The news is full of debates over guns.
Recent shootings have led to debates over whether people should have access to more guns for protection or whether access should be limited to keep weapons from falling into the wrong hands.
Gun manufacturers have, of course, been of the mindset that people should buy more guns, but the negative public relations from the shootings may be catching up with these manufacturers. Gun sales reached record highs last year when a few lawmakers advocated stricter gun control regulations following the Sandy Hook shooting. Immediate fears over the shooting have abated, however, and people are no longer buying as many guns for defense.
The gun sales from last year caused manufacturers to increase their inventory.
That is a problem now when there is no demand for guns.
Too much supply and little demand means that stores are left with excess inventory and have no need to purchase more guns from manufacturers. Smith & Wesson reports that sales in the past quarter are down 23 percent and profit has dropped 45 percent.
Manufacturers continue to deny the problem with supply and demand.
They insist that the trouble comes from stubborn retail partners who stock less popular guns that do not sell to make room for new products. In addition, the manufacturers lament that they are not able to sell cool new guns that will be more popular.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation, however, says that things are simply evening out in the wake of the tragic shootings. While government statistics indicate a rise in gun interest over the last decade, sales continue to plummet.
To improve sales, gun manufacturers are looking to the upcoming hunting season. Production is slow due to the backup of inventory, but manufacturers are confident that they will be able to sell their products and gain back the profit that has been lost. This could, however be the after-effect of negative public relations generated by shootings in recent years.
Ronn Torossian is one of America’s foremost Public Relations executives as founder/CEO of 5WPR, a leading independent PR Agency. The firm was honored as PR Firm of the Year by The American Business Awards, and has been named to the Inc. 500 List. Torossian is author of the best-selling "For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results with Game-Changing Public Relations." For more of Ronn Torossian's reports, Go Here Now.
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