If ION's were SUPER cheap how would that change things?

[Rick-USA]

Smart Parts did a price drop on every marker they make on April 1. It wasn't just the Ion that dropped they all did.

The Ion has changed the paintball world already. If it were to drop in price even more it would move more of them out to the public. I'm more than slightly biased towards the Ion since I've owned one for over a year now and have had 0 problems out of it. I usually tear down 5-6 a day on a busy weekend at the field and replace the rear hose when it starts leaking. It's not a matter of if it will, it's a matter of when it will. I don't find the Ion any more difficult to tear down than any of the clamshell Timmy's running around out there.

As far as a player needing to learn skills before they move up in the marker capabilities that's another of the long list of traditions that have been thrown out the window. These days it's very common to see first time players with mid-high level markers simply because they have read about them and have access to Mom's gold card. I see it every weekend.

Smart Pars is very rigid when it comes to MAP pricing and enforcing the policy. That's why when the Ion went on sale at walmart.com for less than MAP SP suddenly called up the middle man in the transaction and put a quick halt to it. It was probably on the website for less than a week with a price less than MAP. Even though it wasn't Walmart who was actually selling the marker it does show the influence SP has over it's dealers when it comes to MAP.

Finally what's wrong with a "plastic" marker? It's not like the whole thing is made out of plastic. It's just a shell over the working parts which makes it very easy and inexpensive to replace should some major damage happen to it. What happens when you slide into a bunker with an aluminium marker and it happens to slide on the ground and finds a rock? A nasty scratch that is pretty muh there forever unless you want to replace the whole thing. Glock, Sig, and Taurus haven't found any reason to not build real firearms out of polymers. They can't be that bad. :)

[Pump Scout]

Why sell a $300-$400 gun for $200, it only cuts back the money you and your stores make.

I suspect this is backwards from what the situation really is. I think what SP has is a $75-$100 gun that they had been selling at $300+, and now brought down to $200.

As for what it will do, I think it's going to drive down the price of blowbacks. It's going to push paint consumption up, but I don't think paint prices will shift at all. It will boost sales of powered hoppers, especially if the rental market starts seeing the Ion as a serious option. Those will likely be the fields already running their rentals on HPA. I think that if SP doesn't come out with rental-color-only shells, they're out of their minds. I think it's going to further push the rec game toward what the tournament scene has on a regular basis, and the game will yet again become more unfriendly and attitude-filled.

With weather and money being a consideration here, I finally made it out to a field for the first time this year last weekend. It was to a field that historically has seen mostly DYE/Proto guns for high-end, serious shooters. The Ions now outnumber the others out there. They seem to have their share of issues, though. Come to think of it, the only guns I saw with problems at all during the day were Ions. Not sure if that indicative of their quality (I have thoughts on that...), but it was, to me, a look at what to expect.

[BigEvil]

It's hard to say that selling Ions at 225 (and all other items at MSRP) is designed to take sales away from any company selling them for 200.

If an online store is selling them for $200, then what is a local proshop going to sell it for? What is the markup on a $200 retail paintball gun?

[stop whining buy a mag]

Most of the opinions given so far are correct. It is already hurting the blowback line of markers and with another price drop, I'm sure Kingman would start to hurt. Whether or not it would impact Tippmann as much is debatable. Tippmanns are known for reliability, IONS are not. The reason for that being, you can do whatever you want to a Tippmann and it will still work. The ION demands the upkeep of a high end gun. Not to mention the undisputable lack of quality control that Smart Parts has.

I doubt these will ever become a large percentage of the rentals at fields throughout the world for one reason. They are a PITA to disassemble. I occasionally get kids at the field that want me to clean their ION for them because they saw me take out the bolt on my DM6 and relube it. If the ION was that easy I'd say sure, but it takes an experienced person a good 10-20 minutes to disassemble, clean and reassemble one of these. Not to mention all the batteries a field would go through.

Around here, the ION has started to plateau. I see usually 10 of them at the field, but they aren't selling as great as they were before. The price drop has given some people a little motivation to buy one as a backup though. SP probably has something they are about to drop on the paintball market that will in some way compete with the ION.

