This is why airsoft is expensive and scarce in 2021...

[@OcAirsoft]

Enjoyable and insightful Jonathan!

[@jmsmith1019]

John you are a vital and under appreciated asset to our community! Thanks for your sacrifice and commitment to the hobby and us! Stay safe and call your freaking hits!

[@OcAirsoft]

It’s crazy the amount of people who are now playing from recent content consumption during COVID. Sc village has 200+ every weekend ( we only used to see this around holidays). That and all the fields bumped prices. It used to be $20 at sc now it’s $40..... crazy

[@Airsoftology]

I really feel like Airsoft is one of those few outdoor activities / hobbies that you can still effectively social distance. Along with golf, fpv drones /RC, there aren't too many other options that let you still keep that appropriate amount of distance and not affect the way the hobby is meant to be.

[@snazzycat5373]

Im going to sc this weekend for my friends bday, and im one of those people who already has everything and stuff, like im way more into it than they are, so thats ganna be interesting to see

[@AS-Time]

My local field High Ground has started getting a lot more people. They now only operate days of play in 2-3 sessions, where you pay for only one session at a time due to the sheer amount of people that play, in groups of 40 per session.

[@mlapro]

It's even worse than that. In 2019 there were 11 companies that handled global logistics, which means the parent companies that own the immense number of shipping entities like DHL, but at the end of the year, seven of them went bankrupt and their operations folded into the remaining four.

[@u1tramadn3ss51]

Do you have a source for this? I'd love to read up more on it

[@jky21]

John I am in the manufacturing industry, and my friend you nailed it! this wish when I was starting someone would have described everything the way you did! you rock my friend!

[@DuyNguyen-xk3pb]

Airsoft is getting more and more expensive in Canada. Supplies are also low and quite a few resellers are not bringing down that much stock anymore because of the potential ban on Airsoft.

[@Airmax1]

So damn true. Hopeful C-21 does not go thru, however it'll mean more guns for everyone else on this planet.

[@darkshock42mlg05]

Uou jave c-21 to than for that and its not getting a lot of support except from antigunners. C-21 us just a vote and gun grab and most fo their governmrnt sees it as such and opposes it. Also the buyback program isnt going to work because thats millions of guns. At least 100 million and there iant wnough money for that much.

[@DavorPranjic]

Airsoft has never been a cheap hobby.

[@Juliet1106Tango]

It's been more affordable to enter than ever, but yes, its has never been "cheap"

[@johnsantana601]

Actually i say it is. You can get a decent used gun for 200 or less. Bbs are almost free. And eyepro can vary. I come from paintball and its a hell of alot cheaper to play airsoft.

[@DavorPranjic]

@@johnsantana601 LoL..and than you see MilSim guys, and then you want to look like them and play MilSim games, and out of nowhere you are 2k € short 😭🤣

[@MrSolLeks]

@@DavorPranjic as a milsim guy, truth hahaha. I probably have more than that worth of gear and I don't even use it all anymore, the worst part is finding a piece of gear that you think would work out really well only to find that it's not that great and putting it in the closet and / or upgrading to a better thing. i'v got at least 2 chest rigs I no longer use because I run a plate carrier now... oh and now im probably going to upgrade my helmet from a replica to something real (mainly for real bump protection and mounting options, the replica works as a barrier but it's not really a helmet, more of a fancy looking hat) and ear pro for comms. the list ever grows.

[@asher8085]

I would say “cheap” has a different definition to many different people. I have felt that airsoft is cheap for most people in the short term but over time I have spent well over $1000 on my gun and kit alone, which most people seem to spend these days on a quality real steel firearm setup (I have found the similarity in cost between those two to be kind of absurd sometimes). I think the best way to save money is to “buy once, cry once” which means spending extra money on gear that is going to last and will not have to be replaced. May seem like it costs more up front but with hindsight being 20/20 I feel like I’ve spent so much money replacing and fixing stuff to the point where i could have just started out with the nicer gear and saved money in the long run. Hope this advice reaches any new players looking at cheaper and possibly inferior gear to start out with. Just start with the bare essentials (decent M4 rifle, bb’s, mags, battery, and 𝙃𝙄𝙂𝙃 𝙌𝙐𝘼𝙇𝙄𝙏𝙔 𝙀𝙔𝙀 𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙏𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 I cannot stress this enough) and SAVE UP MONEY until you can truly get what you need AND want and what will hold up to years and years of use and abuse!👍🏼😁

