The face of the enemy (looks alot like a bearded John Ritter), whose book is actually titled Every Handgun is Aimed at You:
Posted on 04/15/2006 5:40:19 AM PDT by wallcrawlr
Howdy, El Gato, Kitty Cato! :)
"Tell me when you hear of them increasing the floor space devoted to guns and hunting supplies somewhere."
It's apples and oranges. Guns are not profitable for Wal-Mart, so they're cutting them. Here's an article newly-hatched from the NY Times & AP:
April 15, 2006
Wal-Mart Will Stop Selling Guns in a Third of Its U.S. Stores - AP
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 yesterday.
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.
http://www.nytimes.com
Wal-Mart currently has 3500+ stores in America. (I've also been in Wal-Marts on the island of Kauaii and in Mexico's Puerto Vallarta; they truly ARE everywhere.) They're cutting back on gun sales in 1000 of their US stores that are not profiting from selling guns. It makes sense. They have plenty-o-stores on either coast and in Blue states that are "a-skeered" of guns. Those will be the first to go, I'm sure.
Come on. This is America. If someone needs a hunting or a hand gun, it's not like you can't find one just because they're not selling them at the Wal-Mart stores with cr@ppy gun sales and ignorant sales clerks in the area of firearms. And those poor Rural Folk that can't buy a gun? LOL! I have my Dad's guns, and DH has his father's guns. Guns rarely "wear out." It's not like you NEED to buy a new one each year; more like every other Generation or so. (Though cheap ammo prices are good, but if you pack your own shells, it's no different than rolling your own cigarettes as far as saving money. That was for you, Gabz!) :)
More of the article:
"'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." (For the 'Metrosexual' who isn't out in the field getting exercise while hunting for dinner, but is instead cabbing it downtown to a restaurant, LOL!)
The NY Slimes and The Brady Bunch, of course, want us all to believe that gun purchases are down, when in fact, they remain steady as a $2 billion dollar a year industry, of which Wal-Mart's share is total chicken feed compared to the billions of dollars in other merchandise Wal-Mart can move each year.
The NRA has to get their 2-cents in there too, because they lose funding & memberships if it looks like they're "not standing up" to imaginary gun grabbers. *Rolleyes* Private gun sales account for 30-40% of annual gun sales in the USA, per the latest statistics. Gun shows, on-line auctions, etc.
The left was just a bitchin' that Wal-Mart sold guns in the first place, so now they can have this little, imaginary "victory" to go with all of their other imaginary "victories" which mean squat in the Real World. :)
I'm already here, LOL! See my "Opus" in Post 101. :)
Thank you, m'dear - that's been my point all along.
I honestly and truly do not see this as WM caving to the liberal-left-gun-grabbing WM-haters.
I guess it's the liberals who need convenience and are unable to do anything for themselves that caused WM to decide canning jars are a seasonal item and won't stock them until later this month or early next month.....fat chance in this area.
The local WM has no intentinos of stocking them anyway other than seasonal because "There are enough other local places that stock them year round" that there is no need - as I was told by a department manager when she told me WHERE to find them locally a couple of months ago!!!!!!!
WM hurts mom & pop stores - my left foot.........there are a half dozen or so local M&P's where I am now a loyal customer because I was directed to them by a WM employee.........
This is statistically, if not observably, false.
All they have done is piss off the only group that will defend walmart, Republicans and Conservatives, which are also the groups that own lots of guns and hunt and fish in large numbers.
I don't notice a lot of anger on this thread, and there would be, since FR tends to represent the more vocal of these particular demographics, if what you say is true.
Sorry folks, I would fire whoever made this stupid decision even if they thought it best for inventory management, the dumb bassard forgot about the political side of the issue.
It appears that the Chairman at least had an opinion about it. Wal-Mart is the most successful retailer in the history of the world, and your second-guessing of their reasons is myopic, ill-informed, and laughable.
