Texas Dealer Gives Away AR-15s, 9MMs And Deer Rifles

Benny Boyd Andrews, Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram store in Andrews, Texas has a new promotion based on an old idea. The concept is simple: give the customer a gift if they purchase a vehicle. No large cash back or promise of a household appliance, for Benny Boyd, they’re giving away guns.

When customers purchase a new Ram, Jeep, Dodge or Chrysler, they have their choice of top-flight firearms. The customers can choose between a Diamondback AR-15, Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun or Ruger American 243 rifle. Consumers who purchase a vehicle still have to go through a background check and paperwork to get the gun. Consumers will certainly not be able to come in for a purchase and be handed a gun.

For the General Manager of Benny Boyd Andrews, Strate Colbath, this promotion is about setting their store a part by giving away a little something extra. In an interview with KMID, Colbath said, “Just a lot of things going on right now around West Texas and a lot of things going on around the U.S. We thought this promotion would pretty much set us a part and celebrate our Second Amendment right.”

Texas is certainly a state known for its enjoyment of the second amendment, and according to Colbath, that’s the point. Colbath continued in the KMID interview by saying, “It should work in other states, but I think it works better here in West Texas.”

It might work well in West Texas, but what if it doesn’t work for everyone? Consumers who don’t want a gun can get a $500 gift card to a local sporting goods store. In the age of social media, the 2nd Amendment promotion has been met with both support and opposition on the Benny Boyd Andrews Facebook page. However, the majority of posts on the local KMID news Facebook page about the story were positive, with some consumers wanting to go buy a vehicle for the free gun. In the end, it appears this promotion could pay off for this Texas store, as their deal has created free TV and social media advertising from the local news station.

What do you make of this promotion? It’s certainly not the first or last time that it will occur. Are firearms a good gift for boosting sales and building brand awareness? If not guns, then what promotion or gift works better at your store?