In an article about slumping gun sales over at TTAGs, Dicks blames the political environment.

Allow me to retort.  Gun Sales may have slowed down overall… that is true.  The reason is not a lack of desire for new guns.  It’s a lack of liquid money in the hands of consumers.  Let’s be honest.  With Obama care and that economic stranglehold, compounded with cutbacks and rising gas prices… it’s tough to justify spending the extra green.  Now let’s add the fact that a lot of the popular guns use ammo that’s hard to find as well… Lots of factors go into an overall slump in gun sales.

But let’s look at Dick’s Sporting Goods specifically.  What could cause them to have lower sales compared to other gun stores?

I’ve been in several Dick’s stores between here in Richmond, VA for various reasons.  I always wander over to the gun counter to take a look.  What I see are the usual suspects of the common hunting guns… A couple Rugers, Remingtons, and a Marlins… A few shotguns.  Nothing interesting.  No MSR’s to speak of.  No handguns, which over the last few years have been the sales leaders.  Concealed Carry is the biggest sales segment and Dick’s is having none of that.   MSR’s have also been sales leaders and Dick’s doesn’t want to sell those in their stores.  So the #1 Rifle in America, they are too good for, so they are getting none of those sales.   Ammo selection was almost nonexistent, as was the Counter Help at the Gun Department.   And then when you could find someone to show you a gun, the person was an asshole that seemed to be put out that you were bothering him/her.   Never before has a Store ever been so well named.    Dick’s has slumping gun sales because they are not serious about being in the gun sales business.   They are more worried about Crossfit and Sports.  And that’s fine… The Gun Industry doesn’t need a store like Dick’s if their attitude is that of negligence and disrespect.

Message to Joe Schmidt, Dick’s COO:   Now, Dick’s could get back into the game.  And it wouldn’t take a lot of effort… but it would take a few new good people in the right places who can make Gun Department decisions separate from rest of Dick’s Corporate Structure.   They need some serious Gun Guys at Dick’s.   And they don’t have that.  Dick’s is wearing the shoes they laced up by their own choice.   Joe, contact me and we can talk about how to fix this.