[@tacticalparts536]

It's definitely a weird time to be in the Airsoft business. I am just a small one-man shop that primarily specializes in upgrading AEG's and serve customers across the US and internationally. Aside from skyrocketing demand, the biggest thing I've seen since early 2020 (or basically when COVID impacts really started kicking off) is that it's become a constant fight to get in inventory. I can't tell you how many times I have had a large cart order built with my wholesale distributors and go to check out and find half of what I had on the order has been "sniped" or is out of stock. It feels like shopping auctions on eBay almost. But it's a bit disheartening because it has a big effect on my lead times and ability to push builds out in a timely fashion. In many cases I have to buy products at full retail to complete a build that might be languishing for lack of a single upgrade part. This affects profits, obviously. Similarly, I have never seen so much demand for Airsoft repair and upgrade services as I have seen within the last two years. According to my payment processor, it's up 70% over previous years. I've had to temporarily halt new orders this year as I simply don't have enough time to handle the influx and the lead times are extending out dramatically. What concerns me most is that the wholesale industry really is contracting down to the big name distributors and a lot of the smaller, previously reliable shops are getting cut out of the mix and aren't able to supply products. In more traditional industries, it was a given that the closer you got to the manufacturer, the better the margins and easier the supply chain becomes. In Airsoft, this has become a very mixed bag. Fewer and fewer manufacturing companies are willing to offer dealer / wholesale accounts or are putting up an astronomical "paywall" to even obtain their products. Or they might be locked into exclusively distributing their products through one of the big companies who have built up tremendous buying power. For smaller shops, its not economically feasible, nor does it make sense to dump all their funds into securing one line of products so they can maybe get a 5 - 10% better profit margin over going through a dealer account with Evike. This ultimately becomes a double-edged sword as when these big distributors are out of stock and the product is only exclusively available through them, it affects every single business that's reliant on them to provide wholesale goods to make a profit margin. It's sad in a way because we're seeing a lot of small cottage industry being gobbled up by mass commercialization. A lot of soul is being lost along the way.

[@MrSpiff9]

Thank you for putting supply chain logistics into layman's terms, it also hadn't occurred to me that the containers weren't being returned! A global pandemic certainly puts a huge strain on not only manufacturing, but every step of the consumer process. Wishing you all the best sir!

[@painexotic3757]

This makes me glad I bought alot of airsoft gear back in black friday 2019. Spent like $250 on sales (off from like $500).

[@ahbrealtyandpropertymanage2039]

Great video as always. glad to see you are still posting awesome high quality content videos . Hope you are doing well .

[@ProA-kv2jv]

I’ve seen airsoft being price gouged like crazy lately even on Evike I have a Krytac alpha CRB I purchased it for $250 now they cost $325 around that Mark

[@trik2o]

I'm stateside and like you said, most online retailers are sold out. Is it worth purchasing online from HK or Taiwan and shipping to the US? Besides the listed price and shipping cost, are there hidden customs and duties fees I should be aware of?

[@BillLarkinmusic]

Im 54 at a so-called mature age. I feel like the moment i got interested in this hobby/sport last year, everyone ran away! Prices went up and Canada may get banned because of a ridiculous law. :( Great channel btw :) Rock on...

[@valerianspeed]

I’m so sorry that makes me sad

[@jrbrayjr2003]

I got interested in airsoft last year also. (At age 54 also). It's disappointing that it's so difficult to get products now.

[@cunnyfred9562]

Airsoft is a nice hobby, it can also act as a stress relief in these trying times, where people are scared to leave their homes. For example, I can do some QUIET target shooting at home, in an improved shooting range 5m - 10 m long, and sill enjoy myself, without getting injured or annoying the neighbors.

[@silentgaming9328]

@@valerianspeed In india boom a 150$ gun will cost 450$ and the so called dirt cheap bbs cost a whooping 66$ ( for a pack of 5000 .20s) Imagine my situation, its only the sport of riches here

[@KiloAlphaLima626]

Man, I am SO HAPPY you made this video because I went to Evike and other retailers and noticed EVERYTHING is out of stock, and I was like whiskey tango foxtrot... and you explained everything... shortage of raw materials, logistics, etc. Its crazy and even Dow (I'm a contractor) is having problems finding steel that meets Q&A to put in service for replacing defective valves.

