Why Hornady Stopped Selling Ammunition to Walmart 12 Years Ago

Recoil Magazine ^ | 9-8-2019 | Candice Horner

[servo1969]

When Walmart made its most recent decision to flip the firearms industry the bird by changing multiple policies, Hornady Manufacturing reminded all of us that they stopped doing business with the retail giant back in 2007. Jason Hornady's quote from 2007, shows that the company sticks to its values and doesn't shy away from making tough decisions. Jason is the vice president of Hornady, and we were able to pick his brain about his past dealings with Walmart and what he thinks the effects will be from Walmart's decision.

RECOIL: Why did Hornady decide to stop selling to Walmart back in 2007?
Jason Hornady: In my previous life, I worked for a company that lived and died by Walmart. And like many companies, Walmart treated them poorly. And, as we were going through these things with Walmart, I decided that if I was ever in a situation where I didn't have to do business with them, I would not. And when I got to Hornady, we were doing some business with them, it wasn't a lot, but they started to become difficult to work with again. I was in a situation where I made the decision for our company to walk away and everybody in the company supported my decision. And we have not looked back.

[servo1969]

Why have a few Hornady products been seen in some Walmarts recently?

"From what we understand, each Walmart store manager has the power to bring in products they feel are applicable to the marketplace, and so in markets there places where they can purchase from distributors. We do business with a lot of wholesalers who distribute our products, and so, what has happened is in certain areas Walmart managers have opted to bring in merchandise through distribution. And, we wouldn't necessarily know about it; There's no way for us to track that, but we do not have any direct accounts with Walmart or Walmart.com. We have no interest in doing business with them."

Recoilweb.com

[I cannot think of a name]

And in a strange twist of fate..........

Every one of the cartridges in every carry gun I have seems to say Hornady on the head.

[vetvetdoug]

There are five gun shoppes in my immediate area and I am more than pleased that Wal Mart has gone this direction as the local gun shoppes keep the money in the area, spend their money in the local area, support the local economy, and are positive members of the church and community. I see it as a plus for the community as this helps build local business.

[A Navy Vet]

"There are five gun shoppes in my immediate area and I am more than pleased that Wal Mart has gone this direction as the local gun shoppes keep the money in the area, spend their money in the local area, support the local economy, and are positive members of the church and community. I see it as a plus for the community as this helps build local business."

Good point and I agree.

[ASA Vet]

My Glock 27 is loaded with Hornady Critical Duty ammo.

I haven't been in a Walmart since they went Commie.

[Jeff Chandler]

AMMO EQUITY

[Georgia Girl 2]

We never buy ammo at walmart anyway.

[Lurker]

I use nothing but Hornady products in our pistols, factory ammo or bullets it’s all Hornady.

L

[RightGeek]

Also from the article

We don’t believe that they [Walmart] were going to be good long run customers. And it turns out we were right. We feel the same way about other companies- we don’t sell to Gander Mountain direct. I believe the person in charge there is anti-gun. Until he calls my father and me and says he’s not, we choose not to sell to them direct. We chose not to do business with Sports Authority because of the same thing; they weren’t good partners. We chose not to do business with the state agency of New York after Andrew Cuomo came out and said he was going to try and break the firearms industry. We’re lucky that we can choose people that we think see the world the way we do.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Suppliers to Wal Mart must accept being paid in 180 days...

[Ancesthntr]

1. Good on Hornady for sticking to its, and its customers’, values.

2. Doing business with Walmart sounds tempting - it is, after all, the single largest retailer on the planet. However, its management has long been aware of that fact and has utilized it to utterly screw with its suppliers. Here’s what they do: if you can overcome all of the hurdles and bureaucracy to get your product approved, you must sign a contract with them. That contract mandates that you open up all of the books and records of your business to them, so that they can see exactly what your production costs and profit margins are. They will then gradually but inexorably, reduce your profit margin to the barest minimum for you to stay in business. So, in the immortal words of Republic Admiral Ackbar: “It’s a trap!!!

[pepsionice]

It’s just time to draw the line and quit Wal-Mart on all shopping requirements, period. You have other options, and the money tends to stay in your local region.

[TheNext]

Agreed.

Let the local gun shops sell ammunition.

And while we are at it ...

Let auto part shops sell parts.
Let bicycle shops sell bikes.
Let produce shops sell produce.
Let electronic shops sell gadgets.

Let Walmart sell soap.

[gr8eman]

I actually tried to buy ammo at the local Wally World and could not do it! No one who had the key to the ammo case was anywhere to be found. Got a way better deal online anyway...even with shipping!

[zeugma]

After reading through the article, it sounds to be like Hornady is a well run business that considers the best interests of its customers, as well as itself. Pretty smart. Goodwill is invaluable.

[Ancesthntr]

It’s just time to draw the line and quit Wal-Mart on all shopping requirements, period. You have other options, and the money tends to stay in your local region.

---

That’s what I’ve started to do. I have gone back a couple of times since their latest action, but much less than I usually do. I have started looking for alternate routes to/from work, so that I go by other grocery stores and general goods stores. I won’t be renewing my Sam’s Club card, either.
F’em!

[Ancesthntr]

I find it more than a little ironic (if not utterly hypocritical) that WM has stopped selling certain guns and certain ammo to everyone because some criminals and some demented individuals have killed and wounded innocents with those products...but, at the same time, WM continues to sell cigarettes, beer and wine, given that cancer and alcoholism kill dozens of times more people. Further, they are also still selling prescription drugs, and a pretty strong case can be made that most of the demented perpetrators of mass killings (whether WM customers or not) are demented because of the side effects of some of those drugs.

Yeah, screw WM! Poor Sam, though - they guy thought he was finally at piece, and now suddenly he’s got to be spinning at about 10,000 RPM.

[Ancesthntr]

“...but, at the same time, WM continues to sell cigarettes, beer and wine, given that cancer and alcoholism kill dozens of times more people.”

---

You know, if I had some spare time and was looking for a little bit of entertainment, I’d go to a WM, load up the cart to overflowing with cigarettes, beer, wine, a few household chemicals and pool chemicals, and then go ask a sales associate in sporting goods to get me some 9mm, .45 ACP and some 5.56 mm ammo. When he/she refused to sell me any, I’d ask for the manager. When the manager explained that WM doesn’t sell those products anymore, I’d ask, “Well, why not? I’ve been buying them here for years.” He’d probably say that it is corporate policy, but I’d keep pressing for the underlying reason (they’re too dangerous, people could be killed with them). Upon hearing that, I’d point to my basket and say, “So can every single item in my shopping cart. But in the interest of public safety, I’m not going to buy them and put these lethal products on the street.” At which point I would just leave.

What fun that would be if it happened in every WM 2 or 3 times a week. They’d not only have to spend a not so small fortune having associates put the products back on the shelves, but pretty soon higher level WM management would understand that they are losing a ton of money because they were a bunch of cowards for giving into the lunatic Left.

[Albion Wilde]

the local gun shoppes keep the money in the area, spend their money in the local area, support the local economy, and are positive members of the church and community.

Agree!

[Trailerpark Badass]

They used to be great for the $8 550rd box of Federal bulk .22lr. I haven’t been in a Walmart since those disappeared.