Is Walmart going out of the gun business?

[Grandpa Shooter]

I live in Arizona up in the mountains, and don't go to the city much. I have noticed that the two Walmarts within 50 miles of me have less guns than before. One of them only has maybe 6 guns on display, the rotating cases at the front of the counter are gone altogether. The stock of gun related stuff seems to be declining also.

Got me thinking, is Walmart going out of the gun business?

This in NOT a Walmart bashing thread, this is to inform me of something I would like an answer to. Are the Walmarts near you carrying less guns and gun stuff than say a year ago?

 

[thexrayboy]

Walmart is not going out of the gun business. Walmart is running a "if we don't sell a lot of this item lets quit stocking it and stock something that will sell" business. If a Walmart store sells enough guns to justify dedicating store space to that item they will continue to do so. If they do not they will eliminate it in favor of something that will sell. This is not a 2A or anti 2A decision. It is a business decision made by a company that values the almighty profit margin above and beyond anything else.

 

[Thernlund]

I haven't noticed a change. I was at a Walmart in Phoenix a week of so ago and they had around 20 rifles/shotguns on display and alot of ammo.

I wouldn't be surprised to see some stores "phase out" firearms to a degree though. Walmart will do what the bottom line dictates. If firearms and/or ammo aren't selling, you'll see less. Has nothing to do with any principles I'm sure.


-T.

 

[Nomad101bc]

Nah it was in the New York times awhile back they have been trying to get away from the guns/hunting image for awhile. Fortunately this only helps Cabelas rise. The Cabelas in my liberal state always has lines out the door so to Wal Mart I say good ridance.

 

[Constantine-p89]

They still sell shotguns and rifles in Wallmart and Kmart around here.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Citation Please?

Nah it was in the New York times awhile back they have been trying to get away from the guns/hunting image for awhile.

Got a link to that?

 

[Cesiumsponge]

No more guns at both walmarts here, just ammo. One sporting goods guy working there claimed all the urban walmarts here stopped carrying them.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

Got a link to that?

Not from the NY Times, but likely the same story.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12316692/

This same thing has been hashed over dozens of times here. Some Wal-Marts have stopped selling guns. Some have put in brand-new expanded gun counters. Around here, they have stopped selling guns at 3 of the 5 of the Wal-Marts in the county and expanded the gun counter at the other 2.

 

[sammoh]

All walmarts in the SE WI area stopped carrying and selling firearms some time in 2006 I think, or perhaps it was even as early as late 2005. No more firearms sales although they're still selling accessories and ammo.

 

[Nomad101bc]

Its all part of their plan to hit the trendy market their rival "Target" has cornered. So unless you are a major hunting area its very likely the firearms will be phased out.

 

[gunsmith]

wally world has guns here

good prices too.

 

[rugerman07]

I asked two different employees in sporting goods at our local Wal Mart if they were going to quit selling guns. One said yes the other one said no. So, who knows?

Our local K Mart quit selling guns 10 years ago but they still sell ammo and hunting assessories.

 

[chieftain]

It is a business decision made by a company that values the almighty profit margin above and beyond anything else.

I have noticed that the companies that don't value the almighty dollar ain't in business much longer.

In fact buy less stuff from them, and just like your local small gun shop, they will go away too, if they don't sell enough.

It's called business. I hope they make a large profit from me paying low prices. I prefer that to the business that makes a small profit when I pay a lot.

Businesses that make profits hire more people. Businesses that lose money, hire less people. Do the math.

Go figure.

Fred

 

[weisse52]

I was told by a Walmart employee in SLC that they where getting out of the business of selling guns. Stores in Central Ohio have stopped selling guns, but still continue to sell ammo.
On a recent trip to London Ky. I noticed the Walmart had a very well stocked gun section with two employees working full time to keep up with the demand.
I would have to say, looks like a business decision.

 

[hso]

GS,

We have this question, or some version of it, every couple of months and the answer is, no. Walmart as a corporation isn't going out of the gun business, but some Walmart stores are getting out of the gun business.

This is due to a combination of market (not enough sales and more profitable things to do with the floor/counter space) and regulatory pressures (can't find enough people to do the paper work properly) at the individual stores.

 

[Sav .250]

So far the local Wal-Mart in Orange City (central fl) is still sellng rifles/shotguns and ammo. No drop off noticed

 

[Rshooter]

We have two WalMarts in town. The older one sells guns, the newer "upscale" one does not.

 

[22-rimfire]

It seems that Walmart has dropped selling firearms in stores that had poor sales overall and have moved the guns to one or two regional stores in my area. There are a lot of Walmarts in my area. There are probably 12 or so within 50 miles radius and 8 within 20-25 miles. I have been to each of them at one time or another. All are superstores. Technically, Walmart leases the stores these days, but they are all company stores vs franchise operations.

 

[Cliff47]

I was at two Wal-Marts, not five miles apart over the weekend. One had an abundance of firearms, but no ammunition. The other had ammunition up the whatever, but no firearms. Go figure.

 

[scurtis_34471]

I live in a city with four or five gun stores, all of which have prices that made my buddy from Texas blanch. I blame this on the lack of large sporting goods retailers to put downward pressure on pricing. Because of that both of our Walmarts do a very brisk gun business and both actually expanded their gun and shooting supplies selection when they renovated the stores. We're talking about a 12 to 16 foot long cabinet with rifles and shotguns in the top and ammunition in the bottom at each store.

 

[SGW42]

One sporting goods guy working there claimed all the urban walmarts here stopped carrying them.

This is what I have observed. In Houston, none of the intercity Wal-Marts I've been to sell any firearms - just some assorted hunting things maybe, and air guns.

Go out to the suburbs and beyond that, they usually still have their rack of guns and some ammo.

 

[strat81]

One of the Walmarts in Grand Island, NE stopped selling guns, filled the case with Airsoft, then removed half of the Airsoft stuff and replaced it with muzzleloaders.

FWIW.

 

[PovRayMan]

So far the local Wal-Mart in Orange City (central fl) is still sellng rifles/shotguns and ammo. No drop off noticed

Are you talking about the one off Saxon Blvd? I go there all the time and they only have a few muzzle loaders which only showed up in recent months. As long as Walmart carries ammo I'll be plenty happy.

 

[submin]

Question for those who live in areas where WM has dropped guns

Does Wal Mart still sell guns from their catalog? Not being one to buy retail specials, I've always ordered from their firearms catalog. As far as I know Wal Mart has never stocked or sold handguns over the counter but I've ordered several from their catalog and saved substantial piles of money.

 

[Quigley]

Walmart and Guns

Nothing against Wally World but unless you are buying a Mossberg 500 or 870 Express give your local gun dealer a chance. We need to support those who support our sport! You don't realize how good we have it till you all the sudden have to drive two hours to buy powder, primers ect.