[@screenspoof1825]

in the uk theres only a few main airsoft shops but not much changing over here

[@nicobourbaki5615]

I help a local shop out. He is doing pretty good a lot of guns have come in to be worked on and *knock on wood* supply hasn’t been too big of an issue but shipping delays is brutal sometimes. Needed a glock 45 before an event ordered a month before the event. The glock came in on the Monday after the event!

[@中野真斗-q8t]

Living in Japan, I haven't really felt the airsoft shortage. Fortunately a lot of the popular airsoft guns are TM, but some of the other brands could be tricky to find. The VFC GBB SMGs are certainly a pain to acquire though.

[@mrwickairsoft6345]

Even when I started Airsoft 10 years ago it wasn’t a cheap hobby

[@22qbairsoft]

We have a shop in Italy. Prices are going to increase because of costs going up and lack of materials? Probably yes, but the problem is different: do players, especially young ones, have enough money to withstand this price increase, in this difficult months? If not, prices won't increase, but some parts of the supply chain (producer, wholesalers, shops) won't be able to continue working... and this will be very bad for everyone!

[@PreMRaGe]

I like how he listed Hong Kong and China separately. Good man.

[@airsofthub7378]

Keep up the good work @airsoftology

[@GlennStubbington]

Bought some new gear can’t wait to use it but I haven’t played since September 2020 because of covid lockdowns first game back for me will be the 2nd May enjoy the show keep up the good work and the patches are awesome 😎

[@redheadmetalhead247]

I don't work in the industry, I am just a consumer, but I'm glad it's not just me noticing everything out of stock lately. I like to tinker with airsoft stuff, and every time I get an idea for a new build, I'll start researching and whatever I'm looking for is out of stock. Quite frustrating, but I try to keep it in my mind that companies are trying as hard as they can to get whatever they can in stock. It doesn't really help that I'm only into the oddball stuff (I've been eyeballing an Ares Vz58 and I've been looking high and low for an AGM MG42)

[@SDV89]

I’m in container transportation since 2008, here in Rotterdam it’s never been busier with import and export, I have to say that export is somewhat lower compared to imported goods. I just hope we all get over this terrible pandemic and get to play at our favourite field again. The field nearest to me had to close due to not being able to host games because of the pandemic.

[@brandonho6174]

hey, im new here in rotterdam, can you help me get started on airsoft?

[@gottroubletactical]

The big online retailers have killed most of the small local stores. I've been out of the hobby for a few years now, but the shop back home when I visited mostly stocks the support equipment these days. Eye pro, bbs, gas, stuff like that. They make most of their money from the field, and the owners other businesses.

[@PeteDetails]

You forgot the insane surge of demand of hobbyist products once everyone got tired of being inside all day. Bicycles and gym weights sold out everywhere

[@painexotic3757]

I think it depends on where you live. I live in a state that came out of lockdown pretty early (back in july 2020) so we didn't face alot of things selling out.

[@philippreisler1756]

Thanks for being awesome Jonathan!

[@spencerfallon2379]

Thank you for putting this info together! Really good insight for us all.

[@pathfindergaming3615]

Hey man, I do a lot of on and off work for one of our local airsoft shops in Western texas, I'm definitely seeing how hard it is to get a few things like batteries and pellets. But I definitely think it's one of those things where it's a good thing and a bad thing. A lot of the people want to upgrade and stockpile weapons but now that there's a semi shortage they are working more upgrading against they already have which is helping those small businesses with getting the the business they need to stay open but not having to spend the $300-400 for high-end guns when they can buy all of the internal parts that they need and then hire a tech so the guns can get upgraded in a timely manner

[@avshutsach]

I know that the two local shops that are in the San Diego area are doing well at the moment, and their repair queues are up to a month or more before they can get to service your broken Airsoft gun, they have at times told people how to fix or upgrade some of their own guns to lessen the work load for their techs.

