How firearms dropshipping works for an FFL

"Dropshipping" in this industry is narrower than in general ecommerce. A firearm still has to go to a licensed dealer for transfer, and each distributor sets its own rules for what it will ship, to whom, and for which items. What it gives you is the ability to list far more than you stock.

The basic flow

• Your site lists items from your distributor accounts, with live cost and quantity.
• A customer orders and pays on your site, choosing the FFL that will do their transfer.
• You place the order with the distributor that has it in stock.
• The distributor ships per its program: to you, or directly to the receiving FFL where the program allows it.
• Accessories and other non-regulated items can often ship straight to the customer.

Distributor programs differ and change. Confirm with each distributor what it ships direct and to whom before you promise a customer a delivery path.

Where dropship stores go wrong

• Stale stock: a nightly spreadsheet shows items that sold out at noon. Buyers notice, and refunds cost more than the sale earned.
• Allocation: an item a distributor marks allocated is not on the shelf. Treat it as unavailable, not in stock.
• MAP: a price below the manufacturer minimum on a MAP brand puts your distributor relationship at risk.
• One distributor at a time: the cheapest in-stock source changes daily. Comparing sources by hand does not scale.

What to look for in software

Live sync from every distributor you buy from, allocation-aware stock, MAP-safe pricing, and order routing to whoever can ship today. ArmoryFlow connects 8 distributors: RSR, Davidson's, Lipsey's, Chattanooga, Sports South, Kinsey's, MGE, and Zanders.

See a dropship storefront with your name on it