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The Sportsman Industry is Leveling Up: How Retail Tech is Changing the Game
February 3, 2025 / 5 minute read / By Michele Salerno
Blog
5 Exciting Firearms Retail Software Innovations Post-SHOT Show
After a rollercoaster year, this year’s SHOT Show wasn’t just about the latest gear—it was all about tech. Dealers from hunting, camping, and fishing verticals, especially the smaller shops, are stepping up their game by embracing retail technology like never before.
For us at Celerant, the SHOT Show is one of our most anticipated weeks of the year—five jam-packed days of connecting with retailers and industry partners all in one city. Our team was firing on all cylinders, showcasing our firearms point of sale software, compliance tools, and eCommerce solutions across three booths (our main booth at The Venetian, another at Caesar’s, and a spot at the SHOT Show University).
Simultaneously, we were knee-deep in partner strategy sessions all week, gearing up to roll out some exciting new initiatives that include:
- Introducing ‘Smart Order’ with Sports South and Celerant
- Celerant x Sig Sauer: Make your Inventory Work Harder for Your FFL Business
- Compliant Text Message Marketing: Boost Engagement with OtterText
- Sell Directly on Guns.com with Celerant’s POS Integration
- Orion Wholesale Now Drop Ships Firearms—and Celerant’s Leading the Charge
From compliant text message marketing to staple distributors embracing drop shipping, the industry continues to shift fast. Retail-level data isn’t just for internal use anymore—top distributors and manufacturers are tapping into it to help dealers stock smarter and turn products faster, using store-level and industry-wide sales insights.
Introducing ‘Smart Order’ with Sports South and Celerant
Just in time for SHOT Show 2025, Celerant and Sports South launched the ‘Smart Order’ program. Robin Oke, Director of Business Development at Sports South, demoed the program in our booth, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive- dealers are eager to dive in.
How the Smart Order program Works:
- Celerant’s POS and eCommerce software sends your on-hand inventory and sales data to Sports South daily.
- Sports South analyzes your data and recommends orders tailored to your store.
- You can tweak min/max levels for products within Celerant’s retail software or on the Sports South dealer site—everything syncs automatically.
- Review orders, hit ‘click to ship,’ save for later, or customize them. It’s that easy.
- Coming Soon: Access ‘Smart Buys,’ offering real-time insights into the industry’s top-selling products.
With ‘Smart Order,’ dealers save time, order faster, and, most importantly—order smarter.
Celerant x Sig Sauer: Make your Inventory Work Harder for Your FFL Business
Big news is brewing! Celerant and Sig Sauer are collaborating on a powerful new initiative to give retailers an unprecedented edge.
This latest collaboration will:
- Enhance Inventory Visibility: Improve in-stock levels and forecasting for better retail management.
- Optimize Operations: Increase sell-through, streamline inventory management, and boost efficiency.
- Drive Transparency: Create greater visibility across the supply chain for improved decision-making.
The most exciting part? Retailers using Celerant’s retail software will be able to connect with millions of new customers through the Sig Sauer website, where consumers will be able to find products and know exactly where to purchase them easily.
Sig Sauer’s mission is to streamline the supply chain—from manufacturing to distribution to in-store sales—by leveraging retail-level data. The new initiative helps dealers stock the right products, increase turns, and optimize sales, no matter where or how they order, making it easier for consumers to purchase. This powerful collaboration benefits the entire industry, driving more efficient operations and better customer experiences.
Compliant Text Message Marketing: Boost Engagement with OtterText
For years, we’ve partnered with OtterWaiver to offer integrated digital waivers through our point of sale and eCommerce software. Now, we’re thrilled to announce the next evolution: OtterText.
With OtterText, firearm dealers can engage customers with text message marketing—all while staying compliant.
How it works:
- Customers enter their mobile phone numbers when making online purchases.
- After checkout, they get an instant text inviting them to opt-in for shipping notifications.
- Dealers can automate order confirmations, shipping updates, abandoned cart reminders, and more, all triggered by customer activity on their website powered by Celerant.
Stay tuned for the official launch—you won’t want to miss out on this powerful tool for customer engagement!
Sell Directly on Guns.com with Celerant’s POS Integration
We’ve been excited about this new point of sale integration for a while, and it’s almost here! Soon, Celerant’s point of sale software will integrate directly with Guns.com, making it easier for dealers to sell online without needing an eCommerce website.
Here’s How it Works:
- Your in-store inventory is pushed from Celerant’s POS system straight to Guns.com.
- Your products are showcased to millions of potential customers on the marketplace.
- When orders arrive, you either gain a new local customer for same-day pickup or ship the order directly.
It’s a seamless way to expand your reach and boost sales without the extra hassle.
Orion Wholesale Now Drop Ships Firearms—and Celerant’s Leading the Charge
Significant shifts are happening in distribution! Some of our partners, like Orion Wholesale, who traditionally avoided drop shipping, now embrace it. Celerant is one of the first eCommerce providers to support this new model.
Starting Q1 2025:
- Dealers using Orion’s online product feed can now add drop shipping capabilities, offering an ‘endless aisle’ of Orion products.
- Orion’s on-hand inventory syncs with your website, and they handle the shipping on your behalf.
What was once cutting-edge—integrating point of sale and eCommerce software with distributors—has now become standard. Many dealers are seamlessly linked with multiple suppliers, some with six or more integrations live.
The Future of Firearms Retail: Data-Driven, Tech-Savvy, and Ready to Grow
Watching the firearms industry evolve over the last two decades has been incredible. Retailers who lean into technology through firearms POS software, eCommerce and marketing integrations, or data-driven tools lead the pack.
This year’s SHOT Show proved that the future of firearms retail is bright, innovative, and tech-forward. The question now is, who’s ready to take advantage of it?
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