kalbs
Master sergeant
Posts: 1,142
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Post by kalbs on Oct 29, 2009 0:15:47 GMT -5
Hold your breath... I'm getting positive news out of China including AGM. No details at this time
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Post by zzs8mm on Oct 29, 2009 0:57:48 GMT -5
China bans airsoft because the government is hoping for more of a more moral society, well from what I read (including banning certain images from the internet, if you know what I mean). I think I have read news that some people are using airsoft guns to commit crimes in China. Probably another reason the government are starting to crack down on airsoft manufacturers. A lot of people will need to start saving more if the situation does not get better. Just want to point out an experience and not trying to make it political: the Chinese people have much more libertys and freedom of expression than ever before including travel and education in the West. Not enough, the government still controls what people can see on the internet. I have a friend in China and tries to reach people on facebook. Apparently he somehow bypassed the government controls with something like an proxy IP or whatever, since I do not know about computers. About a year ago, China wanted computer manufacturers, for domestic sales only, to have them install software so that the government can control the internet also. But you are in HK, you guys probably have access to facebook and youtube; the rest of China does not (I am not sure if it temporary or permanent, I think it was temporary). -------------------------------------- Anyways, I want to discuss this picture that kalbs also posted: This picture looks like real steel firearms. Where, if anybody, see airsoft guns that long and why melt them in that-looks-like-a-steel-refinery-mill-place-thingy when you can just crush them or melt them in lower temperatures (cost wise) like in those other pictures. I think I have seen the picture before. Those are probably the old WWII rifles that belong to the people's militia of the 1950s-70s. The story is: the US banned imports of Chinese firearms in the 1980s, and China has all these cruddy old guns that they couldn't sell off. What else to do with them but melt them because of their steel content. The Chinese export was high in 2006 (the link with the photo has a date). I couldn't translate the last character, nor my parents can't understand it (maybe simplified charas.) [seems that this site does not recognize Chinese characters] Oh well, those rifles had quite the history to them. Although a bunch of them did get imported in to the US. Just a little factoid.
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Post by mischief on Oct 29, 2009 19:10:45 GMT -5
Funny i didn't see any price gouging on the remaining AGM Stens(all have sold out) and MP44's til today. Airsoft GI now has the MP44 listed at 249.99 when it was 209.99. Most other places that still have the MP44 in stock list the "wood" anywhere from 209.99 to 219.99, and the plastic are still below the 190.99 range.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Oct 30, 2009 0:33:05 GMT -5
Price gouging? Guys, grow up!!!!! if the supply diminishes while demand stays constant any business will increase prices in order to stay in business.
If you can only sell X # at a given price but need to sell X+ in order to break even, if you can't reduce your overhead you have no choice but to raise prices. This is NOT Gouging. this is business.
If you wanted to sell off your used airsoft gun knew your used airsoft gun would bring a given price easily and it was more than it might have brought six months ago would you sell it for the lower price? I don't think so. If you paid 94.00 for a given gun that you intended to sell at a profit in order to pay off your employees, keep the lights on and pay your taxes and the replacement cost for that same item was either unavailable or now $125.00 you have to think of your cost on that gun orignally bought as costing 125.00 because that is the replacement cost. That's the way the smart businesses think and the dumb ones go out of business. The reason you haven't seen price increases is because many of the retailers over here aren't even aware of the raid. The reason we still have some avilability here in the US is the products now arriving were already enroute when the raid occured.
I acted quickly to stock up on base guns I needed and personal weapons I wanted for myself while the pricing was still reasonable and I could still buy them. I predict there will be a plight of unavilability on popular inventory for three or four months starting perhaps in the next two weeks. Many retailers here in the US ordered their Christmas inventory before this happened so hopefully they are in good shape.
I gave my retailer buddies the heads up and I hope they all acted on it. It's going to be grim for a while. No big deal if you weren't planning to buy anything in the next six months but something to seriously consider if you are.
