The firearms industry is widely considered to be very traditional in its approach, and customers and retailers alike are more comfortable with brick-and-mortar stores. The former usually like to see their purchases up close and personal before they make that crucial purchase decision, while the latter are only too keen to oblige them.
However, buying patterns are now changing at a holistic level, and the firearms market is not immune to this change. This paradigm shift offers a veritable plethora of possibilities that can increase your revenue to an unprecedented level.
It’s imperative to understand that the process does need careful planning if you want to extract maximum mileage from your new eCommerce store. Here are a few points that will help you navigate this transition as smoothly as possible.
Build a Strong Social Media Presence
Simply setting up a web store won’t do the trick. Just as you have to advertise in the real world, so too the same applies to your eCommerce store. This holds particularly true if you intend to wrap up your physical business and shift it online.
If you don’t have a social media presence, you won’t be in a position to attract your target audience to your e-store. Facebook, X, Instagram, and other SM platforms can help you popularize your firearms retail website to a great extent.
Take Care of all Legal Formalities
This is particularly important for an online gun store. Unlike other web-based businesses, you can’t deliver your products directly to the customer’s doorstep. Once your customer purchases a firearm, it has to be delivered to the federal firearms license (FFL) dealer closest to your customer’s address. Moreover, you’ll also have to be cognizant of all relevant laws that apply to your business as well as your target market.
Optimize Your Online Payment System
If there are any hitches in the payment system, you will lose a sale, and might even lose a permanent customer. That’s why you should ensure a seamless shopping experience—from the cart to the actual payment. If possible, send reminders to remind the customers that there are items lying unattended in their respective carts.
You should also focus on other payment options beyond the ubiquitous credit and debit cards. You may introduce e-checks, mobile wallets, and other payment options to make the sale as easy as possible. Don’t forget to thank the customers for their purchase, and give them discount coupons to ensure they keep coming back for more!
Create a Great Shopping Experience
Your website should be fast and responsive. Many studies have indicated that potential customers lose interest if the site doesn’t open within a few seconds. You should also make sure the layout is attractive and the inventory has been curated for your specific target audience.
Use a Great Ecommerce Platform
Always opt for a gun-friendly platform for your online firearms eCommerce store—one that has been created expressly to address the needs of the firearms retail website. Make Ready Arms is just the platform to help you transition from your physical to your 24/7 online eCommerce store.