KIT & GEAR SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP
SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP!!
IT SEEMS THAT AIRSOFT IS NOW, AT LAST, COMING FULLY BACK TO LIFE, RISING PHOENIX-LIKE FROM THE ASHES OF THE C-VIRUS AND ALTHOUGH WE ARE STILL NOT COMPLETELY BACK TO FULL SPEED, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT MANUFACTURERS AROUND THE GLOBE ARE SHAKING OFF THE COBWEBS AND RE-APPEARING WITH SOME ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS NEW “GUNS N’ GEAR”! SADLY THOUGH, THERE IS STILL ONE SHADOW ON THE HORIZON THAT WILL AFFECT US ALL AND THAT’S WHERE WE’LL BEGIN OUR ROUND-UP THIS MONTH…
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hops, sites, games and events are all restarting slowly but surely around the world and in many ways airsoft is positively thriving! New players have been drawn to airsoft, all of them wishing to take part in a group activity with their mates that gets them out of the house, away from their screens and as far from lockdown as they could possibly imagine. And they’re entering a world that is has never been better to be a part of than right now, with more guns, more gear, and more choice than we have ever had before! But - and this is a BIG BUT - things they are a-changin’!
CHEAP AS CHIPS
In recent years we have seen the price of AEGs and GBBs come tumbling and, as we’ve often said, you can pick up a “starter AEG” for almost silly money at the moment. Competition (sometimes unfair and unscrupulous) amongst manufacturers and retailers particularly (we’re looking hard at you, “bedroom resellers”!) has seen the price of AEGs, GBB pistols, and all kinds of gear come crashing down and these days a UK£100 AEG will get you in the game with performance to spare. Sadly, for many it looks as if these days are well and truly numbered. We’ve been speaking to numerous manufacturers and retailers and everyone is telling us that 2021 into 2022 is the time we will see these prices changing. Some manufacturers have already
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increased their trade prices by as much as 30%, which means that the item is now more expensive to the retailer and although we are sure some retailers will try to swallow some of the increase, doing so is not sustainable in the long term, so we ARE expecting to see prices rise across the board. However, before you start screaming “Rip Off!!”, let’s try to understand the reasoning behind this; the fact is that raw material prices have rocketed in the last year - and don’t even get us started on shipping costs! To put it in a nutshell, we’re hearing that the price of a 40-foot container from the Far East (IF you can find one!) has soared from U$2,500 to almost US$18,500! Although you can fit a lot of AEGs in a 40-foot container, that still means an incremental per unit rise. Border regulations have, for better or worse long term, also changed within the EU and for UK players that does mean that (currently) some brands are now almost beyond our reach. However, although this is now calming down and “mainland retailers” are finding logistical solutions, it does mean additional duty for the buyer and, as such, that UK£100 AEG is now going to cost you significantly more! The bottom line is that we will see AEGs and GBBs climbing back to higher price levels but, as airsoft prices have been almost artificially low for quite some time, this is in some ways just balance being restored… Perhaps Tokyo Marui have had their prices right all this time after all!
