So much emphasis within the firearms industry, driven by gun distributors, is more than ever hyper focused on guns and ammunition, followed by the most expensive accessories like optics.

Overall, there is a growing deemphasis on lower priced items, especially the little things, many of which require a lot of handling. This may not be where the big money is but that is the heart of what the gun business is really about. So, firearms distribution invests most in guns and ammo, but they blindly leave gun stores practically empty because they don’t commit enough to selling firearm accessories.

I have known this for years and I understand the obvious reasons, but when you think about importance of “everything else,” you quickly see why something like gun care is worthy. Lest they forget, without gun cleaning products or good gun lube, the big ticket hardware items don’t work so well.

What I don’t want any gun owner to think is that any gun cleaner or any gun oil will do. That isn’t true, especially when we deal with modern high precision gunmetal parts that are mostly of the semiautomatic type – many moving parts, something with very tight tolerances, and very much in need of proper lubrication.

Gun stores without product on the shelf don’t impress customers.

Gun shops who don’t understand gun care aren’t impressive.

Gun dealers who push the lower common denominator of gun cleaner and gun lube aren’t serving gun owners.

The attitude within the firearm industry that they should only care about guns and ammo is a fools errand.

Every consumer knows that a fully stocked store with knowledgeable counter staff is more appreciated and greatly outperforms the unimpressive retail experiences. Store staff that isn’t focused, clueless and rude doesn’t serve anyone, and they certainly don’t deserve to keep their jobs. Worse than that, a gun shop owner trying to make ends meet shouldn’t burn through cash flow by wasting it on bums. Yeah, that’s right, bums.

Winners look like winners, and they look like it, while stores that lose look like what they are. It’s not a secret how to run a business and provide top notch customer service. It’s not just about having a lineup of cool guns in the case.

Firearm maintenance products are just an example of the kinds of things gun store staff should be paying more attention to, especially since it also helps ring up the register.

Serve the 2A community better. We need better consumer product education. That is how you grow a business and properly support a healthy industry.

#2a #pewpew #firearmsindustry #gunbusiness #shootingsports #shotshow