Black Friday is now over...... I want your thoughts.

So I'll be honest, hunting season all the way through winter is basically my favourite time of year. BUT, Black Friday and Christmas are my least favourite things about this time and I'll tell ya why.

My view coming from the side of things as someone whom works within retail, be it firearms or anything else is a little more shall we say blunt. It is one of the most toxic times of the year, and without going into details some interactions can be outright preposterous for no reason..... Not all mind you, we have some we speak to daily, weekly, monthly, old and new alike we have some pretty amazing customers. But this time of year brings out the worst in some.

My view as a regular guy looking to buy something cheap....I don't. I rarely buy things I don't need I'm a simple living style of person. Pretty sure the last thing I bought ( that wasn't some silly cheap $100.00 gun that comes through the door ) was a TV 4x years ago because ours finally died.. I don't really sale shop, if I need something I buy it.

Sometimes something comes up and I'm like, "dang, that's a good deal...." and I'll buy something. But I don't actively shop for deals on things I don't need. Anyways those are my views...

For anyone who was looking around this past week, what did you think?

Were sales up to your "standards"?

What do you expect from firearms retailers on Black Friday?

I am not going to go into the intricacies of working within the realm of the firearms industry, but let me tell you it is like no other. Don't get me wrong either this is not some "whah whah whining thread" I am genuinely curious as to what people's expectations are here.

Electronics, clothing, and other more "heavily-consumed" items are not even close to the same as firearms. Margins, deliveries, distributors, everything is totally different so trying to compare it may turn out to be very disappointing.

Let me know I would like to hear it.. And please keep in mind, this isn't strictly about Wolverine's sales or promotions. I am asking you a general question about the entirety of the Black Friday week you have just experienced within the firearms industry.

Saw a number of good deals at site sponsors but didn’t need anything really as I am well stocked, I just work/plan that way. I appreciated the efforts that vendors put to try have a range of items at nice but not shocking discounts. Given the way things have unfolded over the last two years and the current problems with resupply and the hellish time folks are having in BC I think most vendors did as well or more than a reasonable person could expect. One killer for me these days that is in no way the fault of vendors is the hellish shipping costs for bulk ammo in particular.
I have purchased from you in the past and will do so in the future as I like your stock and approach.
All the best to you and the rest working retail and supply!

I bought into a black firday sale, that i just happened to come across while not looking at all.

Then the dealer held it for me as UPS wouldnt accept packages to this part of BC due to road closures. (Its shipped now)

So im excited i found that deal.


Geoman, Usp ships ammo for a reasonable rate. It was 39$ to have a few pounds of powder a few thousand primers and 1000 22rimfire from Ontario to BC.

1) People in general have gotten a lot less friendly in the last 2yrs. Sorry for anyone that works the front lines and has to deal with that
2) The economic recovery has not been a V shape like normal it has been a K shape. Some people recovered fine and other are still struggling. Money is still tight for a lot of us.
3) we have been conditioned to expect free shipping for pretty much anything over $100. Now that shipping costs have gone up it doesn't make sense for you to eat that but some big places still can. Its hard for me to change my expectation quickly.
4) i have firearms fatigue. with all these incoming ban scares and availibity shortages i've been buying everything i can afford every month. i don't have a coffee can with cash like i usually did.
5) inflation/USD conversion. The price of everything has been going up a lot recently. this isn't just on you, its everywhere. but my paycheque is the same.
6) The sales- your actual question. Most of the sale prices i saw (at all retailers) were basically the regular sticker price from 18 months ago. Its hard to excited for that. I bought some ammo but that was about it. There were some hot items that were marked down but no door crashers that would justify me going into debt to have.


I completely understand that your business model doesn't give you the same kinds of margin on firearm's as you have on accessories/merchandize.

I don't have any suggestions on what you could do different? I think the market will struggle for a while. Hopeful you will continue to be successful!

Wasn't really looking for much as I have transitioned to trap shooting - my needs/wants are very small.

