Now, I wanted to cover the so called SP crisis in this post to help offer some sort of closure or solution, but in order to do so we need to take a look at the paintball market as a whole. It is my goal to create a little more positive thinking, as though myself I do not personally like Smart Parts, I'm also not into people sitting around and complaining, and I will explain why in this post. Everything I'm about to state is merely an idea and a suggestion, and does not have to be taken as the ultimate truth. It is good as consumers and people who partake in this market, to question the market itself.
First let me address the whole idea of the paintball market going down hill or dying. The paintball market is not dead nor will it be in a long long time. What I believe is happening is the market is adjusting to the demand of its consumers, and this is a good thing, because if it didn't, well then there would be no paintball market. Now if you the consumer, are against the changes being made, and the market for the most part isn't listening to you, it is because the Market caters to what is in demand of the majority of its consumers, no the minority, so in fact your wants really are not that important to paintball as a whole, whether your wants are good or bad. Let me put it this way, if the market was to souly focus on the minority and what the minority wanted, then the profit margin or intake would be small and the market would topple. (this is not to say they totally disregard what the minority wants) So those who are complaining about the market and are not getting heard, are essentially not important to the majority of the market's needs. If you want to change the market, essentially the minority has to become the majority. It all comes down to relative scarcity and supply and demand (which is controlled by scarcity).
Everyone who does complain on the forum seems to complain about the issues, but not offer some form of resolution. I mean ideally to solve the problem of say SP we would need everyone to start purchasing other things aside from SP products, but realistically when this occurs, and eventually odds are it will, a large sum of people would need to take part and ultimately SP guns will have to go out of fashion.
Now let me present my guide lines for effectively balancing the companies in the paintball market, so SP is not a monopoly. There needs to be another company, other than AGD (they don't have enough resources at this point) that can meet the demands of the mainstream consumer (the majority). Now most of you here aren't mainstream so naturally you might not want another "ion esque" marker for example, however the best way to regulate the market and not need government intervention is through competition, so those SP haters here might have to embrace another company, even if you are not mainstream, mainstream competition is needed in order to prevent a monopoly without the government reaching in and taking control. I don't want PB companies to worry about being busted up and regulated by our government due to their actions, and the consumer shouldn't either. Part of the problem is the fact not enough patenting occurred early on. The lack of economical competition and idea of free ideas only hindered the market and development. If you want people to be able to freely expand on your ideas yet not abuse them like SP abused them, you need to patent and protect them. If the paintball market ever dies soon (which it won't) it'd be due to the lack of competition provided by certain companies. (Yes companies still competed with markers back during the days when things went un patented, but they failed to protect their other ideas). I hate saying this, but ultimately SP came to power because while everyone was being equal and carefree about their ideas with the thought the market only wants to improve them for the good of the sport, SP came along and decided to steal the work, as wrong as this morally may be, companies are suffering for poor competitive economic management. Now to fix our issues (and SP is crooked don't get me wrong), we have to essentially sell out do the the failure of other companies. Remember SP didn't come to power on its own, you can't just be crooked and make it in the market, other companies have to make poor choices along the way. Protect your assets people, the market is for competition not sharing. Every company knows that the market is competitive and that is the ONLY way to survive. If you want to be innovative you gotta protect it if you plan to sell it at any point of time. The market stays alive through self interest, not interest for the group as a whole.
I understand what SP has done is crooked, but I ask everyone to question how they got away with what they did.
I don't like SP but I'm sick of sitting around and only looking at one side of the coin, lets look at the big picture and learn something.
First let me address the whole idea of the paintball market going down hill or dying. The paintball market is not dead nor will it be in a long long time. What I believe is happening is the market is adjusting to the demand of its consumers, and this is a good thing, because if it didn't, well then there would be no paintball market. Now if you the consumer, are against the changes being made, and the market for the most part isn't listening to you, it is because the Market caters to what is in demand of the majority of its consumers, no the minority, so in fact your wants really are not that important to paintball as a whole, whether your wants are good or bad. Let me put it this way, if the market was to souly focus on the minority and what the minority wanted, then the profit margin or intake would be small and the market would topple. (this is not to say they totally disregard what the minority wants) So those who are complaining about the market and are not getting heard, are essentially not important to the majority of the market's needs. If you want to change the market, essentially the minority has to become the majority. It all comes down to relative scarcity and supply and demand (which is controlled by scarcity).
Everyone who does complain on the forum seems to complain about the issues, but not offer some form of resolution. I mean ideally to solve the problem of say SP we would need everyone to start purchasing other things aside from SP products, but realistically when this occurs, and eventually odds are it will, a large sum of people would need to take part and ultimately SP guns will have to go out of fashion.
Now let me present my guide lines for effectively balancing the companies in the paintball market, so SP is not a monopoly. There needs to be another company, other than AGD (they don't have enough resources at this point) that can meet the demands of the mainstream consumer (the majority). Now most of you here aren't mainstream so naturally you might not want another "ion esque" marker for example, however the best way to regulate the market and not need government intervention is through competition, so those SP haters here might have to embrace another company, even if you are not mainstream, mainstream competition is needed in order to prevent a monopoly without the government reaching in and taking control. I don't want PB companies to worry about being busted up and regulated by our government due to their actions, and the consumer shouldn't either. Part of the problem is the fact not enough patenting occurred early on. The lack of economical competition and idea of free ideas only hindered the market and development. If you want people to be able to freely expand on your ideas yet not abuse them like SP abused them, you need to patent and protect them. If the paintball market ever dies soon (which it won't) it'd be due to the lack of competition provided by certain companies. (Yes companies still competed with markers back during the days when things went un patented, but they failed to protect their other ideas). I hate saying this, but ultimately SP came to power because while everyone was being equal and carefree about their ideas with the thought the market only wants to improve them for the good of the sport, SP came along and decided to steal the work, as wrong as this morally may be, companies are suffering for poor competitive economic management. Now to fix our issues (and SP is crooked don't get me wrong), we have to essentially sell out do the the failure of other companies. Remember SP didn't come to power on its own, you can't just be crooked and make it in the market, other companies have to make poor choices along the way. Protect your assets people, the market is for competition not sharing. Every company knows that the market is competitive and that is the ONLY way to survive. If you want to be innovative you gotta protect it if you plan to sell it at any point of time. The market stays alive through self interest, not interest for the group as a whole.
I understand what SP has done is crooked, but I ask everyone to question how they got away with what they did.
I don't like SP but I'm sick of sitting around and only looking at one side of the coin, lets look at the big picture and learn something.
Comment