Click here to download the catalog as a PDF file. To view this site you need Adobe Flash Player and your browser must allow javaScripts. Go here to get the latest Flash Player. Remington’s Ultra Mag. line offers dealers a wide range of options to meet their customers’ needs. The advantage of ammunition rebates is you can advertise the after-rebate price, which gets the customer’s attention — although, you must specify that the stated price is after the manufacturer’s rebate. “Every year at ATK, we offer consumer rebates, so we have a pull-through program that helps dealers sell ammunition,” Biedinger said. “We have rebates on most rifle and shotgun ammo.” Most manufacturers provide rebates every year. In 2008, Remington offered rebates on centerfire rifle ammunition and several kinds of shotshells. ENVIRONMetal offered mail-in rebates of up to $50 on its Hevi-Shot waterfowl ammunition. In the past few years, the cost of the raw materials necessary to make ammunition — brass, copper, lead and steel — has skyrocketed. As a result, manufacturers have been forced to raise the price of all ammunition, sometimes by a good bit. “There’s been some sticker shock from customers,” Biedinger said. “Dealers should be able to explain to customers what’s going on with the price of those metals, and tell them that the market just can’t bear low prices anymore.” Education is crucial, which means you need to be educated so you can educate your customers. Talk to your sales reps and have information on hand from manufacturers. Every ammunition manufacturer has “good, better and best” lines of ammuni36 FEBRUARY 2009 Explain The Rise In Ammo Prices tion. Target selling the “best” first. “When a customer comes in who has a hunt planned, he’s looking for ammunition, optics and maybe even a gun,” Biedinger said. “On the ammo side of things, everybody makes more money on premium product.” These include Federal Premium, Remington Gold Box or Premier Nitro, Black Hills Are you prepared to meet your customers’ ammo-buying Gold or Winchester Su- needs? Sprague’s Sports in Yuma, Ariz., is, with this promotion of Federal ammunition. preme Elite. However, the customer may resist purchasing premium ammuni- into Super-X, or if he prefers Remingtion because of the price. ton, offer him Core-Lokt or Promotional “Retailers who are good at selling am- Game Loads. munition show the customer good, better If your customer simply isn’t going to and best,” Biedinger said. “They ask the purchase premium or mid-range ammo, and customer where he’s going to hunt and get just wants a box of ammo, then move to the a feel for what he’s going to do.” “good” level of ammunition. For ATK this is Then the smart retailer says something the Power-Shok line; for Winchester, USA like, “When you really think about the cost Brand or Xpert; for Remington, UMC. of the hunt, the price of the gas, the cost of the lodging and trophy fees, is $39 for a Sell Your Customer Enough Ammo Whether you’re selling your customer box of ammo — which is really the only thing between you harvesting your game good, better or best ammo, be sure you sell him enough. Find out what he’s going or losing it — such a big cost?” When presented that way, it’s much more to use the ammo for and “fit” the sale to difficult for the customer to buy less-expen- where the customer is going. “Smart retailers sell customers two sive ammunition. Some customers still will resist the high- boxes of ammo, no matter what they’re er price of premium ammunition. When buying,” Biedinger said. “The last thing you want to do is send your customer on a that happens, move to the next level. “If a customer resists buying Federal trip with only one box of ammo, because Premium, you can step down to the Fusion he may need to sight in his gun again when brand and point out the premium bullet with he gets where he’s going. If he’s in some great weight retention and superior accura- small town in a remote part of the country cy,” Biedinger said. “It’s in between Federal and the only store in town is a hardware Premium and our Power Shok brand, which store, that store probably isn’t going to gives it a lot of perceived value, but doesn’t have the caliber he shoots, or the right bullet weight or bullet type that he’s sighted break the customer’s pocketbook.” If your customer is a dyed-in-the-wool in his gun with.” Key Selling Point: Your customer alWinchester customer, try moving him Up-Sell Ammunition Winchester is expanding its E-Tip line, adding .300 Win. Mag. and 7mm for 2009. Read SI DIGITAL www.shootingindustry.com