Airsoft and the recession

AirsoftEire.com

Hi folks.
I'd just like to get peoples view on how you think things will shape up for airsoft over the coming months and years.
This isn't a worried post from a retailer, things are as steady as ever; i'd simply like to know what peoples opinions are on how spending habits might be affected, will attendance at sites become less regular for you, will you think twice about getting that second tactical vest etc etc.

No one really cared about the term recession until now, when the new budget becomes a reality. How do you see things panning out for a sport that is reasonably high cost compared to other sports and for airsoft gun enthusiasts alike?

Steve

Stercus Accidit

Fcuk the recession, airsoft is one thing they haven't taxed to death yet, and I'll be damned if I stop airsofting before eating.

iceage

I'm broke!! says it all really. And I'm in retail!.....wait......whats thats sound?.....









Sh*t hitting fan

Captain Chaos

I can see people opting more for clones and budget ranges like the JGs, CA Sports line and the G&G budget range than high end AEGs.

I know I'll be buying less as my job has become very un-stable in the past month, funds have dried up a bit as of late.

Just hope prices of airsoft gear doesn't match the rise in inflation over the coming years.

Chuck the Buck

Shopping is sadly going to be slowing down/stopping for me but not skirmishing :pac: Kinda defeats the purpose of buying the stuff in the first place for me.:D

AirsoftEire.com

Captain Chaos wrote: »

I can see people opting more for clones and budget ranges like the JGs, CA Sports line and the G&G budget range than high end AEGs.

I know I'll be buying less as my job has become very un-stable in the past month, funds have dried up a bit as of late.

Just hope prices of airsoft gear doesn't match the rise in inflation over the coming years.

I'd agree with your first point to the extent that more first time players will definitely opt for budget ranges than expensive gear, but will seasoned players who have nice gear really start buying the cheaper stuff?

To be honest, everything has to rise with inflation, no matter what the service. Inflation aside, VAT has gone up .5%. That's a loss right there if no prices are increased.

Steve

Captain Chaos

True, I only have the one clone AEG and I can't see myself buying clones instead of high ends, the 416 comes to mind. I like the collecting side of it aswell, and like having as close to the real deal as possible.

kevteljeur

It's not entirely recession-related, but I won't be making any airsoft outlays in the near future, as much as I'd like to. I won't even be playing much in the coming months. But knowing that things will be tight going forward definitely means that airsoft is on the back-burner for me.

iceage

You putting your prices up Steve?

AirsoftEire.com

Some prices went up about a month ago, notably some pistols as they were ridiculously under priced.
However nothing is going up as a result of the budget no.

Steve

iceage

Phew!! booze..up. Fags..up. Petrol..up.


BB's..same. AEG..same. GBB..same.(got my eye on a USP compact)






100.00 yoyo to call to an A+E without a Doctors referral......crazy times people. priorities are what will shape how people will spend money on a hobby.

AirsoftEire.com

Tell me about it.
I just drove to a petrol station and put €110 in the tank before midnight, saved meself €8 if I were to do it tomorrow.

Steve

Chuck the Buck

Captain Chaos wrote: »

True, I only have the one clone AEG and I can't see myself buying clones instead of high ends, the 416 comes to mind. I like the collecting side of it aswell, and like having as close to the real deal as possible.

Same here, I've had two clones and there was something about them that I didn't like (feel maybe or something), but thats not saying much as other than them I've only ever had TM (which wouldn't be exactly high end). My next toy, whenever that is, will be a VFC or maybe G&G.

AirsoftEire.com wrote: »

Some prices went up about a month ago, notably some pistols as they were ridiculously under priced.
However nothing is going up as a result of the budget no.

Steve

I've seen lots of web shops in the same boat (not just airsoft) with undervalued products due to the dollar exchange rate.

CrazyRabbit

Well, income tax just went.
Fuel tax gone up.
We got no pay raise this year in work (1st year in a long long time).
I lost 12% on my investments/shares in the last year, and the next 12 months ain't looking any better.

I won't be buying anything airsoft related for quite a while...

AirsoftEire.com

Chuck the Buck wrote: »

Same here, I've had two clones and there was something about them that I didn't like (feel maybe or something), but thats not saying much as other than them I've only ever had TM (which wouldn't be exactly high end). My next toy, whenever that is, will be a VFC or maybe G&G.


I've seen lots of web shops in the same boat (not just airsoft) with undervalued products due to the dollar exchange rate.

That was it, we were buying when it was over $1.50 to the euro, some difference now. Our asian suppliers put up their prices early in year too.

Chuck the Buck

AirsoftEire.com wrote: »

That was it, we were buying when it was over $1.50 to the euro, some difference now. Our asian suppliers put up their prices early in year too.

