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. DEALER Technology Plays Enormous Role In Today’s Gun Store By Russ Thurman HIGH-TECH “C omputerize Your Gun Store?” was the first article we published addressing how dealers could harness “new business technology.” “Harness” really isn’t the right word. “Grapple” would be better, as gun dealers and most of the industry in the ’90s reluctantly ventured into the world of high tech. In that August 1997 article, we examined such The supercharged technology of today has a “huge” impact on dealers’ businesses, according to Carl Ingrao, owner of Four Seasons Firearms in Woburn, Mass. “I can’t imagine doing this the way we used to,” said Ingrao, who has been in the firearms industry for 32 years. “Technology has changed just about every part of our business. It makes a huge difference. I can sell more products more quickly than I ever could before — because of the technology available today.” Ingrao uses a number of high-tech tools in his store, including Camfour’s PC Gun bound-book software. However, he credits his e-fliers as the major reason for his success, resulting in “turning my inventory nine times a year.” “Not many dealers can say they do that, and it’s because of our e-mail fliers. I send them out every week and when I hit that send button, sometimes within two or three minutes, the phone starts ringing. Today, people are getting e-mail on their Blackberries and other devices. The phone beeps, they see it’s from Four Seasons and they’ll call me right then,” Ingrao said. revolutionary terms as “download,” “e-mail,” “gigabyte” and “Internet.” Pretty lofty stuff. That was long before blogging, Twitter, flash drives, smart phones and YouTube. Today, gun dealers — and the industry — have a vast array of high-tech tools available to streamline operations, save money and time, increase sales and reach customers far beyond their market base. Selling More, Quicker In the “old days,” Ingrao says he would advertising and marketing materials via get inventory, put it on his shelf and wait the Web site www.ADbuilderHQ.com. for customers to come in. Or, he’d send “We went through the five steps of out a printed flier. how to create in-store fliers, POPs, tradi“The fliers were expensive, and they took too long to get out. Now, it costs me $287 a year to have a Web site and zero to send out my e-flier to 8,000 subscribers. Zero! The traffic the e-flier creates is incredible,” Ingrao said. Ingrao says using his e-flier gives him the confidence that he can compete with the “big boys.” “With our ability to get products and to let our customers know about them quickly, I can compete with anyone. The Internet levels the playing field for any dealer who is not afraid to try new things,” Ingrao said. That willingness to try new things prompted Ingrao to take part in training for ADbuilderHQ, a program of the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW). The program al- Carl Ingrao’s e-flier to 8,000 subscribers generates lows retailers to create customized “incredible” store traffic. JUNE 2009 27 www.shootingindustry.com