I did find target shells for a relatively decent price (bought 10 flats).

Right now I am on the hunt for a winter trap jacket which it seems like Canada has very little options, looking at some used jackets on ebay.

I thought the whole idea of Black Friday sales was to stimulate consumer spending during an identified (historically) low period. As far as I know, that strategy paid off dramatically with an inversion in the (historical) spending. In fact, the media has driven a narrative that says that many consumers'- anticipating the sales - now actually hold off on any major spending in the weeks leading up to it. I assume that most consumers assume that most retailers are still making money even at the 'sale' prices.

Am I wrong?

From my understanding, for 50% of my shooting supplies I buy it on Black Friday, I can save about 20-30% by just doing that, MDT had an amazing sell though, I'll give them that.

For my self, I don't pay attention to holiday sales whatsoever. Like you, I'm not in the habit of buying something I don't need and (unfortunately) that means I too rarely need something at the exact time it goes on sale.

This past week I was vaguely aware of black friday (mostly because my junk email folder kept filling up with promotions) but I never thought to check out any sales online or in person.
I guess I'm a poor consumer but, should I need something from you(or anyone in general) next week, I'll be happy to shop at regular prices.

Cheers!
Paul.

People are quite something around these sorts of events and there is a massive expectation vs. reality gap in what a business can offer as far as discounts go. Margins on firearms especially are beyond thin, I think there is more latitude around accessories and clothing type items. If someone thinks they are going to see a 40% off sale on Accuracy International and a free S&B PMII thrown in for good measure they need to give their head a shake. I've purchased from you folks a bunch of times and the service and commitment behind the product are worth more to me than a fleeting sale.

I scooped up some small items I had been wanting from MDT's sale (hard to pass up the savings on magazines) and checked a number of site sponsors but didn't see anything I had to have or truly needed. I am putting some pennies aside toward a progressive reloading setup and it will likely be through Wolverine should you have what I'm looking for in stock from Dillon.

Retail is no easy gig especially in the gun world, I find there is a race to the bottom in terms of quality and price with some manufacturers trying to squeeze something out to the market to draw people in which influences peoples expectations and opinions on what something should cost.

I always thought black friday was a way to move old stock.

To be honest most of the Black Friday deals I seen were the same discount sales I get sent to my email from all the retailers a few times a month, every month.

There is always a sale around the corner if you have a bit of patience.

I found black Friday to have very few deals in my opinion at gun shops, Canadian tire, even Walmart. Not sure its pandemic related or just a sign of things to come. I literally wouldn't bother going out again if its the same next year. O bought a small TV for my garage at Walmart for black Friday price of $188, and today its still on sale for the same price with a bunch of unsold units on the floor.

In years past I spent thousands at the wolverine black Friday sale (hope you guys remember me i bought up all your sks), this year zero, waiting for some deals to come back.

I can only speak from retail electronics/computer bits side of things...there are next to no margins there either...profit is made on accessories and service. Black Friday and Boxing day are a pain in the arse. Most things on sale will be crap the retailer is trying to get rid of, or good things bundled with crap the retailer is trying to get rid of.

I'll be perfectly honest, I don't miss being involved in retail at this time of year...in general, people are not nice.

Evanguy said:

I bought into a black firday sale, that i just happened to come across while not looking at all.

Then the dealer held it for me as UPS wouldnt accept packages to this part of BC due to road closures. (Its shipped now)

So im excited i found that deal.


Geoman, Usp ships ammo for a reasonable rate. It was 39$ to have a few pounds of powder a few thousand primers and 1000 22rimfire from Ontario to BC.

Click to expand...

I was thinking more of heavier stuff. $40 on 250 20 gauge from Outside Toronto to eastern Ontario in late October but it was heavy lol! Glad you got what you needed always good to have happy campers around!

