G-Force Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I'm in my local airsoft shop more or less every saturday because my mum has a shop next door and I help out at the airsoft shop for most of the day (mainly talking to customers as I'm 14 so I can advise but not sell). Boots are very important but I'm also going to state the obvious... BB's The ammount of times the shop runs out of BB's in uncountable at times. You need to find yourself a good supplier which is hard for a small shop starting up because of a lack of buying power. I don't know how much money you guys have to play around with but as you probably know most of the suppliers have a minimum order. At my local shop we take the shop down to a site every two weeks to sell there which is another thing you may consider. Airsofters buy thew most when their airsofting so try to cash in with your local site if you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickona Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I genuinely think this could be an awesome shop! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameron364 Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I genuinely think this could be an awesome shop! No you got it wrong, this WILL be an awesome shop not could! I'd don't know if it has already been said but say if someone comes into the shop and hasn't got UKARA then you could do a 2 tone service, I don't know how long it takes to do the paint job but I'm guessing it takes longer than just spraying paint on the gun, so, why not charge for the 2 tone service and then post them their gun in combination with the merc. rewards system, what ever it was, but you should pay the postage instead, I don't know if this has made any sense but as long as it is cost effective, obviously, then it may work, Hope this helped? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airsofter123 Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Postage tends to be pretty expensive until you get big enough to invest in franking machines etc. But yeah, I think if it's a good, friendly airsoft shop, then there's plenty of room for a good business (just don't go down the wolf armouries route, about a million rules on the door, and you have to be buzzed in and out... you'd think it was a real armoury?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickona Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 yea makes sense to me, you could do an order and pick up service as this might appeal to people as they wouldn't have to pay for postage and can pick it up finished Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrax Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I think the two toning idea, while good, is a bit tough - I had a long conversation with actionhobbies about this when I asked them to two tone a gun - because of health and safety, you cannot legally get an employee to paint the gun unless you have an airtight painting booth or whatever it's called. So unless you stocked the parts in 2 tone (which wouldn't be too economic), rather than deciding to paint them, you couldn't do this. It depends on how well the shop does, how many customers, as to whether stocking the two tone parts works. The ones owned would be recycled, as newbies start, then get their ukara then give them back. And i cant imagine the parts would be hard to come by on old broken boneyard guns? But yes you have a point financially if the shop isnt popular enough (or too popular!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AF-UK Founding Member Deva Posted June 15, 2011 AF-UK Founding Member Share Posted June 15, 2011 and we sent out roughly 15 packages, mostly Krylon (we're the cheapest place in the UK to buy it) There is that many people doing paint jobs? Sounds like something else to me. Many great ideas here anyway, would be nice to see some of them implemented even if it does mean a slight loss in how well the place does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheriffHD Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 the idea i came up with regarding two toneing would be to buy certain parts in bulk such as forgrips/shrouds, pistol grips and stocks. as in combonation would make up the rigt amount needed to be brightly colored. so if some one was to come in to the shop i could quickly swap out the parts and hand it over right then and there then offer to once the customer has got their license they can then return with either the orignal recept or with proff of ID/address and i can then replace the original parts onto the gun free of charge.(proof of id/address works on the basis of a spread sheet document to keep a record of two tone service to insure that returning customers can get this service with out any hasstle) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporters Rock-climby-Dave Posted June 16, 2011 Supporters Share Posted June 16, 2011 two toning the parts and swapping them is fine in prinipal, but please, name 1 gun that people would change the bits over. Also, two toning a gun adds 1 day for the order, Base coat, Green luminous (but it stays tacky) so we do a very light dusting of krylon, also takes the shine off so is more skirmishable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchell Gee Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I think maybe something simular to airsoft world with there "Target Points" scheme would be great... were you get like 1 point for every pound spent, and you could charge like £3 to set them up a point redemption account... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MZKaleem Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I think an AF-UK Membership card that you get for free when registering from here or is £2 when registering from the shop and that allows you to hold the points Mitchell was going on about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrax Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 I think an AF-UK Membership card that you get for free when registering from here or is £2 when registering from the shop and that allows you to hold the points Mitchell was going on about This man gets the biscuit. Increase forum use + links to shop and possible discounts = more customers for the shop = more dollar. Also, points do equal repeat business. A thought, stolen from a certain game store. When you trade things in, you either get store credit, or cash. Store credit is substantially higher, so people are more likely to take it and get more stuff. Depends on the demand for pre-owned guns, but with new people wanting reliable, cheap alternatives, it could work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickona Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 This man gets the biscuit. Increase forum use + links to shop and possible discounts = more customers for the shop = more dollar. more pounds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrax Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 more pounds Going for the New York business man sound, as opposed to more customers = us getting fatter how about =££££ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerbo Knight Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 This sounds amazing. I want to work here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheriffHD Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 well it seems theres a lot of intrest for this shop. ive not got an email back from simonb so unsure if some one else going for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerbo Knight Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 If they need a techie on site then I'd be up for it, if it's still going to happen. I just need a solution to the distance between me and them, if they even need a techie on site at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrax Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 As far as I know sheriff you are the only one who has formally registered interest, ive just been putting down ideas. If he has a few units/ shops to look after i guess hes just busy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tattoo ron Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 Yes, I have a number of units within a shopping centre - different sizes and rents. sounds like youre trying to tout for clients.... i presume youre interested in opening and running an airsoft shop,not just on here to rent out one of your units, sorry for bieng sceptical, but ive seen this before..... hope im wrong and youre gonna run and stock the shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheriffHD Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 ive messaged him about my intrest in running ths hop myself, past few days ive been looking into suppliers liences needed and even been lookin at getting businees loans aswell. i wouldnt mind doing this. and if he is still intrested that ill be more then happy to move into the area and spend the next few months trying to kick this thing of the ground Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameron364 Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 I hope this does go ahead because as you say there is alot of interest, even if you do run it by yourself, good luck though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MZKaleem Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 I can ask a local airsoft store runner if he would like to make your shop into a branch or like sharing contacts and stock or something? let me know if you want to do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchell Gee Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 if this does go ahead, i will be happy enough to come in and help for free (like talk to customers, suggest guns etc.) as i live close to the area and at my age i have nothing better to do (im 12 atm) but i thought just having someone to talk to in there would be good (Alex Gale does it) but i would only be able to do it saturdays, sundays and during holidays as i also have school... just a suggestion (and people seeing a 12-14 yr old boy in there would possibly make them stop thinking "GUN SHOP, OMG, GUN SHOP WERE ALL GONNA DIEEEE!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AF-UK Founding Member Deva Posted June 18, 2011 AF-UK Founding Member Share Posted June 18, 2011 if this does go ahead, i will be happy enough to come in and help for free (like talk to customers, suggest guns etc.) as i live close to the area and at my age i have nothing better to do (im 12 atm) but i thought just having someone to talk to in there would be good (Alex Gale does it) but i would only be able to do it saturdays, sundays and during holidays as i also have school... just a suggestion (and people seeing a 12-14 yr old boy in there would possibly make them stop thinking "GUN SHOP, OMG, GUN SHOP WERE ALL GONNA DIEEEE!" Unfortunately you might find people also not that keen to take advice from a 12 year old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerbo Knight Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 Unfortunately you might find people also not that keen to take advice from a 12 year old. I'd agree to that, even though I am a fairly experienced techie (1 years worth of working on airsoft rifles + a natural aptitude for taking s*** apart ) I'd say it'd be damn tough for me to get paid to fix stranger's guns, simply because I'm 17. The moment I turn 18 however... That will change if only by a little, maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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