how is AGD doing

[Anjin3515]

First of all the fat lady has not sung yet. Second, as the market goes down hill, AGD's position becomes stronger because they are one of the last of the quality markers.

You guys all want something 'new' but those options have long since played out with patents and litigations. What you will get (from everyone else) is a new 'look' every year and you will have to be satisfied with that. The Tippman 98 is ten years old this year along with the Dye Matrix (yes it was first designed in 98)

AGD needs to be seen as the Harley Davidson of paintball, a product with such history that to change it would ruin it.

AGD

I see where you are coming from AGD.
That said....I think some one asked it in an earlier post....is AGD where it wants to be? Perhaps the company is just happy with its market share and its sales.
However, if AGD wants to sell more...then I do think there are a few things that could be done.

1) You are 100% right about the patents and litigation....so its useless to even go down this alley unless for some reason the situation changes.

2) MILSIM- Here is someplace I think AGD could shine. The Mag itself is a great marker, by yesterdays and todays standards. But it lacks the ability to be "modded out" to be milsim. Milsim accessories sell well (in perspective of the paintball downturn). Tippmann has to make more off the accessories for the A5/X7/98 then in marker sales. Stocks,fake mags, barrel shrouds all that stuff....now if AGD came out with a body for the mag that makes this sort of modding easy I think you would up sales.

3) Advertise. Word of mouth just wont cut it. Mags are great....but only if you know about them. I just happened to stumble on them a year or so ago....if I had not...I would never have know Mag love.

AGD may be just happy where they are in the paintball market....and if so thats fine.
If....and only if they want to expand...I do think there are somethings they could do.

[custar]

also Automags do show up at D-Day. i know Custar is a mag fan and also on the board. so it's just word of mouth. have too kill a lot of rumors too.

Speak of the devil . . .

Automags do show up at OK D-Day and other scenario events, but AGD doesn't. Like Pyrodragon, I am a big fan of Automags and promote them intensely. I bought my son an Automag for Christmas. My D-Day unit went from having nearly zero mags in 2006 when we started up to having a large proportion of AGD's and AKA's currently. Once people are exposed to them, Automags almost always impress on their merits. However, it still bothers me that SP, Tippmann, and several others show up as vendors to the largest paintball event on the planet, but AGD doesn't. AGD definitely wants someone other than me teching their markers there.

I agree 100% with Warbeak's assessment on changes that could be made in the design of the valve, and those by Edgepaintball are interesting. However, there are other products that would greatly profit AGD and also benefit the players at the same time. Like it or not, the scenario and woodsball market is more viable than the speedball market in the immediate future. Two new body kits--one resembling an AK47 and one resembling an M4--would sell incredibly strongly. I'm not suggesting new body designs with little to no internal improvement every year or every other year. Just produce and release two new body designs that will be good to go for five years anyway. These aren't huge changes, but they would put AGD in a strong position in the strongest segment of the current market.

I am by no means the smartest or most savvy person posting in this thread--or even this post for that matter--but it is not difficult to see many ways AGD could increase sales and profits such as those above. Since AGD doesn't, I have to personally conclude AGD is satisfied with where it is. I speak only for myself, but I think a lot of people here echo the same sentiment: We are concerned that AGD is becoming (or has become) stagnant and may therefore fail. There will be a winnowing of the field in the coming months or year as the paintball market slows. If we have a full-blown recession, the winnowing may be brutal. Those of us who love mags desperately want AGD to survive if not thrive. It just seems at times that AGD is less concerned with survival than some of us fans.

AGD, if you want to make an appearance at OK D-Day, LMK. Vendor space is available. I'm just a player; I pay to play just like everyone else so I don't make any money from the event. I just want you to know there are a lot of people in the scenario community who support AGD and want to see it survive. A lot of us are also worried AGD won't.

custar

[RavishingEddie]

After looking over some very Old threads there have been many times were AGD payed attention to their customer demands and it never really worked as well. Many people like one design while others hate it and prefer something else. We all have different strokes and what might be a top seller for two weeks does not mean it will be a top seller much longer than that. AGD is very smart by giving us the most important essentials to help us come up with our own unique pieces of art.

Thank You AGD :)

[RRfireblade]

I probably shouldn't speak for Tom but oh well , I'll try and summarize it as much as possible :

Heres the AGD bottom line that most that have been around here long enough , have heard well enough times.

Tom/AGD would love to for AGD to be the biggest baddest thing again. He would love to release new products and would love to be the R&D machine they once were.