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Post by mischief on Oct 30, 2009 17:08:37 GMT -5
OK so my gouging remark is alittle harsh I admit that. But with the hope of things coming back online, I'll save my money til then and thats how I do business. I don't see the need to pay more for an item that may be back in stock in a couple of months. Even if it doesn't come back I still won't pay more for something than its original price. Am I a fool? Some would say so, but then again a fool and "more" of his/her money are easily parted. I too hope the US retailers picked up on what was happening and stocked up, this couldn't have come at a worse time for them(and the companies that make them) even with the economy in question Christmas is just around the corner
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Post by CharleyNovember on Oct 30, 2009 17:47:14 GMT -5
Business increases prices because it can. People charge what the market will bear. If there is a shortage or a preceived shortage idiots will pay all kinds of stupid money for the same thing that cost a pitence last week. It's business. it's predatory but it is business. I would choose to remember those that raise prices like that and avoid business in the future with them. Right is right and wrong is wrong. If it cost them more to get the products then I would expect them to charge more. If however they payed 75.00 a gun but decided since there is a shortage instead of charging the 150.00 they had been charging and bump it up 20.00 for more of a profit margin than screw them.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Oct 31, 2009 11:30:55 GMT -5
The great thing about a free market society is that consumers vote with their wallet and smart businesses consider the LONG Term consequences of their actions. (Assuming they survive long term.) Holding off till a more opportune time to buy an item is always a great idea if you can do it.
J Paul Getty said. "Buy when no one is buying and sell when no one is selling" I hope there is enough inventory and availability so none of the US retailers feel the need to bump prices but if they do I will certainly understand it.
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Post by m5a11943 on Oct 31, 2009 11:41:37 GMT -5
kalbs don't make us hold our breath too long, the crossing my fingers thing is getting tougher. (can't shoot an AS gun like that).
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Post by mischief on Oct 31, 2009 12:18:01 GMT -5
AirsoftPost/Evike is showing expected "new" inventory by 11-15-09 including the MP44(wood) so maybe the news we are getting is still behind what is going on in China. That is in no way saying anything against kalbs, really for the airsofting community/consumers we are the lowest point on the food chain.
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petermartin14
Private 1st Class
RIP Arne Andersson- Sweden's Finest
Posts: 639
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Post by petermartin14 on Nov 1, 2009 20:30:11 GMT -5
so whats going on the the MG-42?
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oberst42
Private
"Oh du Deutschland, ich muss marschieren!"
Posts: 387
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Post by oberst42 on Nov 1, 2009 22:09:25 GMT -5
no idea, but i'd guess its gonna be delayed another year
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petermartin14
Private 1st Class
RIP Arne Andersson- Sweden's Finest
Posts: 639
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Post by petermartin14 on Nov 2, 2009 18:43:39 GMT -5
that really sucks.
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CptJericho
Private 1st Class
"We got to stop the Germans from getting the secret weapons!"
Posts: 495
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Post by CptJericho on Nov 2, 2009 19:14:02 GMT -5
the real thing that we should be worried about is if they are still planning on making enfields mosin nagants and m1 garands...
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maxatax
Private
What are we supposed to use harsh language?!
Posts: 206
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Post by maxatax on Nov 2, 2009 20:06:45 GMT -5
I thought that garand, enfield, mosin, etc. story was just another "bigfoot".
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Post by bluecrabofpain on Nov 2, 2009 21:18:01 GMT -5
I thought that garand, enfield, mosin, etc. story was just another "bigfoot". IMO This story actually had some merit before the ACM companies got crushed. I can easily envision Dboys making an enfield/mosin, and CYMA/AGM making an M1.
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oberst42
Private
"Oh du Deutschland, ich muss marschieren!"
Posts: 387
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Post by oberst42 on Nov 2, 2009 22:28:20 GMT -5
might still happen, you never know
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Post by cogdill on Nov 3, 2009 6:51:43 GMT -5
So is there going to be a MG42 Airosft?
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oberst42
Private
"Oh du Deutschland, ich muss marschieren!"
Posts: 387
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Post by oberst42 on Nov 3, 2009 18:55:23 GMT -5
possibly, we're waiting for (good) news from kalbs
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