Awh the good old days, it all went Pete Thong after Labour day....

Oh and to bring it back on topic I've just ordered a couple of little bits off ebaybanned! Ahhhaaaa!!!!!


But I can tell you the next stuff (and last for this year) will be some P90 low caps and Mk23 mags ('ve lost my 2) off ye in a month or so.

Blooming recessions!

gerrowadat

First if all, recessions are caused by people talking about recessions (i.e. consumer confidence), and solved by people spending money. They go in cycles of several years because it takes people a while to realise this and change their attitudes.

Also, spending on leisure activities skyrockets during recessions. People aren't buying fancy cars and decking any more, and a lot of people will be trying to clear their loans, and actually having more disposable income in their pockets day-to-day. Most people are good at panicking and cutting back on large-scale outlay like car loans and holiday homes, and really bad at saving 'petty' cash, such as stuff spent on airsoft. :-)

That said, there'll be a year or two now while people adjust where the retailers that have business sense and aren't out to make a quick buck see that pay off, and the other ones, well, don't...

MacAonghusa

AirsoftEire.com wrote: »

Tell me about it.
I just drove to a petrol station and put €110 in the tank before midnight,

€110? You driving a Hummer?

Re: budget.
I can see ppl being somewhat wary for a while until they see what real effects the budget is having. Therefore spending €300-€400 on an AEG may not be as easy a decision as it might have been a short while ago.
Personally I can't see myself spending big money on anything for a while; only wee bits n' pieces.

gunner_twotone

There's no doubt that some of us in the airsoft community will find it a little harder to both buy equipment and to pay at sites, however,

In fairness to all the retailers and sites their prices are still quite fair for both the newbie and the die hards!

Perhaps a short term solution will be to hold orders and buy in bulk? Would this make things cheaper for the retailers importing the equipment into the country?

Or what about setting up accounts were you could pay it off over a number of weeks?

Little deals like that could attract new customers who may not have the full means of starting off their new hobby or collection.

One thing is for certain, The second hand market will grow and if retailers set up a "we buy your airsoft equipment back" and give it a full service or carry out any repairs, then they could re sell them at a reduced price that will surely attract new or continued business!

What do you all think?

TheDoc

short term solutions are the exact reason this country is the way it is.

Gerrowat knocked it on the head. Recessions are cause by chatter. Politicians yesterday slamming the minister and government, are scare mongering and trying to gain face with the public.

Obviously there is some problems out there, I know my family arnt been affected, so me personally, I dont see the crunch.

I personally have an airsoft list, that i have every confidence that i will purchase come February, this includes 3 high ends. I am travelling to phoenix rising 2 in november. I'm going to berget next summer.

I dont know is the anwser, I, unlike others, live at home, dont have morgages or loans etc.

The only thing I see different in the last few months, is that im in a brilliant job i love working with great people. I'm on the same money per hour as i was working as a line manager in argos, a company that brings in 6billion a year.

Two fingers to the crunch from me

MacAonghusa

[DM]-TheDOC- wrote: »

I, unlike others, live at home, dont have morgages or loans etc.

That is why you can afford the high ends.
Some people have mortgages, car loans, home improvement loans, overdrafts, a poxy salary, 3-4 kids, day care fees, medical expenses, increased ESB & home fuel costs etc etc.
Some ppl are definitely going to feel the crunch.

Tigger

i will be limiting my number of bbs per skirmish to less than 10,000

i may even look into using mid caps

this will please some people no end

kdouglas

Agree with Doc and gerrowadat, people panicking about a recession is just going to bring on a recession. Personally i'm still getting paid the same amount and my outgoings haven't changed, although I dont have a mortgage or anything to pay, so maybe us young and carefree types dont have anything to worry about but those with "responsibilities" do. One thing I'm sure as hell happy about, housing prices are starting to come down a bit, so next summer I might actually be able to afford having my own place

Anyway, in regards to airsoft, my spending wont change a bit.

AirsoftEire.com

Tigger wrote: »

i will be limiting my number of bbs per skirmish to less than 10,000

i may even look into using mid caps

this will please some people no end

10,000, is that all?

TheDoc

yeah one thing ive noticed, house pricing being slashed a huge amount.

Apartments were dropped by 80,000 in santry last week, and not one person rang with interest, they are dropping substantially.

This mena,s like KD, hoepfully me and my girlfriend can actually buy our own place sometime in the future, without taking a ridic morgage.

This means CQB skirmishes in my house

(Dont mind the misses, she doesnt know yet, but ill make her understand)

OzCam

I agree with Doc that national recessions can sometimes be caused or made worse by chatter. However, this one is global, it's only starting, and little old Ireland will not be immune from it. With the greatest of respect to KD, Doc & gerrowadat, its here already.

