Part of me does wonder though if some of these rebates we're seeing from S&W and Walther are to move product to clear the way for new models. We've seen the M&P 2.0 and I wonder if we'll see a 2.0 Shield or similar. It may honestly just be that in the US the market is so flat that they're doing whatever they think will work to drive sales.
S&W & Walther are offering rebates on guns right now because the market is the softest I have seen since 2000. It is not just guns. Look at the prices on ammo right now.
I doubt it that they are moving stuff for the next offering. IMHO they are just trying to move metal and plastic. The gun manufacturers expected Clinton to be in the White House right now and that people would be panic buying anything and everything with the threat of legislation. Now with Trump and the current congress plus the overbuying of the last few years the market is saturated.
Also the reality is that the PPQ is very popular on the forums but its is relatively a poor seller. It does not sell anywhere close to Glock, XD and S&W M&P. A big part of that is Walther's horrible marketing. The view from the forums is a bit distorted because we for the most part are not the avg gun buyer. We are the enthusiast.