Shopify for Outdoor and Tactical eCommerce

Outdoor and tactical brands sell products that most payment processors treat as problems. Shopify handles this category well, but only when the store is built correctly with the right payment configuration, catalog architecture, and compliance setup from the start. Shero has done this for brands in the space and knows what it takes.

Book a Discovery Call Our Work
Logo Benchmade
Justrite Logo
Gen Y Logo
CHP logo
Shopify Premier Partner

16+

Years in business

500+

Projects Delivered

50+

Team Members

98%

Client Retention

$61.7B

Global outdoor gear market in 2025

The global outdoor gear market was valued at $61.7 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $111.7 billion by 2035. North America accounts for over 45% of that figure.

50%

Tactical and outdoor clothing sold online

Half of all tactical and outdoor clothing sales now move through online channels. Brands without a strong Shopify presence are ceding ground to competitors who built earlier.

3

Major processors that block tactical products

Shopify Payments, Stripe, and PayPal all restrict or block payments for knives, blades, body armor, and firearm accessories. Brands in this category need a correctly configured third-party processor, something Shero handles as standard on every outdoor and tactical build.

12.2%

Tactical gear market CAGR through 2035

The global tactical gear market is growing at 12.2% annually through 2035, driven by defense procurement, law enforcement upgrades, and expanding civilian demand for outdoor and preparedness products.

Benchmade needed a Shopify build that handled both direct-to-consumer sales and dealer account management without compromise. Shero delivered a store that performs for both audiences.

Benchmade Knife Co.

What building a Shopify store for outdoor and tactical brands actually involves

Outdoor and tactical eCommerce has challenges that standard Shopify builds often miss. Payment processors frequently restrict knives, body armor, optics, and firearm accessories, making proper payment setup critical before launch. These stores also require support for complex variants, age verification, wholesale alongside DTC, and high-SKU catalog navigation that scales cleanly.

  • Third-party payment processor configuration for restricted product categories including knives, blades, body armor, and firearm accessories
  • Product catalog architecture for high-SKU outdoor and tactical ranges with complex variant structures
  • Age verification and compliance setup at checkout for regulated product categories
  • Shopify B2B and dealer portal configuration for brands selling wholesale alongside DTC
  • ERP and inventory system integration for brands managing large SKU counts across multiple warehouses
  • Migration from legacy platforms to Shopify for established outdoor and tactical brands

Why Shero for outdoor and tactical eCommerce

Shero has built Shopify stores for brands in the outdoor and tactical space, including Benchmade. We know the payment, catalog, and compliance requirements this category demands.

01

Proven work with leading outdoor and tactical brands

Benchmade Knife Co. is one of the most recognized names in premium outdoor and tactical cutlery, selling direct to consumers and through a dealer network simultaneously. Shero built and manages their Shopify store, handling both the DTC experience and the B2B dealer portal on a single platform.

02

Payment processor configuration for restricted product categories

Shopify Payments, Stripe, and PayPal block payments for knives, blades, body armor, and weapon optics. Brands that launch without addressing this get their accounts frozen, often without warning. Shero configures third-party processors correctly underwritten for the specific products being sold the standard setup for this category, and one that is far easier to build right than to fix after a shutdown.

03

High-SKU catalog architecture for complex outdoor product ranges

A single knife model may come in multiple blade lengths, steel types, handle materials, and edge configurations. Apparel adds size runs and camo patterns. Shero designs taxonomy, variant structure, metafields, and filtering logic before building, so customers can navigate large catalogs and merchants can manage inventory without chaos.

04

DTC and dealer wholesale on a single Shopify store

Most outdoor and tactical brands sell both direct and through dealer networks. Running separate stores creates inventory and operational duplication. Shero builds unified stores where DTC and B2B customers are served from a single platform, with dealer pricing, account management, and net terms configured correctly the same model Benchmade runs.

05

Age verification and compliance at checkout

Certain outdoor and tactical products carry purchase age requirements or state-level restrictions blade length limits, blade type prohibitions, body armor purchase laws. Shero configures age verification, product-level compliance flags, and geographic restriction logic at the start of the build, not retrofitted after a compliance incident.

06

ERP and inventory integration for large tactical product catalogs

Established outdoor and tactical brands run ERP or warehouse systems that need to sync with Shopify in real time. Shero integrates Shopify with NetSuite, Epicor, and other platforms used in the outdoor industry, so merchants do not have to manually reconcile two systems or oversell due to unsynced inventory.

