Most customers who walk into an independent gun store have already done a lot of research on the firearm(s) they’re looking to purchase online. They’ve researched model numbers, looked up prices at online retailers, watched field-strip videos, and read reviews of both the firearm and the local gun store they’re visiting.
That raises an important question for most firearm retailers; the customer has done his or her research online, and may have found the exact model (even for less money) online. So why come to a local gun store at all?
The biggest opportunity for the local gun store is to act as a trusted advisor to customers who’ve already done their online research. What they can’t do online is find out if a particular handgun fits comfortably in their hand, or whether the rifle they’ve chosen will actually be the right tool for the job they intend it for. Most online retailers can offer a selection of firearms to compare and match prices, but they fall short in offering that special something: the confidence a customer feels when purchasing firearms and accessories.
The store was never just a place to buy a product. It’s a venue for people to come and make decisions.
The Internet Wins on Information
The internet is better than any given retailer at informing potential customers about products of interest. Customers can research features, compare guns side by side, read reviews, and view pictures within minutes, especially when it comes to concealed carry pistols. A hunter can watch a half-hour field test of a new scope before breakfast and buy the gun and scope at a local gun store that same day. This is a losing battle for the retailer that tries to compete on information alone; the internet is unbeatable at distributing information, and the consumer won’t patronize a retailer who only offers what the internet already provides.
The value the store adds begins as soon as the customer needs to apply the knowledge they’ve gathered online. Once they’ve decided that two rifles with similar specs by different manufacturers might be good choices, that customer begins to value the store’s insight when deciding between two models that look similar on paper. During the purchase, the local retailer can offer specialized knowledge regarding accessories and how different ones can apply to a customer’s specific needs.
Confidence Is the Product For a Local Gun Store
Unlike most retail products, firearms and ammunition require after-sales service, both before and after the transaction. Most products bought on the internet are simple, like a coffee maker or clothing, and don’t require any after-sales service. Guns have always been different.
Consider a few common scenarios: a concealed carry customer needs help selecting the right holster, a hunter wants advice on optic setup, a competitive shooter is evaluating upgrades, a collector is looking for a hard-to-find model. In every case, the customer is buying more than just a product, they’re buying confidence in their decision.
It’s hard to put a price on that confidence, but the value to the retailer is substantial. Customers who trust the retailer they purchased their first firearm from will return for accessories, ammunition, and training classes.
The Sale Is Often Just the Beginning
The biggest difference between buying from a local gun store and an online seller is what happens after the buyer clicks “buy now.” For many successful stores, post-sale services have become an increasingly important part of the business: optic mounting, bore sighting, gunsmithing, cleaning and maintenance, warranty assistance, NFA guidance, firearm transfers, custom modifications. These services open up another revenue stream, turning single sales into long-term customers.
The cost of acquiring a new customer far exceeds the value of retaining one you already have. Industry research puts that gap at five to twenty-five times, and a 5% improvement in retention has been shown to lift profits by 25% to 95%.
Community Is a Competitive Advantage
Community is another service local gun stores can offer that online retailers can’t replicate. Local firearm retailers are gathering places for competitive shooters, hunters, and new shooters alike; a place where new shooters can meet other shooters and hunters can swap stories of past seasons. Manufacturers hold demonstrations in stores, retailers host events for their customers, and the store becomes the focal point of a retailer’s community-building activities.
An online checkout process can only process an order. A local firearm retailer can host customer appreciation events, manufacturer demonstrations, and concealed carry seminars. These aren’t necessarily marketing functions, they’re relationship-building actions that create long-term customers.
A Different Kind of Competition
Many independent retailers believe they’re competing against online retailers, but in reality they’re competing on different grounds. The big online retailers may be your competitors, but they’re competing on convenience, selection, and price transparency. You, as an independent local gun store, are competing on expertise, service, trust, and relationships. You may not be the lowest price at all times, but you can bring in repeat customers (and that’s the most valuable ingredient in retail today).
