blame them one bit. So I don't think its hurting their sales in the slightest. Walmart got rid of playboys years ago for the same reasons.
 
The issue with Dicks as well as field & stream is they really don't sell guns. They have guns for sale, but rarely are they even competitive with Cabelas, let alone a high volume lgs.
 
Got into a discussion with a TV news producer earlier in the week after the whole Dick's/Wal-Mart thing. He wanted to push the story that the "two largest gun retailers in the country" we're no longer selling AR's.
Click to expand...

If the producer wants to say that then THE PRODUCER better have the confirmation on the numbers.

I am TIRED of folk reporting stuff as fact just because they THOUGHT it was true. (or maybe because they WISHED it were true.)

For pity sakes we are talking about hard cold emotionless numbers here---do your job, main stream media and get the facts right for goodness sakes!!!
 
None of US know the producer that proffer was chatting with

local tv...regional, pro civil rights.. pro socialist...left or right of center

most of these...stories are a one off....I too yell at he TV all the time when the prompter reader is obviously clueless...

This is a news story....I prefer my TV station to just report and NOT Pontificate....very hard to find these days

Dicks and several others made a business decision... the news head line is...

Several Major Retail chains have stopped selling some types of rifles and some have raised the age to buy ANY gun to 21....Period


Dick's through it's Field and Stream retail outlet will not longer carry Assault type rifles and as a chain now will not sell any rifle or pistol to anyone under 21

WalMart has followed suit although they stooped selling any assault type rifles many years ago...but now will require any fire are purchase to be to a 21 or older customer

Then as is typical the on screen Talking heads will discuss the issue based on the political leanings of the TV station owner...
 
Proffer wrote:
Can anyone point me in the direction of some data?
Click to expand...

First, Wal-Mart stopped selling ARs in 2015, so anything they did in the last two weeks has had zero impact on AR sales.

Second, look at their annual reports and SEC filings. You can download these from the investor services section of their respective websites. And if the regulatory reports don't give you what you are looking for, contact the companies themselves.

Third, while Dick's does have just over 700 stores, they only have 35 Field & Stream locations.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top