I am planing on opening a paintball store, need suggestions.

[Tack]

My wife and I have decided to open a paintball store in Columbia Missouri. This area is growing as well as the number of players. There is a lot of outlaw players in the area as well as established players who need more than one pro shop to help them out.

My question is for anyone but especially for those who have opened their own stores, fields, or both.

1: how much capital did you need to start? (If you do not feel comfortable answering here, PM me. I really need to know where to start at)

2: Where did you get your starting supplies? local distributors, National Paintball Supply, I&I sports etc.

3: How did you survive the first several months of business? was it successful, or did you almost starve until things got going?

4: Which companies would you as store owners suggest I get in contact with for dealership info. Which ones should I stay away from.

5: This one is really for everyone: What do YOU the players look for in a pro shop? stock, equipment, tools etc.

6: Any suggestions for store names are welcome. Perhaps if I like one enough, there may be something in it for the person who suggested it. Can’t promise anything yet, but maybe.

Any other suggestions, advice, or help is greatly appreciated. Please post here or contact me at [email protected], PM, or AIM at tackmag03

Thanks
Tack.

[nt2004]

i think they have a good book about information to open your own paintball business. Its advertised in APG a lot. if i can find the title i'll post it for you. It might be useful

[andreb]

[J_Hoyt]

I think the book you want is called 'How do you do paintball?' or something close to that.

[Mossman]

I'd suspect you'd need a very good amount of money to start. Don't start until you have at least 6 months or a year of your costs factored in. Spending all your money to build up decent stock is worthless if no one buys it for the first few months and you cant pay rent.

Definately put some money in the bank for rent, insurance, etc.

Stock low end guns, upgrade parts for them, barrels, safety equiptment and paint. Get good air fills as soon as possible, because no store worth their weight in beans cant fill your tank.

If this is going to be your full time job,that's great, but if you are going to have other people in there closely monitor them. One kid acting like a punk on one afternoon for whatever reason could hurt your store in the long run.

I'm not really sure what else to say, but I think if you want a store that people will come to, price everything fairly. Don't gouge on one item. If you sell your markers and parts for cost but your cases of midnight for 85 bucks, people are gonna look at your store as a rip-off even if you have the cheapest everything else in town. Price things fairly and win business by being friendly and helpful.

Also, make sure you can fix every gun you sell and every common gun in the area. If it's all tippmanns and spyders it's easy, but if there are people with angels, timmies, etc. around you should learn to fix those, and a screw-up repairing them can be expensive.


Hrmm...that's all i got.



GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR VENTURE, I WISH YOU THE BEST!!!!


oh, 1 more thing. Maybe it'd be a good idea for you to set up an online store as well. Obviously your prices have to be pretty low online, but if you price every item just high enough to make a couple bucks, at least you have some inventory moving and if no one's buying something in the store you can replace it with something else if someone else buys it online.


hrmm....thats all, good day to you

[speeddemon]

andreb hit quite a few on the head. Keep little stuff in stock. And don't be a pushy salesman, if someone asks your advice give it. Don't be that guy that alienates everyone.
Try offering stuff like annodizing for peoples guns and barrels. Its not that hard to do, and I know I would love to have someone around that could do it.
And have affordable paint. I don't buy my paint from anyone around here because they charge too much for sorry paint. You'll make more profit if people actually buy the paint.
Offer 4.5k fills too. To me nothing is more annoying than having a tank that I can't fully use.

[logamus]

Originally posted by Mossman
oh, 1 more thing. Maybe it'd be a good idea for you to set up an online store as well. Obviously your prices have to be pretty low online, but if you price every item just high enough to make a couple bucks, at least you have some inventory moving and if no one's buying something in the store you can replace it with something else if someone else buys it online.


hrmm....thats all, good day to you

i think nobody in or getting in the business should overlook this. ebay is a major player in the paintball world and for a store owner it is an easy way to earn some cash on the side. i would also just echo the customer service side of things. some stores wont talk to you unless your american express card is already on the counter, thats a poor way to run a business. see everyone that walks in as a paying customer and you will do well.

[RusskiX]

I'll will echo the player sentiments:

Rule #1: be very competitive on those items that EVERY player NEEDS... paint and air! If you offer good price and services on paint and full 4500 fills, you will see a lot of waltkthrough business which may encourage store loyalty and players to come to you when its time to upgrade. Plus, its these "volume" items that help keep the bottom line.

Rule #2: Treat every player with respect. Don't push a certain marker and know how to fix all the basic ones. And never talk down about others guns.

Good luck!

