32-year-old Dale Benjamin Searle has been sentenced to five years in prison and Danny Lee Cobbold, also 32, has been jailed for five years and four months.
The defendants, both of no fixed address, were arrested after an armed robbery on Thursday 3 December.
At 4.30pm, the two men who had been browsing Worthing News in Rowlands Road, pulled out a silver imitation revolver and demanded money from shop workers.
The victims handed over around £400 in cash from the till.
One victim was led to the back of the store and asked to open the safe, but it was empty.
He was assaulted and hit over the head with the imitation weapon, resulting in a minor injury.
Four bottles of vodka were taken by the defendants as they left the store.
Following intelligence and CCTV enquiries, they were both charged with robbery and possession of an imitation firearm.
They appeared at Lewes Crown Court on Friday (19 February) and pleaded guilty to the offences.
DS Andrew Ricks said, "Searle and Cobbold caused significant distress to their victims in this appalling crime and we will absolutely not tolerate this kind of violence and intimidation.
"This investigation moved at a fast pace and we are pleased the defendants have now been brought to justice.
"Our priority is keeping local communities safe and every day we work tirelessly to prevent and disrupt crime."
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