Wal-Mart is in business to make money for their stockholders, not make political statements for the Republican Party and gun owners.
This thread needs a "Hot-link" for everyone to contact Walmart and explain the facts to them.
LOL!! Wal-Mart could explain the "facts" of their decision to you, and have, but, since their reasons are economic, you don't want to hear them.
"I guess it's the liberals who need convenience and are unable to do anything for themselves..."
Which also shows why they sue Wal-Mart and demand that they carry "convenient abortifacients" for them since they can't figure out that unprotected, indescriminate sex with strangers leads to "Morning After" pregnancies either, LOL!
Your theory applies to so many areas of a liberal's sad, helpless life, doesn't it? ;)
How did liberals make it in this country before they had Wal-Mart to kick around? One shudders to think. *Shudder & Smirk*
K-Mart - Sears - etc., etc., - they have a history of attacking the "stores" that are going to "kill our communities and small business"........ROFLMSS.
It's the dadgum liberals and their nannystatists ideals (and ideas) that are killing communities and small business.
Cabela's salespeople are typically very well trained and professional. The only problem you will have is the long lines at the firearm counters.
So I could find your great post fast and easy.
Thanks
I've seen Mini-14's there in the past, even folding stock ones, but only in rural areas. Mine's fun, and a good gun, but the AR-15 guys are right. The AR is a better gun. Took a long time to get that through my rock hard head, though.
I dunno about that. I picked up a nice Stainless Marlin 917VSF (17 caliber) with the fluted bull barrel, and laminated stock at Wally World for $175 about a year ago. The rifle is dead nuts accurate out to 400yds with the (budget priced) Leupold scope that I also got there, and has taken it's share of groundhogs, raccoons, and foxes.
The face of the enemy (looks alot like a bearded John Ritter), whose book is actually titled Every Handgun is Aimed at You:
I did say "or something like that". In Richmond Va. for instance, tht translates into "Greentop". Varies from place to place.
I agree. Mom and Pop places have been great experiences for me so far. I went to the local dicks sporting goods on saturday.. I was looking for a new deer gun. The guy behind the counter was very rude. When i asked to look at the firearm he said 'your not 18!'.. i said, 'yes i am 20 yrs old.. here is my ID'... he handed me the gun and after about 1 minute he said in a nasty tone 'you know you have to do a background check before you can have that. right???'.. i responded 'yes ive done plenty of them already.. thanks for showing me the gun, i will take my business elsewhere'. I walked out
I went to a local mom and pop shop up the road from my house.. They had a nice 30-30 in stock at a great price and i ended up buying that. The man that runs the place is great and treats everybody with respect. I am going to take most of my gun related business to him from now on.
If any freepers live in the Catskill Mtns of NY and want a nice gun shop to go visit PM me and i will be glad to tell you where to go.
Sam wouldn't stock products that no one is buying either. This isn't political. Wal-Mart is still going to sell guns in those stores that actually move the merchandise. It's only ceasing to sell them in the stores where they aren't being sold anyway. It's a waste of retail space if the product sits on the shelf.
I avoid Modell's and all other big chain stores which pander to anti-gun liberals by not selling firearms.
There are plenty of real gun stores around here and there is Walmart. The real gun stores really soak you with their prices.
I love Walmart. I dont usually buy guns there, but I often buy large quantities of Shotgun Ammo which is sold almost cheaper than I can reload it. I also buy clay birds for about half what the "real gun stores" sell it for.
Walmart employee's don't know much of anything about the guns and ammo they sell. As a savy shopper and gun enthusiast, that is not a problem. Many of the employees of the real gun stores around here have a smug, know it all attitude which keeps me away except for the purchase of new guns of the type that cannot be purchased at a Walmart type of store.
As far a reloading components and tools....and sometimes ammo, I usually go on line
If the government didnt regulate the crap outta buying guns from distributors, I would by them online too, but the FFL thing is a real pain in the rear to deal with thanks mostly to the Clinton administration
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.