Is the Index the same as NICS?

No. NICS is public FBI background-check counts. The Index is same-store new firearm units at the register. They are different numbers.

What should I read after the monthly print?

The Index is lagging sell-through. Betsy Brand Intelligence is the ask-side: anonymized shopper search intent, including unmet (zero-hit) demand. Different raw material.

Where is the comparison of intelligence models?

RetailBI vs Betsy Brand Intelligence on this site. RetailBI’s intelligence is a byproduct of retail operations software. Betsy’s intelligence is a byproduct of product discovery.

Product literacy · register series

RetailBI Firearm Sales Index

The RetailBI Firearm Sales Index (Same-Store Adjusted) is Gearfire’s monthly percent-change in new firearm unit sales from a selected panel of reporting retailers. It is a register series, not a search series, and it is not NICS.

What it is

Same-store adjusted new firearm unit sales from a selected panel of reporting retailers on the Gearfire network. Percent change versus prior periods — a monthly print, not a live search cloud.

RetailBI is Gearfire’s shooting-sports sell-through platform. It aggregates point-of-sale and ecommerce transactions from retailers on the Gearfire network and publishes the monthly RetailBI Firearm Sales Index (same-store adjusted new firearm unit sales). Coriolis is not affiliated with Gearfire or RetailBI; marks belong to their owners.

Public method

Educational summary of Gearfire’s public description of the Firearm Sales Index (Same-Store Adjusted). Not our methodology.

Compile point-of-sale and ecommerce transactions from a selected subset of network retailers
Isolate new firearm sales (not used guns, transfers, or NICS noise)
Same-store adjust using a reporting-start cohort so openings, closures, and partner churn do not distort the series
Report percentage change versus prior month, year-to-date, and/or prior year
Publish a monthly Firearm Sales Index (subscribers historically first, then broader release)

What it is not

Not NICS

NICS counts background checks, not sales. The Index is register new-gun units.

Not used guns or transfers

Public method isolates new firearm unit sales — not used, not 4473 paperwork volume.

Not search intent

The Index does not measure what shoppers asked for, including zero-hit unmet demand.

Cited public print: March 2026 Index −11.9% year-over-year; −8.2% YTD — Outdoor Wire, 13 Apr 2026. As publicly reported — not our number.

After you read the monthly print

Betsy Brand Intelligence measures anonymized shopper search intent across GunSearchEngine, GunSearchAgent embeds, and floor sensors — including unmet (zero-hit) demand. It is not a POS system and not a same-store unit-sales index.

The Index answers what sold, same-store, last month. Brand Intelligence answers what people tried to find — including language that never hit a receipt.

Brand Intelligence

What is RetailBI / vs Betsy — intelligence-generation models
NICS vs firearm sales — checks are not units
OEM firearms demand analytics — ask-side for teams who already buy sell-through
FFLIntel · three numbers — desk that keeps NICS, the Index, and search intent apart

FAQ

What is the RetailBI Firearm Sales Index?: The RetailBI Firearm Sales Index (Same-Store Adjusted) is Gearfire’s monthly percent-change in new firearm unit sales from a selected panel of reporting retailers. It is a register series, not a search series, and it is not NICS.
Is the Index the same as NICS?: No. NICS is public FBI background-check counts. The Index is same-store new firearm units at the register. They are different numbers.
Does Betsy publish this Index?: No. The RetailBI Firearm Sales Index is Gearfire’s series. Coriolis is not affiliated with Gearfire or RetailBI. We cite public prints only, as publicly reported — not our number.
What should I read after the monthly print?: The Index is lagging sell-through. Betsy Brand Intelligence is the ask-side: anonymized shopper search intent, including unmet (zero-hit) demand. Different raw material.
Where is the comparison of intelligence models?: RetailBI vs Betsy Brand Intelligence on this site. RetailBI’s intelligence is a byproduct of retail operations software. Betsy’s intelligence is a byproduct of product discovery.

RetailBI and Gearfire are marks of their respective owners. Not affiliated. Not 4473/ATF software. Not a POS. Not a NICS system.