Our Work

View All
Body jewelry and tattoo supplies

Painful Pleasures

Painful Pleasures is a long-standing supplier of body jewelry and tattoo supplies with a catalog of 40,000+ products. The brand partnered with Shero to complete a stalled Magento to Shopify migration and deliver the complex custom features their business depends on.

Painful Pleasures
Sports equipment for lacrosse and field hockey

STX

STX Sporting Goods is a leading global manufacturer of innovative sports equipment and apparel, catering to athletes and enthusiasts in lacrosse, field hockey, and other team sports. Renowned for its cutting-edge technology and premium products, STX sought to revamp its digital presence to align with its reputation for excellence.

STX
Well-known American knife manufacturer

Benchmade

For more than three decades, Benchmade has been known for producing high-quality knives for everyday carry, hunting, rescue, and outdoor use. Launched on Magento Commerce Cloud in 2018, the brand partnered with Shero to tap into the surge in outdoor consumer demand and scale their online presence.

Benchmade
Luxury wines packaged in cans

Archer Roose

Archer Roose is a wine company known for producing high-quality, sustainably sourced wines in eco-friendly formats like cans and kegs. Their commitment to small, organic, and biodynamic vineyards has helped them stand out in a competitive market.

Archer Roose

Building a Shopify store for outdoor or tactical products?

Talk to Shero before you start. Payment configuration, catalog architecture, and compliance setup are easier to build right the first time than to fix after launch.

Get a quote

How Shero builds Shopify stores for outdoor and tactical brands

01

Confirm payment processing and compliance requirements before anything else

Shero starts every outdoor and tactical build by identifying which products require third-party payment processing and which compliance requirements apply. Payment configuration and compliance setup happen before launch, not after.

02

Design catalog architecture for your product range and customer navigation

Shero maps your product range, variant structure, and customer navigation patterns before building. Taxonomy, filtering, and search are designed to handle the complexity of outdoor and tactical catalogs without creating management overhead.

03

Configure DTC and B2B customer experiences on a single platform

If you sell both direct and through dealers or distributors, Shero configures both customer journeys on a single Shopify store dealer pricing, account management, order minimums, and net terms set up correctly alongside the DTC experience.

04

Connect Shopify to your ERP and back-office systems

Shero integrates Shopify with your ERP, warehouse management, and accounting systems so inventory, pricing, and order data flow correctly in both directions. Configured and tested before launch.

05

Launch and provide ongoing support

Shero manages go-live and provides ongoing development support for outdoor and tactical stores. Payment processor requirements, platform policy changes, and product catalog updates are handled as your business grows.

Shopify outdoor and tactical eCommerce questions.

Can't find what you're looking for? Reach out to our team.

What our clients say.

We design experiences that make a difference. See what our clients have to say about working with us.

Benchmade Knife Co.

"Working with Shero Commerce for the past three years has been a game-changer for our B2B eCommerce business.Their expertise in email marketing, website support, and eCommerce strategy has significantly improved our online presence and optimized our B2B operations.The team’s dedication to our success is evident, and we’re excited to continue our partnership with them. If you’re looking for a reliable and results-driven eCommerce agency, look no further than Shero."

Joe Prebich

VP of Marketing / Benchmade Knife Co.

Justrite Safety Group

"The collaboration between us and Shero Commerce on the Justrite multi-store site went beyond what we had hoped for.  They are a terrific partner to work with.  Their team’s dedication to understanding our unique requirements and delivering a high-quality, customized solution has greatly enhanced our online presence. The new website not only showcases our products effectively but also streamlines the shopping experience for our customers. We couldn’t be happier with the results and look forward to working with Shero Commerce on future projects."

Douglas J. Stang

VP of eCommerce / Justrite Safety Group

GEN-Y Hitch

"This has been the most impressive vendor partnership I have experienced. Every meeting felt purposeful, every milestone was clear, and the process was incredibly well-supported from start to finish. Shero delivered a seamless Shopify migration."

Kendra Borkholder

Kendra Borkholder - Operations Support / GEN-Y Hitch

Chromebook Parts

"The Shero team was quick to share insight on so much I didn’t know about paid ad tactics, and they were flexible when we wanted to change approaches on ad campaigns. Overall, I am really grateful for all the help they’ve been able to provide!"

Kara Stalboerger

Digital Marketing Specialist / Chromebook Parts

And you?

Let's build something great together.

Ready to scale your eCommerce business? Tell us about your project and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.

Email
[email protected]
Locations
New York • London • Helsinki • Tirana