Airsoft/paintball business idea

**Pandyman** · 07-16-2007 05:54 PM

Hello all

OK i started playing paintball about 2 years and really enjoyed the sport and it was only until late last year that I found out about airsoft... since then I have bought several weapons from different foreign suppliers and developed a real taste and enthusiasm for it
My friend who is also a very big fan of the sport, who has also bought many rifles, suggested to me the other day that we should start a business selling the airsoft/paintball weapons and accessories.

The fact is there is few (if any) suppliers of paintball/airsoft in the UK and non that I know of around North England / South Scotland where I live so I thought it an ideal opportunity since there is little/no competition.

I am studying at college next year which gives me one year to study the market, etc.. and raise some funds simultaneously with my friend.

The big downsides to the idea are firstly the business will be put under pressure by the local authorities due to increasing gun crimes involving replica weapons and secondly, from what I've heard on other business forums, selling paintball gear doesn't make much of a profit (however I don't know if the same applies to airsoft--).

-- I have bought several rifles from hk sellers at very low prices (nearing 50% less than UK equivalents+postage). If I could find links to suppliers in China and Japan we could make quite a profit on each rifle w tax and import.

Whatever happens I need to do alot more research into this area but for now your comments are very much appreciated. Ps dont flame me because im new

Well.. go on.. hit me...

Andy

**Paint and Air Sportz** · 07-16-2007 08:11 PM

Im a paintball dealer here in the US and am working on opening a store (should be very soon)

but what igzactly do you want to do, are you looking at opening a store?

**Pandyman** · 07-17-2007 06:37 AM

Opening a store/e-shop selling airsoft and paintball products.

**Paint and Air Sportz** · 07-17-2007 11:19 AM

Well im not sure what the online market is like in the UK, but their are HUNDREDS of online stores in the US, the market isnt just flooded its drowning.

Now if you want to look at opening a brick and Motar store theirs alot more over head, but it can be quite profitable. First you have to find out what type of PB customers you want to cater to, do most people play woodsball or speedball? and your number one customer is the noobie who plays a couple times a year, theirs gennerally 5 noobs to every one serious player, also go to pbnation.com and look at the field andstore owners forums.

also do you have any specipihic questions i can try and answer for you.

**Pandyman** · 07-17-2007 04:56 PM

OK I found this map on an airsoft website: the blue pins show the concrete shop shops in the UK - I counted only 8! Second of all when you load the map I live between the U and the K of the 'United Kingdom' title - As you can see the nearest shop is located in the midlands (near 200 miles).

Carlisle where I live also has links to rockcliffe airsoft/paintball (8 miles out) site and and Annan (14 miles out) and is the main city crossing between England and Scotland so it would be decent if players from down south were traveling up north into Scotland as they could drop by on the way for supplies.

There is little cqb in the area around where I live, you will mostly find that stuff down south, so I guess woodland is the selling point.
Yeah fact is, like me last year, most people in Carlisle dont have a damn clue about airsoft, asking most of my friends now they just don't know. However a physical shop in town may educate them on the subject and with the right price perhaps persuade them to buy.

Thanks very much for your support mate I really, really appreciate it!

Can I also ask you; does airsoft sell better than paintball in your shop?

Cheers,
Andy