[NJPaint]

Make sure you got a line of AGD products

[Tack]

Thanks for all the info. Keep it coming.

My plan of action as of right now is to stock low and mid range markers for immediate sell. Keep several high ends like E-Mags/X-Mags, Angels, Shockers, Impies, Timmies ext on the wall as displays. I have found that most people who are planning on buying this type of gun will be more interested in buying something they personally pick out. Keep them on the wall to show I can get them, then when someone is interested brake out the catalog and show what they can get. That way I can get high end business, without killing myself with a ton of high end stock that isn't moving.

As luck would have it, I started play with a Tippman, and know how to fix most of the Spyder clones as well as almost anything that is going wrong on a Mag. That only leaves Cockers (which I am learning) and the E-Guns. I am planning on looking into classes for those, just need to find out when, where, and how much.

As for AGD stuff. I am planning on making sure that I have a full line of AGD stuff in inventory. Stock nothing but the best.

I actually play at the only other field in the area. They are far enough away that I don't think I will be hurting their business too much, and they won't hurt mine. I just don't want to step on things and end up not getting along with them. That is the only place to play in Mid Missouri, and I am not opening up any fields, at least not yet.

The web store is in the planning. Need to find a good web master at a good price to start. Also I am planning on doing repair work as well as a third party service. Hopefully that, along with the air and paint sales will give us a good bottom line. The rest is just cash in hand.

Oh and Andreb, my last name is not actually Wang. I joined the long forgotten Wang Force on AO after Shatnerball last year. Just haven't gotten around to taking it off yet.

[RT pRo AuToMaG]

Make sure to stock the small stuff like burst disk, all different size screws, gun oil, etc. You'd be suprised how many stores you can walk in, buy a $1200 gun with $500 in accessories and they don't even have screws to put it together.

[RPK]

You might want to communicate with this other store/field. Maybe the two of you can work together... ie: if you don't have an item that someone needs ASAP then refer them to the other store, and see if they will do the same. It might not be financially benefitial, but the customer service will keep them coming back.

RPK

[sneakyhacker420]

don't focus on making a profit, focus on making a customer


thats probably the best advice you'll ever hear when you are running a business


you'll also want to concentrate on more of the small items, such as screws, air fittings, drop fowards and the like, not just on guns

start out stocking a few beginner guns, maybe an angel or an e-mag

but give the customer a variety of product, but if they are looking for something more exotic, show them that you are willing to order it for them

carry jerseys, pods, pants, barrel socks/plugs, squeeges, packs, etc. thoes are some of the things that people will be looking for when they start out with a new marker package


heres another big thing... KEEP IT ORGANIZED so that the customer sees that you know what you are doing so that they are able to entrust you with their equipment for repairs, etc.

more tips:

carry spare gun parts for most guns, such as mags, spyders/piranhas, and whatnot, but maybe not like the $60 angel parts kits


also, keep a varietey of paint in stock, and pre-check all bags of paint before you put them out for sale

be willing to sell individual bags as well as full cases

possibly give customers discounts when they come in with their 12-year-old kid who is just getting into the sport and is purchasing a whole outfit for them

be nice, be generous, and have a good attitude towards running your store


plus you'll wanna be able to fill CO2 and N2 tanks

[-=Squid=-]

Ok, to answer number five...as far as things in stock, I like to see expensive equipment, simply put. I think in the shop, you would make more money selling little things like tank covers, and gun upgrades to tourney players. Honestly, most new players buy from wal-mart or the internet...not pro shops. Just my $0.02

[SpongeBobSquarePants]

Well a good friend of mine, and myself are thinking of starting our own store after christmas. Maybe out of his garage to cut over head. Only thing that scares me is taxs but this isnt about us. We are not planning on doing this to make money. Were doing this to give players in our area a good deal I mean were 15 and 16 year olds. Here is how we look at it. If we can get a case of paint for 32 dollars shipped per case. We mark them up say 5 bucks gives that players a good deal and puts a couple bucks in our pockets. There is a guy that owns the proshop near us and thats all he does and his prices our out ragous. And thats because he is makeing his whole liveing off of it thats not were out to do. Ok I'll stop rambling and get to the point

National has a deal for around 2,000 you can get about everything you need to open a store but I'm not sure what all that includes.

For air start with some scubas and fill stations, sure you can only fill to 3000 but a booster is very expensive.

Dont go into to it looking to make a fourtane and mark up things out rageously. Get a good customer base keep them happy and comeing back.

Also know your tech stuff. Because when kids break there new guns you make your money by fixing them. Just be smart and do it for the customers and not yourself.