I’ve been in archery and bowhunting long enough to remember when rangefinders were in their infancy. A few years before I was old enough to hunt, I recall my brother getting his hands on a rather large Bushnell rangefinder — probably one of the earliest models available. It was big and clunky, but a game-changer nonetheless. We’d been so used to guessing yardage to our targets that using it was mind-blowing. 

What’s even more mind-blowing is how far rangefinders have come since that early Bushnell model. Today, they’re so small and accurate that it’s nuts. But, we can’t ignore that rangefinders are a somewhat challenging product category for archery pro shops to sell. Why? Well, because virtually all sporting goods stores offer them. Why would a consumer buy one from you when they can get one practically anywhere or online?

This article will provide some valuable considerations to help you do the rangefinder category well. To pad my article with key insights, I talked with veteran archery retailer Wayne Endicott of The Bow Rack in Springfield, Oregon. Endicott has about 3 decades of archery retail experience under his belt, which means that modern rangefinders didn’t exist for a good portion of his career. In other words, he’s seen the rangefinder’s entire metamorphosis and has been selling rangefinders ever since their inception. 

Before we get into some of the tips that Endicott shared during our conversation about selling rangefinders in an archery pro shop, let’s turn back a few pages to the very beginning of this product category.

A Look at the Past

“My bowhunting career goes back to the 1980s,” Endicott shared. “Back then, we didn’t have rangefinders. Eventually, someone came out with this goofy little thing that had two images that would line up, and then you’d glance at the dial to get the yardage. It was far from accurate. We tried using it, but it just didn’t work. We learned to judge yardage and got really good at it. 

“Because of that, I got big into the IBO Triple Crown on the West Coast. I actually won the individual category a couple of times, and also the team event a couple of times back in the ‘90s. I had a reliable strategy for estimating yardage, and I spent a lot of time practicing that skill. In those days, especially when I was shooting competitively, I didn’t really have any problems with judging yardage.”

Time went on, and eventually, Bushnell came out with what Endicott referred to as a suitcase-sized rangefinder. “We all had them, he said, “and they were awfully cumbersome. We didn’t have bino harnesses back then. We just hung that big rangefinder around our neck on a simple strap.”

Endicott recalls when smaller rangefinders were released. Being a Leica dealer at the time, he recalled his fondness for the legendary Geovid rangefinding binocular. 

“When the Geovid came out, oh my gosh,” he said. “What a game-changer! It was an awesome pair of glasses and a rangefinder that was phenomenal, especially for its time. You could hold the button down and scan yardages. The battery life was incredible. To be honest, I still have that original Geovid to this day.”

The technology didn’t end there. Endicott also remembers Nikon jumping with both feet into the rangefinder category, and as far as he and I can recall, it was the first company to launch a rangefinder that could produce the angle-compensated distance to a target, which eliminated the guesswork on steep incline and decline shots. 

Now that we’ve strolled down Memory Lane, let’s dive into the business end of selling rangefinders.

Don’t Buy Too Deep

With the launch of many different rangefinders, Endicott admits that he got a little bit carried away in trying to stock a bunch of different options during the earlier years. 

“I sold everything,” he explained. “We ran through all of the windows and doors back in the development days. Being that our store is a pro shop, we eventually learned that selling everything — especially the really cheap stuff — was, and is, a race to the bottom. Now, I let chain retailers and online retailers do that. They’re going to sell a lot of cheap rangefinders, and I know from experience that those types of rangefinders are subject to problems and will have a high return rate. I’ll let the big retailers deal with the rotating door of repairs. I’m not dealing with that anymore. My goal is to sell my customers the best rangefinder for the least amount of money, and then I sell a little bit of the high-end stuff, too.”

Besides offering too many different options, Endicott warned against stepping too far out of your lane.

“Long-range rifle shooting is big in our geographic location,” he said. “Customers occasionally walk in looking for a rangefinder that can range out to 1,500 yards or farther. Most optics manufacturers make a model of those capabilities. So, you stock a bunch of those, and then nobody buys them. That’s a mistake you’ll want to avoid. 

“As an archery pro shop, we had to remember our main category is archery equipment. Most of those long-range rifle shooters aren’t coming to us for their other shooting equipment; our bread and butter is providing gear for archers and bowhunters. Our primary rangefinder customers want something that works and costs a little over $200. That’s what most shops should be stocking a lot of.

“Think about it like this. Say you’re a bakery and have chocolate chip cookies made with Hershey’s chocolate, other ones made with Lindor chocolate, and other ones made with Dove chocolate. You can have a bunch of different options, but why? Just pick one that is good and run with it. People don’t care if you have four or five different kinds of chocolate chip cookies on the shelf. They just want the one that is the best in your opinion.”    

What About Rangefinding Binoculars?

Although Endicott suggests keeping it simple, he also acknowledges not every bowhunter wants the exact same rangefinder. There are rangefinding binoculars, which some bowhunters prefer for the two-in-one convenience and simplicity.

