I’d personally like to thank everyone out there that served as our eyes and ears in regard to suitcasing and outboarding at this year’s SHOT Show. Thanks to your efforts, a number of suitcasers and outboarders were shown the door after interfering with the day-to-day business of our paying customers at the show.
If you haven’t heard before, suitcasing and outboarding are unethical parasitic business practices in which non-exhibitors attempt to gain access to trade show attendees and/or exhibitors. These practices skirt the support of the organizer and the industry.
Suitcasing is when non-exhibiting companies or persons go to shows as an attendee to “work the aisles” from their suitcase (briefcase) and solicit business in the aisles or lobby area. Outboarding is when non-exhibiting companies set up exhibits at off-site locations — hotel hospitality suites or restaurants — and encourage show attendees to spend time with them off the show floor
Here are just a couple of incidents from the 2012 SHOT Show:
A man with more chutzpah than smarts ingeniously procured a table from somewhere on the show floor and set up a makeshift booth against the wall on Level 1. It didn’t last long, though. He was reported to our suitcasing team and he was swiftly shown the door.
A foreign national, who traveled quite a ways across the world to attend, was repeatedly spotted suitcasing on the show floor. He was reported by multiple attendees and was last seen enjoying the hospitality of Homeland Security.
The list goes on.
Besides for suitcasing, illegal activities reported at the show included trademark infringement — and we even nabbed someone trying to sell their SHOT Show set-up badge on Craigslist. Las Vegas Metro undercover detectives met the would-be scalper under the bus/taxi portico and placed him under arrest.
The SHOT Show is definitely not the place to engage in these activities. Much of our security team is made up of off-duty and retired Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Clark County Sheriff’s Department personnel. Not to mention, nearly 100 personnel from an alphabet soup assortment of federal law enforcement agencies are roaming floor in an enforcement capacity throughout the show. And what’s more we offer a cash reward to hotel personnel who turn in outboarders setting up shop within our hotel block.
Again, we thank everyone for keeping an eye out and reporting these activities. Our paying customers deserve the best, and by keeping these unethical business practices at bay, it’s just another way we can ensure the SHOT Show experience remains second to none.
Record sales orders being written on site, record buyer attendance and what may be the highest level of enthusiasm our industry has shown to start a new year. That’s pretty much how you can sum up the 2012 SHOT Show.
We’d like to thank all involved in making this year’s show one to remember — most importantly, our 1,600 exhibiting companies, the 36,383 buyers (a new show record) and all the members of the press that made the trek to Las Vegas this year.
Also, hats off to Reed Exhibitions, Freeman and the Sands Expo and Convention Center for their hard work and dedication in making steady improvements over the past few years. We’ve all listened long and hard to everyone’s feedback, and we will continue to do so.
Everyone should keep an eye on their inboxes in the next couple of weeks for our post-show surveys. Please take the time to provide us with your feedback. What did we do right? What could be improved upon? Please let us know. All of your input will be heard.
Another success at this year’s show was Media Day at the Range, where more than 1,200 members of the press were able to test-drive hundreds of new products. This was the first year that NSSF served as the title sponsor of Media Day, and we extend our thanks to CMG Marketing & Events and Triple Curl PR & Advertising for putting on a great event.
I’d also like to thank NSSF’s Emerging Media Director Bill Dunn for filling in for me and Diedra here on the blog during the show. He did a great job providing updates throughout the week. We had more visits to our blog than ever before during the week of show, and we also picked up a ton of new followers on Twitter and Facebook in the process as well.
Thanks again to everyone for making this year’s SHOT Show a success. Time to start preparing for 2013.
After four days, miles of walking, countless face-to-face meetings and more of our industry’s products in one place than anywhere on earth, the 2012 SHOT Show is in the books — and it’s officially a record-breaker.
Here is NSSF’s wrap-up news release:
Nation’s Passion for Firearms Reflected in Record-Setting SHOT Show®
Video: 2012 SHOT Show
LAS VEGAS–Energized by unprecedented gun sales nationwide, firearms industry professionals turned out in record numbers to the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade ShowSM (SHOT Show®), and many made a point of saying “the best is yet to come.”