He would also love for the industry to return to the open minded , open hearted , all for the good of the sport , industry that it once was in order for any of that to happen. He feels the current state of the industry has stiffled future development of product and the current state in the legal world as it pertains to Paintball makes said things far to costly to risk.

In many regards I agree that Paintball is now a big boy business. I do feel however that there is room for the little guys to play too , to find thier own little corner of the sand box but each person/company has to make that choice for themselves when it's thier lives/family/money at risk. I don't fault him for that , especially if his heart is no longer in it.

So that leaves AGD where it is. In business for as long as it can be doing what it currently is doing , no matter how little that seems to some. If things change in the industry or AGD happens to buddy up with one of the big boys , then maybe that might change. Until then you just have to enjoy what you have and be happy to have that. :)

IMO

[Spider-TW]

Well AGD is doing better than Hybrid or ICD.

True. We haven't seen a hybrid type post out of AGD or a 'yo mamas' mag yet.

The Harley comparison is an interesting angle. I had a friend with one of the vintage AMF Harleys, they were like DIY motorcycles. They are much better now. As long as AGD doesn't go through some foreign ownership cycle this could work.

Except, where are the AGD leather jackets and boots? AGD/Doc Martin paintball boots. Yeah.

[WalkingTarget]

Moreover, would you want every other person you meet hauling out a Mag?

it'd be like what has been happening with Ions now. that's why everybody out there likes the DP Fusions and other, more unique markers; run-of-the-mill common place markers are not as popular anymore.

Part of what AGD markets is that special feeling you get by toting a mag to the field instead of a Tippmann, Ion or Spyder.

the best growth stragegy AGD has right now is quite simply, Us. the commutity that loves mags enough to keep improving and adding to the designs on our own (such as the pneumatic trigger mods)

If you want mags to be the big hit on the block, you're going to lose some of that special feeling you get by being a refined coinesur of paintball equipment.

Best things you can do to help AGD?

Buy AGD!

Not to mention if that new guy looking for a marker asks you about yours, reply with "the best damn marker i've ever laid hands on!"

[secretweaponevan]

Moreover, would you want every other person you meet hauling out a Mag?

it'd be like what has been happening with Ions now. that's why everybody out there likes the DP Fusions and other, more unique markers; run-of-the-mill common place markers are not as popular anymore.

Part of what AGD markets is that special feeling you get by toting a mag to the field instead of a Tippmann, Ion or Spyder.

the best growth stragegy AGD has right now is quite simply, Us. the commutity that loves mags enough to keep improving and adding to the designs on our own (such as the pneumatic trigger mods)

If you want mags to be the big hit on the block, you're going to lose some of that special feeling you get by being a refined coinesur of paintball equipment.

Best things you can do to help AGD?

Buy AGD!

Not to mention if that new guy looking for a marker asks you about yours, reply with "the best damn marker i've ever laid hands on!"

I agree.

Although, it would be cool to show up on play day and have everyone shooting mags.
One of the plus points (in my book) of the DP fusions are that they are American made. That is why I like AGD, Montneel, CCI, AKA, ATS, Sheridan/PMI, LAPCO, PPS, DP, etc. I will not shoot a marker manufactured in China. Just a plus in my book to shoot markers that provide jobs to my countrymen.

[RavishingEddie]

I agree.

Although, it would be cool to show up on play day and have everyone shooting mags.
One of the plus points (in my book) of the DP fusions are that they are American made. That is why I like AGD, Montneel, CCI, AKA, ATS, Sheridan/PMI, LAPCO, PPS, DP, etc. I will not shoot a marker manufactured in China. Just a plus in my book to shoot markers that provide jobs to my countrymen.

Agree with you there my friend. There is nothing like shooting an american made gun. I had a Warsensor pistol and that thing looked cool, but performed like poo poo.

[going_home]

Automag Pumps

Make Automag pump markers and pump kits available again.
Classic valves are all thats needed, offer powerfeed and ULE bodies.
Standard AM/MM rails. CF frames. It will sell.

When word gets out they are back everyone will have to get one.
I'm telling you its worth doing.
And its something NONE of the major companies are doing.
Perfect, another niche for AGD to fill.

When you've tried the rest, now get the best.
When they get sick of A5's, they get a Tac One.

It will be the same with AGD pumps.

[Hgblues]

wow! and to think, all of this because 5 guys shootin' RT's spanked a buncha whiny All Americans with their Shocker Turbo's at Skyball one year .