From The Outdoor Wire:

Today, I was told, “typical” customers may be male or female, but they’re far more likely to be looking for a small concealed carry handgun than a modern sporting rifle or a traditional hunting gun. And that “typical” customer already has a pretty good idea about what they’re shopping for – and that first choice sometimes came a a big shock to the staff members behind the counter.

As a general trend, first-time buyers seem to have baseline knowledge when it comes to potentially suitable products, but are generally lacking any sort of hands-on quality time with firearms. And they were universally looking for sources of quality instruction- a requirement for anyone seeking a North Carolina concealed carry permit.