What does AGD see as there "new" customer

[emumikey]

A lot of people are telling me why a mag is better, and that can be an entire different thread...

Ask SP who buys an Ion. I can nearly promise you they have a thought out and considered answer about not only who there target audience is but who will buy one.

Very true. SP designed the ION with the target market in mind (i.e. custom colors, body kits, price).

[JimmyBeam]

Ask SP who buys an Ion. I can nearly promise you they have a thought out and considered answer about not only who there target audience is but who will buy one.

Well of course they can. Im sure they probably have a whole team they put together to come up with the demographic for the Ion. THey probably spent a pretty penny on that too. The same goes for Dye/Proto and the PMR.

[emumikey]

Well of course they can. Im sure they probably have a whole team they put together to come up with the demographic for the Ion. THey probably spent a pretty penny on that too. The same goes for Dye/Proto and the PMR.

It seems that they both had a similar philosophy. Take the concept/look of their flagship tourney markers and make an affordable and "AGG" friendly version of the marker.

[Lohman446]

You're right, I asked the question wrong. What inspires someone to buy a mag over a Fusion etc.? How does AGD get the customer looking at the Fusion / Rail etc. to buy a mag instead? How does the AGD buyer differ from the buyer of something else?

[p8ntball72]

In my case, I stay with mags and have owned mags for over 10 years.. is just that.
Mags will last a lifetime.
A mag can sit in a gear bag for months, Oil it up, and it will shoot just as the day it was bought.

So who is AGD's "Target Group"?...

Players that see a good investment
Players that dont care about flash
players that play for fun
Players that plan on playing for an extended length of time
Players that bring a back up gun for new players that will be trouble free.

Disposable guns = Disposable players

One of My first Markers was a Tippman 68 Special, I still have it, It doesn't work.

[JimmyBeam]

I also failed to mention...

Some players prefer to play with a marker that will test their skill. So they purchase a semi-mechanical marker over a Fusion/Rail/(insert ramping-electro here). In the semi-mechanical world, the mag is at the top of the food chain for choices.

wow....

well, whatever makes you sleep better at night....

[Baby Huey]

I may not represent the majority of the buying public. But I have 2 Shockers and I decided to buy a mech. gun for when we go to big scenerios and it rains, and also for night play. A buddy of mine gave me this forum to check out. I read a lot of posts and created a few threads with my questions and decided on a mag. I then had to decide on a specific marker and then a dealer. I was checking out one dealer and some people on here shared nice and honest opinions and I decided to do a little more research. Rogue answered about 100 questions and I decided to buy a RPG Paradigm from him for a few reasons.

1) I felt that the mag was the best mech gun out there.

2) Rogue's interaction (and the fact that he never bashed the other dealers).

3) I knew the people on here would be as helpful and nice as the people on shockerowners.com. (and I have not been wrong)


Just figured I would post since I went through the process a little while back. Have a great night and God Bless.

[Lohman446]

I also failed to mention...

Some players prefer to play with a marker that will test their skill. So they purchase a semi-mechanical marker over a Fusion/Rail/(insert ramping-electro here). In the semi-mechanical world, the mag is at the top of the food chain for choices.

And those who want to test their skill even further shoot pump

Your theory that a ramping marker takes no skill is elitist at best, and the more I see it the more I wonder if it is elitism or idiocy.

Mags are not at the top of the semi world either Rogue. It was not ramping that has caused the slide of the mag - it was sliding before ramping was even widely used. Why is it, if mags rule the semi world, we see so few NPPL teams (including those without sponsorship allegiance) using mags.

Edit: I do, on re-reading it, catch the semi-mechanical term in there, rather than just semi. Perhaps true enough, but still breaking it down to semi-mechanical is splitting the pie pretty small isn't it?

[p8ntball72]

If not a mag, what mechanical gun would you recommend Lohman?

Mags made today are built with standards and quality, cant say the same for a new Cocker.
and Tippmans have never been considered "high end"

[Lohman446]

If not a mag, what mechanical gun would you recommend Lohman?

Mags made today are built with standards and quality, cant say the same for a new Cocker.
and Tippmans have never been considered "high end"

I have said before, and I still beleive that the automag is the best "commonly available" mechanical marker out there today. I beleive it true. The thing is, I was curious as to who AGD saw as there "replacement" customers for those leaving. Perhaps knowing who, perhaps the how was the next question.

Marketting is seldom about necessarily having the best....

[p8ntball72]

I think that anyone that stays in the game for any amount of time, would eventually come around to a mag.

Mag shooters would be the demographic that cant afford spraying multiple cases per day-of-play, but don't necessarily want to play pump.

[JimmyBeam]

Personally I would take a mag over a Tippman any day of the week. Now don't get me wrong, I have the utmost respect for the Tippman product line. But the same goes with them as well. Give me more shots per fill and Ill proudly shoot a mechanical gun again. Seriously, I will sell my PM6 which gets almost 3/4 a case per fill if I found a Mag that was just as efficient

[shartley]

Because mags arent commonly available, Ive found that those who do buy them(my customers) have really done the research, and educated themselves on their purchase.

They dont follow the trends, for the sake of it. They arent necessarily "leaders", but they arent "followers" either. Independent thinkers, if you will.

This doesnt mean that they are uneducated if those shooters choose to shoot another marker. Only an idiot would insinuate that from what I wrote Ive come to realize over the last 5 years of selling mags, that the customer that buys a mag, is the customer who educates themselves on their purchases, and doesnt buy into the hype.

Largely, the same can be said for those who shoot AKA markers. Same breed of buyer. Which is why it is so easy for a mag owner to become an AKA owner

[Lohman446]

So... if the player decides not to shoot a mag and then goes to the flavor of the month marker does that mean they have become uneducated?

[Tac-OneFun]

I can't believe we are even mentioning Tippmans in relation to a Mag. Tippmans are generic guns with no heart. Mags are designed and built a standard much higher than a Tippman.

Unfortunately, I don't know if there are any "replacement" consumers for the Mag. It seems as though saying "Kids will buy whatever will shoot fastest/what is hot" is quite a valid statement. Being a mature adult, I recognize the value of having a gun that is durable, reliable and customizable. I would think that AGD needs to target a bit of an older demographic (18-30) because these are the consumers that are going to recognize qualities in a gun that matter other than how many paintballs you can sling at someone.

Also, educating salesmen at the field would help. A salesmen that understands the mag would be able to tout its benefits when selling to a customer. This would show what the mag holds over the competition.