“I stock GPO’s RangeGuide 10x32 rangefinding binocular,” Endicott said. “Two years ago, we brought it in for the first time. During the first 6 months, we sold more than 60 of them. In 2022, that model replaced most other rangefinder sales. In fact, we sold out of them three different times. Multiple customers who already had a rangefinder saw the RangeGuide and had to have it. The buying frenzy has certainly tamed down, but I still have a large supply in stock. It’s an all-around great product that is really compact and lightweight with high-quality German glass. We’ve seen these put to good use, and we haven’t had any come back in with problems.

“During 2022, the percentage was about 50/50 as far as sales of regular rangefinders versus rangefinding binoculars. A lot of that is because the GPO product was new and came at a price point that worked for a lot of our customers. In a normal year, though, the percentage is 80/20 in favor of smaller handheld rangefinders. In addition to the GPOs, I also carry a few Swarovski rangefinding binoculars to accommodate the high-end buyers.”

Stick With the Basics

After about 3 decades in business, Endicott concluded that simplifying and offering just a few brands/options has been vital to his success. Although having a high-end option or two is smart for many shops, he emphasized the importance of focusing primarily on a rangefinder that works and nearly any customer can afford. 

“Back when we were trying to sell everything, along came Vortex,” he said. “I specifically remember their rangefinders had quality eyepieces that were easy to look through, and unlike the majority, they had illuminated reticles that would adjust for brightness based on the lighting. We made the switch and jumped on board with them, and we haven’t regretted it once. Vortex includes an unconditional warranty, but in all of the years we’ve been selling Vortex, I recall only one rangefinder that malfunctioned. Of course, Vortex stood behind the product and provided a fast resolution. I can’t say that about most of the other brands I’ve sold over the years. A lot of them were very problematic. It wasn’t specific to one particular brand; it was just rangefinders in general. And some of the companies had very poor customer service with drawn-out turnaround times. In my mind, Vortex changed the game.” 

Endicott went on to say that Leupold, Leica and Swarovskialso make dependable rangefinders. Still, he feels Vortex has such a good hold on cost and warranty, which makes them highly appealing to at least 80 percent of his customers. Of course, he isn’t a know-it-all and shared that other dealers might have different outlooks. But, the main point he made is it’s important to buy from a company that holds to a high standard and then stick with them. Don’t be lured away by the too-good-to-be-true buys. As Endicott said earlier, that is a race to the bottom.   

So, what does the rangefinder shelf look like today at The Bow Rack?

“As I mentioned, I sell GPO, Vortex and Swarovski,” he detailed. “In the past, the margins on rangefinders were nothing. Swarovski has some great dealer programs and employee programs, so the brand is pretty attractive. The company’s customer service is also outstanding. Vortex is by far our big seller, though. The company is owned by great people, the products are great, and the prices align with what most hunters want to spend. That is my go-to for a smaller rangefinder, and then the GPO rangefinding binocular is my middle-of-the-road option. For a high-end option, it's the Swarovski rangefinding binocular. This simple assortment is working very well for my store.”

Parting Points

If you follow Endicott’s strategy of keeping your rangefinder inventory narrow and simple, it will take up very little space in your store. This means you’ll have to display it well in order for customers to take notice. A time-tested way of displaying optic offerings while mitigating potential shoplifting is to showcase them in a glass cabinet similar to what jewelry stores use to display rings, necklaces and earrings. If the glass showcase has lighting, all the better. 

It’s also not a bad idea to have a test model available so you can let your customers demo them without the hassle of opening a box and potentially misplacing manuals and neck straps. It’s far faster to hand your client a rangefinder that is all set to go and allow them to use it in your range (if applicable) or in the parking lot.

Rangefinders might be a somewhat challenging product category with lower margins than other categories. But, when you keep it simple and don’t get buried with too much inventory, it can be a very productive category, especially because your customers are going to buy rangefinders somewhere. It might as well be from you. Let that motivate you to do rangefinders right.

Sidebar: Rangefinding Bowsights and Scopes

Another rangefinder subcategory is the rangefinding bowsight or crossbow scope. These are quite pricey, and although there is a lot of interest in them right now, you’ll want to be conservative since not all customers can afford them. Another thing to consider is they’re prohibited for hunting in some states. 

“Because bow-mounted electronics are prohibited in Oregon,” Endicott said, “we don’t deal too much in rangefinding sights. I’ve sold only seven of the Garmin bowsights, and those all went to guys from out of state. They were all special orders because we don’t stock them due to Oregon’s hunting regulations. I’ve also been hearing quite a few folks are finding out that rainstorms, snowstorms and dust make for poor conditions for these sights.” 

Where legal, there will certainly be interest around these sights, and if you as the archery pro believe in them, then a handful of your customers likely will, too. Still, be conservative and don’t dive in too deep right from the get-go. Slow and steady wins the race.