Wal Mart & Gun sales

[Spinach]

Wal-Mart will stop selling guns in a third of its U.S. stores
Change could be good for mom-and-pop hunting stores

By The Associated Press
Wal-Mart Stores, the discount retail giant, has decided to stop selling guns in about a third of its American stores in what it calls a marketing decision based on lack of demand, a company spokeswoman said Friday, April 14.


The company said it decided last month to remove firearms from about 1,000 stores in favor of stocking other sporting goods, in line with a strategy that is intended to increase sales by paying closer attention to local differences in demand.


?This decision is based on diminished customer relevancy and demand in these markets,? the Wal-Mart spokeswoman, Jolanda Stewart, said.


Representatives at hunting and shooting organizations said they were surprised that Wal-Mart, which has a strong hunting tradition, would surrender the field in at least some areas to big-box outfitting stores like Bass Pro Shops and Cabela?s.


?For some folks, it will affect them as far as where they get their deer rifle or shotgun,? said Gregg Patterson, a spokesman for the hunting and conservation group Ducks Unlimited.


The National Rifle Association said it was concerned people in rural areas, where Wal-Mart might be the only purveyor, may no longer have access to guns.


?We?ve been told by Wal-Mart that the decision would be made on a store-by-store basis based on demand,? the chief lobbyist for the N.R.A., Chris Cox, said. ?The N.R.A. and our members will be watching closely to make sure they stay true to their word.?


Steve Wagner, a spokesman for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the shooting, hunting and firearms industry, said the change could be a boon for mom-and-pop hunting stores that lost business to Wal-Mart.


Gun control advocates welcomed the move. The Violence Policy Center, a gun control group, said Wal-Mart?s decision reflected what it called a decline in gun ownership.


?The marketplace has spoken and the losers are America?s gun industry and the gun lobby,? the agency executive director, Josh Sugarmann, said in a statement.


Ms. Stewart of Wal-Mart declined to specify what stores were affected. Wal-Mart, based in Bentonville, Ark., has about 1,200 discount stores and 1,900 supercenters, which include a grocery section, in all 50 states. Wal-Mart says it sells rifles and shotguns. In Alaska, it also sells handguns.


?As with all merchandise decisions that we make,? Ms. Stewart said, ?our decision to remove guns from Wal-Mart locations is simply based on the lack of customer purchase history of firearms in a given community.?


As Wal-Mart seeks growth by moving from rural America into cities and suburbs, it finds it needs to retune its inventory from hunting and fishing to more home fitness and exercise products.

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? 2006 Outdoors Weekly Corporation
 
 
 
 
   
 
 

[Benny]

I was in Coon Rapids WalMart last week, they are one of the stores no longer selling guns.

The associate said they were going to ship them all back to the vender for a credit.

Benny

[jigglestick]

Good!! the sporting goods is one one of the only remaining areas that still tempt me into going there. now it is much less hard to stay away.
if they get rid of their automotive department, cheaper than dirt name brand motor oils and filters that should just about do it.
i don't know about you all, but i kinda like going to the local gunshop and shooting the crap before i buy a gun.

[GRIZ]

  I agree with ya jiggle about shootin the breeze with the guy at the gun shop. Not to mention a person can get a better deal also. WHAT you might say get a better deal than at Whatmart. Yes some guns shops have a huge markup but others are not so high. Right now once my finances get caught up I have a gun on lay away that is $100 cheaper than any chain store. It's brand new still in the box with warrenty papers.

  Now the good part about local gun shops. You can deal with them. The gun I'm talking about is also coming with a new scope which is a good deal and see through scope mounts for free. He also throws in a nice gun case with the deal. Whatmart isn't always cheaper unless they have cheaper merchandise, which they usually do.

[SoHawk]

"Gun control advocates welcomed the move. The Violence Policy Center, a gun control group, said Wal-Mart?s decision reflected what it called a decline in gun ownership."

THat is a lie.  Gun ownership is up all across the country.

[Benny]

WalMart in Coon Rapids off Round Lake BLVD has no guns any more.

They put fishing rods in the display cases.

Benny

[Joe]

"Gun control advocates welcomed the move. The Violence Policy Center, a gun control group, said Wal-Mart?s decision reflected what it called a decline in gun ownership."

THat is a lie.? Gun ownership is up all across the country.

I see a future politician.

[dkhntr]

I see West St. Paul doesnt either. Thats where I got my first shotgun.

[Benny]

The one by North town still has them, but I bet it's just a matter of time before they get rid of them as well.

Benny