I don't generally shop around for much else than what I need as well. Turns out I was in the market for a new .22 and decided to treat myself to a 10/22.
While I was browsing I noticed the same site had 7.62x39 crates on sale as well as bulk .22. I was already stocked up but this saves me a trip to the city for ammo for at least another year.

The extra shipping charges brought it up to what I'd have spent in store last year but regardless it saves me 250$ on gas and a 12hr round trip.
I can only see prices going up from here so when I see a good deal I buy what I need x2.
Last trip to the city I bought a year's supply of fishing gear (extra line, lures, plastic grubs, etc), as well as a new 10ft Jon boat for a great price. The boat dealer said shortly after I bought mine (I pre-paid it 3 weeks before I picked it up) all their 10ft Jon's were sold into next year.

Only thing I couldn't find was butcher wrap which I'll have to find soon as I've got a 2 limit bear hunt in the spring and it looks like a bull moose hunt in the fall.

I always sale hunt, this year I noticed less selection of sale items. Supply chain issues plus the demand in firearms industry over the last 2yrs, just the situation we’re in. I did finally buy a plate carrier that ive been on the fence about for a year or 2. It was 20% off which is the highest discount I’ve seen offered on it. Also bought some ceramic plates since they were somewhat discounted as well.

Almost glad that the sales weren’t amazing. With the covid mandate & job instability, trying not to spend. Didnt notice many sales with retailers in other fields. Amazon is always a scam, I’ve had items in my cart waiting fir Black Friday and prices always increase before, then drop down again after.

Big issue why I didn't purchase was shipping costs + extra fees eg on a handgun the shipping was $46 and the "oversize" fee (on a handgun) was $20 extra so essentially eliminated any discount. I am also in a major city not rural.

Historically, Black Friday was one a one day sale, in the U.S. Then they added Cyber Monday.
Then it came to Canada and we made it a long weekend. Now there's Black Friday Sales for a week before and a week after.
It's the same with Boxing Day. Once a highly anticipated sale day in Canada, now you can get Boxing Day sales for a month before and after Boxing Day.
These sales are mostly meaningless now as they just blend right in with every other weekly/monthly sale.
That being said, there was a few vendors who stuck to just the four day weekend sale but even their discounts weren't that special (that I saw).
Don't get me wrong, I did do a little shopping because a percentage off is a percentage off. As others have mentioned though, not nearly as much as I was hoping to.
If the discounts were higher, I would have bought more and spent more. As it was, I just ended up getting what I needed and not want I wanted.
My two cents.

One just can't speak about this without considering the mess we are in nowadays. Around 2015 I picked up some shifts at Cabelas to supplement my gun budget a bit (I had a full time employment somewhere else). After 15 or so months of working there I had a pretty good idea about the reality of retail and profit margins on guns. Even back then people were going ballistic around Christmas and bigger sales. Nowadays I see some crazy aggression in every aspect of daily life. More and more drivers are extremely aggressive, people in the grocery stores are doing things that they never did before, folks are arguing about the parking spots and so it goes. Even neighbors seem to keep to themselves mostly. So, no I'm not surprised that you may feel being targeted by the tough crowd. At the slightest.

What do I want from sales? Perhaps it is not going to be a huge surprise, but all I want is a really good deal.
We still own the same 21" TV that we bought when we moved to Canada 14 or so years ago. We can barely see anything in it as we are getting older and the screen is smaller than most computer monitors those days. I looked around and didn't see any good deals really, so we will wait a bit longer. Why am I telling you about that? Just to illustrate that some people may actually be willing to wait for the real deals.
If those can not be offered (which is fair), than IMHO there is no need to call those special days "sales".

I am curious how firearms businesses KPIs are affected by black Friday. I hope it helps you guys out but as said I assume with margins how they are it doesn't really give the business the boost like it does to other industries.

The only thing I bought on black Friday was crypto. To be honest nothing I really wanted or needed was on sale. In years past I bought alot of components and optics, but the deals were almost too good to be true. I didn't see one of those deals except the MDT ACC screw up lol