They say change is inevitable, and it’s very easy to see in our industry. It seems like we are constantly dealing with changing legislation, changes in consumer trends, changes in regulation, changes in public perception, changes in supporters of our industry, and changes in our staff. Most changes hurt the way we do business. We’ve grown accustomed to making adjustments and overcoming challenges. Lately, these changes have felt like an ever-tightening noose designed to strangle our businesses into submission or to squeeze us out altogether. One thing that hasn’t changed much in the last 30 years is NASGW. NASGW has long been the annual show we’ve all had marked on our calendars that we had to attend because it is just so productive to move product. The Expo has always been very business focused. The good news is that it isn’t changing. But for the last 30+ years, that is all NASGW is really focused on, producing a great show that brings value to all member businesses. That is where things have been starting to change. With the addition of SCOPE, NASGW isn’t a one-week-of-the-year organization anymore.

Data is becoming a big part of what brings value to NASGW members throughout the year. The list of businesses using SCOPE continues to grow. As SCOPE has continued to improve, more businesses are finding ways to implement insights from SCOPE into their business. It’s hard to refute such a large sample of the firearms market, nearly 65% of the market in 2021. But SCOPE isn’t distributor data alone. With the launch of CLX right around the corner, NASGW members will soon have access to a substantial sample of retail sales data from across the country. And, through PLX, NASGW is taking the lead in helping our industry standardize product data, making it more consistent and easier to compare products. But this effort will take cooperation across all manufacturers and distributors. This enormous effort will be a game changer for our industry. Think of PLX as Realtor.com or the Zillow of the shooting sports industry. If you want to find product info or have product info fed into your business, PLX is the future. Exciting things are in the works but getting all companies to read from the same script takes time and participation. So please, connect with the SCOPE team at NASGW to see how your business can help the industry take a big step forward through PLX.

But the winds of change don’t end there. That noose that continues to tighten around our industry isn’t going away. Our industry needs partners in business to help us with essential things necessary for day-to-day operation. NASGW’s position in the industry creates a huge potential in bringing together partners to support the industry. Partners that help sustain our businesses despite the challenges. NASGW is becoming much more than a one-week Expo. Much more than a little data tool. It’s an exciting time, and we look forward to sharing the vision of where your organization is going. The winds of change are blowing but in a positive direction for once.

Until next time,

Chris Means

NASGW Chairman