Relationships Don’t End With the Receipt
One of the greatest opportunities for independent local gun stores to connect with customers, and have them return for future purchases, comes after the initial sale, once the buyer starts needing additional items to better utilize what they bought at your store. The customer buys their first concealed carry pistol. Three weeks later, they come back looking for a better holster. A few weeks later, they need extra magazines for that pistol. A few weeks after that, they start researching a red dot optic for it.
None of those purchases happen in isolation. Every interaction is an opportunity to reinforce why they chose your store for that firearm in the first place. Those who recognize this stop thinking of each sale as a singular transaction, and start thinking about how they can become that customer’s trusted resource for all things related to firearms.
Personalization Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated
Many large online retailers have conditioned customers to expect personalization when they shop, above and beyond what local stores have traditionally offered. Instead of relying on an algorithm, retailers can pair information from past purchases with an actual face-to-face conversation, giving customers better recommendations than any algorithm could.
A customer who bought a rifle for hunting last fall should get personalized service when looking for optics, slings, or a bipod to match what they already own. Follow-up questions or recommendations for cleaning supplies, range gear, training, or safe storage for a first-time handgun buyer will feel helpful rather than like a sales pitch, because they’re relevant to that customer’s current situation.
Good customer service has always been personal. Today’s retail technology just enables the good customer service you’re already giving, and lets you continue those conversations over time.
Your Customer Data Is More Valuable Than You Think
Every day a firearm retailer does business, they’re collecting information to use for future decisions: sales history, seasonal buying patterns, customer preferences, accessory purchases, and inventory movement. Each piece, viewed individually, doesn’t seem like a huge deal on its own. Together, they tell the story of the business, and can be used to fine-tune a retailer’s merchandising, purchasing, marketing, and customer service efforts.
Recent research on consumer habits found that 81% of shoppers now conduct online research before making an in-store purchase, and that shoppers spend an average of 79 days gathering information online before a major purchase. That’s a lot of data a retailer is sitting on, and a lot of reason to actually use it.
Technology Should Support Relationships, Not Replace Them
There’s a lot of talk in the retail industry about artificial intelligence, automation, and the rise of the fully online shopping experience, and how it may impact local gun retailers going forward. The reality is more nuanced. Technology is very good at putting information in order and automating processes that would be too time-consuming for humans, and it gives a retailer much greater visibility into the workings of their business than they’d otherwise have.
It isn’t particularly good at building trust.
For a first-time firearm owner, there are many questions that can’t be answered with a simple online search. A competitive shooter will appreciate recommendations from someone who’s actually shot the gun before. A hunter heading out for the season wants advice on what firearm or ammunition will suit their needs, given local conditions and the experience of other hunters. Conversations around product are built on real relationships, not the transaction.
Bringing It All Together
Running a successful firearm retail business isn’t just about having products for sale. Create an experience for customers that they can’t find elsewhere, one that begins with knowledgeable employees, grows through exceptional service, and continues with follow-up support. That leads to the best of all worlds: long-term customer loyalty, where every interaction a customer has with your store is the best it can be, and the customer gets the best honest advice possible every time they walk through your door.
As product information becomes increasingly available online, confidence and trust in specialists at independent firearm retailers only becomes more important to earn, not less. Independents will continue to thrive as long as they build relationships with their customers, continue to educate them about firearms, and build a community of shooters who return regularly for advice on gear and equipment.
That’s because independents have something online retailers, with their algorithms and massive marketplace of products, can’t give: confidence that the advice given by staff is correct and that the customer’s needs will be met. That isn’t just good customer service. It’s a competitive advantage.
How Rapid Gun Systems Can Help
Building customer relationships is important, and that includes having the right information at the right time. We help you connect your sales, inventory, customers’ past purchases, reports, and marketing into one powerful system that’s simple to use, giving your staff the information they need to provide a more personalized experience for your customers.
Implementing Rapid Gun Systems frees up your time to interact with customers, help a new shooter navigate gun ownership for the first time, manage your growing customer list, and promote your sales events at your local gun store.
Schedule a demo to see how Rapid Gun Systems can service your business.
