Dick's faced boycott threats when it changed its gun policies — but the majority of America agrees with the retailer
On February 28, Dick's Sporting Goods announced it would no longer sell assault-style weapons and would stop selling guns to people under the age of 21. The backlash was swift, with employees saying they were quitting the stores and customers threatening to boycott.
The company wasn't surprised by the negative reactions.
"This issue transcends our company’s bottom line," CEO Ed Stack wrote in an od-ed in The Washington Post on Wednesday. "We suspected that speaking out would have a negative impact on our business. But this was about our values and standing up for what we think is right."
However, it doesn't look like the anger will actually have much impact on sales.
Average daily traffic to Dick's actually increased by 0.3% in the two weeks after the retailer announced its new gun policies, according to inMarket data. While the company announced earlier in March that sales dropped in the fourth quarter, the quarter ended before Dick's announced its new gun policies.
The reason that Dick's traffic hasn't taken a hit seems to be, quite simply, that most people don't care.
In a poll conducted by our partner MSN, 73% of all respondents said that they agreed with Dick's decision to stop selling assault-style rifles. What's more, the majority of Republicans — 57% — agreed with the decision.
When Dick's announced its new policy, the company was careful to link its decision to the shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, and to emphasize it would still sell certain guns. This clarity helped the company avoid much of the potential backlash, John Paluszek, executive producer of corporate responsibility organization Business in Society, told Business Insider at the time.
"You've got to explain yourself and you've got to do it at the right time," Paluszek said.
Further, while roughly a third of Americans own guns, most people also agree that there should be new regulation. For example, 73% of respondents in the MSN poll said that they would support laws limiting gun sales to people 21 and older.
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Sorry NT gun loonies, but your boycott doesn't seem to be working.
Dicks ISN'T known for it's Gun displays.
They have GREAT Winter Wear though.
So what you're saying is that 18 year-old young people can go to war and learn how to shoot guns and kill the enemy, but can't buy a .22 rifle to target shoot, or a shotgun to hunt pheasant, when they return home.
Dick’s doesn’t make gun policy, they just smartly react to what the majority of the public wants.
And in other news Remington Arms declares bankruptcy...
You should really read up on the actual WHY, and how it is NOT going out of business.
What makes you think that I'm not familiar with their problems? Assuming again doesn't make you look like you know what your talking about.
Did I say that they were going out of business. I said they declared bankruptcy, period..
Nice try, no cigar.
But you didn't know that when you made the first comment, I betcha.
Nice stawman, but you'd lose that bet.
What have been there problems ?
Just asking, since you know and chose not to share the why in your initial comment.
Were you just going for the "Shock Value" ?
Actually their corporate headquarters is in N.C. with manufacturing plants in NY, KY and Alabama...
Location isn't their problem it's lack of sales for starters.
Cerberas Capital Mgt. (owners) have been trying to sell them for well over a year with no takers.
Lack of sales.
I stated in my initial comment that they declared bankruptcy, a fact. Your response was ''You should really read up on the actual WHY, and how it is NOT going out of business.'' It seems from that comment that your familiar with their problems, so perhaps you can enlighten us on their problems. Or are you choosing not to share with us?
No, just stated a fact. Perhaps your not used to dealing with facts though.
Try messed up management as the cause. They Aren't going out of business....as you would have LIKED folks to believe, as it pertains to the gun issue. Re-Structuring is a good thing !
LOL, I said they declared bankruptcy, your imagiation is in overdrive..
Lol - You can blame the right for Remington’s problems, just like how you can thank Obama for their heyday. You drama queens drive up sales for no legitimate reason by wailing about Dems coming for your guns. Once you get control of everything under the sun, you’ve got nothing to scare the gun nuts with - so they settle for the 100 existing guns in their stockpile rather than continue to throw their money away on more guns.
we're hardly afraid.
Then you have a hobby common to men with tiny penises.
Try "Dicks Management" as the problem.
with employees saying they were quitting
They can sit in the park, feed the birds, and practice saying "Would you like fries with that?" or "Will that be paper or plastic?"