“It’s a wonderful time to be in our industry,” said Sandy Chisholm of North American Arms, a handgun manufacturer. “We’ve seen tremendous enthusiasm on the part of sellers and buyers, and we see the prospect of a very good year ahead.” Many agreed with that assessment of the market and of the SHOT Show.
The largest trade show of its kind in the world and the fifth largest trade show in Las Vegas, a city of trade shows, the SHOT Show set an overall attendance record of more than 61,000, including new highs for buyers at 36,383 and media at 2,466. Though show organizers deliberately reduced the size of the show to better accommodate attendees at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, still some 1,600 exhibitors filled booth space covering 630,000 net square feet. The show attracted industry professionals from all 50 states and 100 countries.
The SHOT Show is owned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry. Revenues from the show support NSSF’s many programs that carry out its mission of promoting, protecting and preserving hunting and the shooting sports. “The SHOT Show allows NSSF to do many good things for industry, shooting and hunting,” said NSSF President and Steve Sanetti. Added Chris Dolnack, NSSF senior vice president and chief marketing officer, “We have worked hard to make sure SHOT is a great selling and buying experience, and it has resulted in our best show ever.”
Thanks to Americans’ passion for firearms, the $4 billion firearms and ammunition industry has been a bright spot in the down economy. The industry supports many small businesses and helps preserve the 180,000 jobs associated with the shooting sports. In 2011, company executives saw records set for background checks, a reliable indicator of sales, including the most ever in a single month (December) and single day (Black Friday). Many in the industry believe, however, that Americans’ interest in owning firearms will continue to grow in 2012, fueling their unabashed optimism about the year ahead. Many also said they would not be surprised to see supporters of the Second Amendment react as they did before the last presidential election when their fears over candidates who were unfriendly toward firearms ignited a sales surge.
From the opening bell, buyers filled the aisles to review products, many of them new offerings that will make their way to retail stores during the year. “Traffic is like we’ve never seen it before,” said Mark Malkowski, president of Stag Arms, maker of modern sporting rifles (AR-style rifles), a big seller over the past several years. “Retailers we’ve talked to are expecting a record year.”
One firearms retailer, Todd Vance of Vance Outdoors in Columbus, Ohio, agreed. “We had our best-ever year in 2011, and we’ve started off this year great and expect to be up.” In his store, Vance said buyers are interested in concealable handguns, home-defense firearms, ammunition and tactical rifles, particularly new .22 caliber models.
Another handgun manufacturer, Sig Sauer, reported having its best first day at SHOT since the company began keeping sales records. “The market is stimulated,” said Bud Fini, vice president of marketing, who added that the company’s shooting academy is seeing many new gun owners. “First-time buyers, that’s where the expansion is coming from,” Fini said.
Accessories, from holsters to rifle slings to optics, are an important part of the SHOT Show. “We are selling sights like you can’t believe,” said Aimpoint’s Roger Bell of the company’s pro staff. “We signed up a lot of new dealers, and that says to me the market is expanding.”
In the Mossberg booth, Tom Taylor, vice president of marketing, said, “This is about as much excitement as I’ve seen at a SHOT Show. People are buying optimistically, and we’re going to build optimistically.”
For first-time exhibitors, the SHOT Show can provide a big lift. “When you are a start-up company without a big marketing budget, the SHOT Show helps put you in front of the right audience,” said Jeane Stewart of U.S. RAC, maker of firearm safety products for law enforcement. Stewart said her company great valued the show’s New Products Center.
Any SHOT attendee will tell you the show is more than about selling and buying; it’s a powerful display of industry unity and its resolve to meet any challenge affecting the right to make, sell and own firearms. At the NSSF State of the Industry Dinner, NSSF President Steve Sanetti said, “I have never seen us so unified and united in our purpose.” As evidence, he pointed to NSSF’s fast-growing membership, which now tops 7,000, an all-time high.
More than 2,000 NSSF supporters filled the sold-out hall for the State of the Industry Dinner, which was sponsored by Outdoor Channel and included a review of NSSF’s accomplishment from the past year and entertainment from hugely popular comedian Larry the Cable Guy.
Opportunities abound at the SHOT Show, and some who attend are selling more than products. At South Dakota’s booth, representatives had a goal of convincing manufacturers they should be making products in the state. “Last year South Dakota connected with more than 50 companies. Within four months, two of those companies expanded their operations to South Dakota,” said economic development commissioner J. Pat Costello.