At the beginning, big items like car or house purchases are deferred. People continue to spend on discretionary things like leisure activities (for morale, if nothing else) for a while. But eventually that gets cut back too. As people's disposable income reduces, it has to be concentrated on vital stuff like mortgages, food, health and transport. Already, Marks & Spencer's sales are down, Aldi's are up.

People will always need to buy bread. They won't need to buy Barrett M82s.

I'm being laid off soon. I expect to spend no more (big) money on Airsoft until at least next summer. I had already decided that I have all the gear I need. So apart from tickets to Berget, BBs, and some minor stuff from eirsoft, that's about it for the moment.

IIRC, this will be my third recession. This one looks like being a right bastard. For those of you who are first-timers... Welcome To The Real World.

Tigger

AirsoftEire.com wrote: »

10,000, is that all?

its an unfortunate and nessiciary side effect of rising oil prices the increase in the dollar and my decision to carry only one support weapon at a time

senordingdong

Cheap homes, cheap cars!
Go recession.

Don't know about some but I save alot of money airsofting.
The amount of money that could be wasted taking part in other activiites...I'm glad I have this cheap alternative to turn to.

Tigger

OzCam wrote: »

I agree with Doc that national recessions can sometimes be caused or made worse by chatter. However, this one is global, it's only starting, and little old Ireland will not be immune from it. With the greatest of respect to KD, Doc & gerrowadat, its here already.

At the beginning, big items like car or house purchases are deferred. People continue to spend on discretionary things like leisure activities (for morale, if nothing else) for a while. But eventually that gets cut back too. As people's disposable income reduces, it has to be concentrated on vital stuff like mortgages, food, health and transport. Already, Marks & Spencer's sales are down, Aldi's are up.

People will always need to buy bread. They won't need to buy Barrett M82s.

I'm being laid off soon. I expect to spend no more (big) money on Airsoft until at least next summer. I had already decided that I have all the gear I need. So apart from tickets to Berget, BBs, and some minor stuff from eirsoft, that's about it for the moment.

IIRC, this will be my third recession. This one looks like being a right bastard. For those of you who are first-timers... Welcome To The Real World.

economics forum tbh

Masada

Lads, this is airsoft, F**k the recession....
ya bunch eh granda's yis.

MacAonghusa

KD,Doc
Dropping house prices is one thing, getting a mortgage is another. Many (all?) banks have scrapped both 100% mortgages and fixed rate terms. Hope you have money in the bank.

MacAonghusa

vtec wrote: »

Lads, this is airsoft, F**k the recession....
ya bunch eh granda's yis.

It's all ahead of ya sonny.

Tigger

MacAonghusa wrote: »

KD,Doc
Dropping house prices is one thing, getting a mortgage is another. Many (all?) banks have scrapped both 100% mortgages and fixed rate terms. Hope you have money in the bank.

govt are providing free money and 92% loanz

site is up already

the builders have what they wanted

fixed rate aren't scrapped its trackers that are scrapped

MacAonghusa

Tigger wrote: »

govt are providing free money and 92% loanz
site is up already
the builders have what they wanted
fixed rate aren't scrapped its trackers that are scrapped

Buggers, i bought too soon. I got a fixed rate but the bank tried to take it off me, they offered me a tracker instead. Must've all changed recently.

Tigger

MacAonghusa wrote: »

Buggers, i bought too soon. I got a fixed rate but the bank tried to take it off me, they offered me a tracker instead. Must've all changed recently.

interset rates were rising so they offered trackers
now they are falling they offer fixed

but back on topic are co2 poweres mabbull m203 shells allowed

Busta Hyman

AirsoftEire.com wrote: »

Tell me about it.
I just drove to a petrol station and put €110 in the tank before midnight, saved meself €8 if I were to do it tomorrow.

Steve

110 quid wtf ......... you fly to work or what?

Tigger

yeah what beast is it?

AirsoftEire.com

A 7 series BMW. Don't worry, it's not a new one, we're not quite there yet...

Steve

Busta Hyman

AirsoftEire.com wrote: »

A 7 series BMW. Don't worry, it's not a new one, we're not quite there yet...

Steve

what lump ( my old fellah has a 4.4l bmw)

goes like hot s**t

AirsoftEire.com

I would have got a 735 or 740 but the insurance was a laugh.
Its a 728i Sport.

spicymchaggis

vtec wrote: »

Lads, this is airsoft, F**k the recession....
ya bunch eh granda's yis.

i think my trip to the store on monday pretty much said that :D:D