The ION is the biggest thing in paintball in the past several years. It can almost be compared to the switch from pump to semi. Now the switch is from little kids with mech Spyders to kids with fast guns and they have no clue how to change it out of rebound mode. Thankfully, AGD is such a niche market that this has little effect. People that purchase from AGD are usually looking for quality not plastic.

[Rick-USA]

Brick store or online store?

National has for years now had an online store under the name www.888paintball.com and at least one other I can't think of the name of right now. If they are selling at MSRP there then other websites and brick stores are selling above.

[m-a-r-k-7]

I think it would put a serious dent in spyder and phirana sales, if the ion was lowered to $100-$150. Tippmann would be fine, because they market toward woodsball and scenario. Spyders and Phiranas are marketed mainly for speedball. Given the choice of a sypder electra for $150, or an ion for $150 I'd go with the ion every time. Spyders are great guns, but I feel that ions are just a step above (not a large one mind you).

[fire1811]

The same reason we and others spend considerably more money on ule mags and mech cockers and such with no ramping and no eyes - we like them, and we appreciate the quality over faster plastic guns

edit: but yes I do see your point as it pertains to the average kid just getting into the game

maybe you should do research before you post. The ION is not plastic.

[slateman]

I suspect this is backwards from what the situation really is. I think what SP has is a $75-$100 gun that they had been selling at $300+, and now brought down to $200.

Bingo.

Well, if the Ion were cheaper I dont' think it would have a dramatic effect, but it would have a noticeable. The Ion still needs a motorized hopper and a compressed air tank, both of which inccur a substantial cost.

What it may do, as previously mentioned, is force the blowbacks and other CO2 guns to reduce their prices. This would, naturally, allow more people to play paintball on a regular basis.

But there is still the cost of paint, which, IMO, would be more prohibitive factor for those who purchase an Ion. Lets face it, the Ion can lay paint down. Meaning that people are going to be buying a case instead of a 500 round bag like they would with an entry level Tippmann. Now, if Smart Parts can figure out to make paintballs "way cheaper" that would do more to affect paintball then making Ions "way cheaper"

[fire1811]

IMO they should have them for sale in walmart. That would greatly increase there sales

[Aeronautica86]

maybe you should do research before you post. The ION is not plastic.

the body (cover) is and being plastic it can break; obviously no one here thinks that the Ion is 100% pastic - I would expect most everyone to realize that

[Lohman446]

They are slowly making there way into the rental market and making a two tier rental market. For instance normal marker rental (Piranha, Tippman, whatever), non electronic hopper etc may rent for $10 where the Ion with a cheaper (think Ricochet) hopper may go for twice that. And many people will pay it. How they will fair long term I have no idea, I think if it was me doing it I would find a way to make that bolt removeable without removing the body (be it by customizing the plastic body or by buying aftermarket ones).

[fire1811]

the body is and being plastic it can break

that is just a shell. Its aluminum under it. Honestly I have had more problems with my mag then I my ION.

Its funny that people on AO get mad when others bash mags yet they are usually the first to bash IONS. ???

[Aeronautica86]

I couldn't care less about anyone bashing the guns I use, but that isn't the issue

My point is that the body is an integral part of the Ion - I've never seen one on the field with the body cover off. I just prefer a gun without something breakable on the outside - try breaking the body of a Spyder - it won't be easy. Of course I haven't tried to break the shell on a Ion, but I woud imagine it would be easier to do than with a marker with an all metal body. True, if you break the shell on the Ion it doesn't mean that the marker is completely screwed, but 99% of the people would want to replace it immediately thus sucking more money out of their wallets.

[fire1811]

Of course I haven't tried to break the shell on a Ion, but I woud imagine it would be easier to do than with a marker with an all metal body. True, if you break the shell on the Ion it doesn't mean that the marker is completely screwed, but 99% of the people would want to replace it immediately thus sucking more money out of their
wallets.

You have never tried to but yet you say its going to break? mmmmkkk

Yeah it would suck I guess if for whatever reason you in some way broke your body. But I you can replace an ION shell for $15 ver $100+ other guns

[Dark Frost17]

i think it would make a pretty decent impact on some fields....but do you think woods ball and speed ball would be split further apart?... ....i see enough ions to make my head explode at some of the fields i have been to....if the price came lower i would buy 1 only to tinker with it.... .....