Many awards are presented at the show. NSSF presented Larry Potterfield of Midway USA with its Ken Sedlecky Achievement Award for his generous and longstanding contributions to programs that promote youth target shooting. The Professional Outdoor Media Association and NSSF honored veteran communicator and best-selling author S.P. Fjestad with the prestigious POMA/NSSF Grits Gresham Shooting Sports Communicator Award. Fjestad publishes “The Blue Book of Gun Values,” a widely consulted database.
The show continues to benefit from the broadbased press contingent that lavishes attention on newly released products. The media, of course, are usually the first to spot celebrities, who this year included American Idol judge and rock star Steven Tyler, and NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann. A big success was SHOT Show Media Day at the Range on the day prior to the show, where credentialed press reviewed and tested products. More than 1,100 press and 100 exhibitors attended Media Day–more than ever before.
NSSF ramped up its use of social media to keep its members and consumers informed about the show, making frequent posts to the SHOT Show Blog and providing Twitter updates that showgoers followed on “Twitterfall” screens placed throughout the venue. An expanded NSSF press room sponsored by Budweiser accommodated the record number of press with free Wi-Fi, a large working press area and other amenities.
In conjunction with the SHOT Show, NSSF sponsored the PGA Charities’ Birdies for the Brave golf tournament that raised funds for injured armed service veterans.
The SHOT Show will return to the Sands Expo & Convention Center next year January 15-18.
MidwayUSA founder and CEO Larry Potterfield has done a lot for the shooting sports over the years.
At the SHOT Show, he was recognized for all he has done. Potterfield was awarded NSSF’s Ken Sedlecky Achievement Award, which is presented to individuals who have distinguished themselves by their long-term commitment to the success of the industry and by their support of NSSF’s mission to promote, protect, and preserve hunting and the shooting sports.
Through its support of key conservation groups, NRA and youth shooting programs, Larry and Brenda Potterfield and MidwayUSA have been active participants in the shooting sports industry since the company opened its doors in the late 1970s.
“Larry Potterfield was selected to be this year’s recipient due to his most generous, unselfish, and unparalleled support of many worthwhile organizations within our industry which share our goals,” said NSSF President Steve Sanetti.
“Ken Sedlecky devoted his entire life to the shooting sports by actively participating in competitive shooting as well as supporting both women and junior shooters,” Potterfield said. “It’s an honor to be associated with Ken and receive this award from NSSF. We appreciate the support of our customers that allows us to focus on supporting shooting programs in the U.S.”
The digital edition of the Day 4 issue of SHOT Daily is now available online. SHOT Daily is brought to you by The Bonnier Corp. and the National Shooting Sports Foundation. (Also available in PDF format here.)
There are about 2,500 members of the press at the show this year, so we can’t list them all, but here are some sites providing regular SHOT Show updates throughout the show:
The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the industry’s trade association and owner of the SHOT Show, recently reached a historic milestone: 7,000 members.
That number is more than double what membership was at just five years ago.
“Our membership has never been stronger or more engaged,” NSSF President Steve Sanetti said during his SHOT Show State of the Industry address. “We have had great success in recent years solidfying our industry’s base of support. We’ve experienced huge gains in the number of retailers and ranges that have stepped forward to join us in our mission.”
NSSF membership comprises firearms and ammunition manufacturers, wholesalers, importers, retailers, shooting ranges, gun clubs, conservation groups, outdoor media, safety instructors and many others.
Voting Membership, the highest level of NSSF membership, has also grown significantly. Fifteen companies added their support as Voting members in 2011 alone.
The digital edition of the Day 3 issue of SHOT Daily is now available online. SHOT Daily is brought to you by The Bonnier Corp. and the National Shooting Sports Foundation. (Also available in PDF format here.)
Most people don’t like traffic, but exhibitors at the 2012 SHOT Show love it. Business has been brisk at the show so far, and there’s still two days to go.
NSSF’s roving reporter Ann Baldwin has been roaming the show floor. Here’s her look back at the show’s opening day.
All I can say is, “What a show.”
MidwayUSA founder and CEO Larry Potterfield has done a lot for the shooting sports over the years.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the industry’s trade association and owner of the SHOT Show, recently reached a historic milestone: 7,000 members.