[@anthonycoffey9412]

Used to be pretty devout in airsoft years ago, stopped for a while but now that im getting back into it I was surprised how advanced the tech has gotten. But yeah, if I could actually find what I want in stock that would be nice 😆

[@aaahhhhhhh]

Hey john I was wondering if you are going to review the new pistol from Novritch when it comes out. Also next time you do Q&A I was wondering what are your thoughts on DSG guns?

[@VerageAirsoft]

That was an interesting video. It will take some time for everything to be balanced out again. Support your local shops, that's really important.

[@gtf_5712]

This is really hard to see. I always try to support my local shop because they've been great to me and really helped me starting out. When I go into the local store these days it looks barren and more empty than I've ever seen it. For stuff like gear, bbs, batteries, accessories etc. I can usually find what I need but not always. The magazine selection and the gun walls have been hit the hardest. The gun wall looks bare. I can't imagine going in and wanting a new gun or God forbid a first gun and you have little to no options.

[@phillyairsoft6372]

Amazing breakdown thanks so much for this behind the scenes "business side of airsoft!

[@newton2013]

Paul Piper ORIGINAL (handmade) M-134 with Predator Pack is going up for sale soon, It has never been fired.

[@bigk5746]

My local shop has full stock of Krytacs, ICS, VFC, and any kind of pistol and HPA guns - I guess I'm luck just got my new Rec 7

[@Fixxate]

Props to archangel airsoft in Mebane nc for still staying open Wednesday/Thursday/Friday every week

[@darkshock42mlg05]

Ive seen gen 1 raiders around the same price as the raider 2.0. Wven then its still worth the extra $30-$40 it used to be and has one of the best stock hopup buckings. The green bucking is one of the best. only 3 buckings beat it like prometheus purple, krytac, and tm.

[@haydenmorrison8293]

Appreciate the explanation!

[@officerfriendly7018]

I have followed you for a very long time, you say you create content weekly. Are you on some other media that I haven’t found, or do you post at a much slower speed?

[@ryankuniyoshi96825]

Lots of the good VFC and ARES guns are out of stock at evike now. what’s up?

[@braedenfletcher8026]

Do you think Bill C21 in Canada if passed could lead to the end of airsoft in other countries as well?

[@marktasico]

I stopped playing speedball cause the damn guns we were using for our team cost over $2200 not including the price of the paint, and we used ALOT of paint. When I saw all the affordable airsoft guns like 4 years ago I got into it, then realized Airsoft can be just as expensive, especially if your upgrading your guns or going for certain loadouts.

[@jamescameron6819]

You're telling me. I've got it in my head to do a colt monitor so the bashing 2 guns together plus internal upgrades , mags for a new platform and shipping its gonna be close to 2g

[@TheSuburban15]

If you think that's bad, then stay well clear of auto racing.

[@WazheadBoci]

Also add the shortage of electronics, even if you can make the body of the gun most of them will come with some sort electronics that is a pain too.

[@enoch4024]

I’ve been trying for so long to get a cyma ak

[@josephwilding5142]

You definitely feel the lack of stock here in Canada, I saw a pistol I wanted in stock for the first time in a long time so I jumped on it.

[@chadnoles5671]

Hey Jonathan what about demand I know for me personally covid kinda forced me to reassess my hobbies I still love airsoft I'm still passionate about it but since it hit I've played twice I've gotten more back into skateboarding and fishing because they were considered outdoor exercise activities whereas airsoft wasn't

[@LegaciPod]

:3 luv your vids but could you help you a beginner my old setup well it got old and Its my first time getting a gass pistol and I've been thinking of ssp1 and I'm not sure if I should get the green gas version or co2

[@xplicit_con10t70]

I’m just now getting into airsoft, and I can definitely see the inflated prices. I was looking at vids from about a year or two for starter recommendations and most were around $150, whereas now they’re $50+ more. 😭

[@brandonadams1197]

john you helped explain it to me perfectly ive been waiting for we tech to supply my local store again. is there any way we as a community might be able to help?

[@n00bsoft]

thank u, very enlightening

[@uazfoursixnine]

Very informative. Great job

[@matthewjordan8452]

Well now everything makes sense why recently it cost me 90 usd shipping for two Gbbr magazines from Hong Kong !

[@OrdoAirsoft]

The overall cost is still not bad, but some fields have increased prices

[@Ausgel]

Fantastic summary mate

[@lidahjawa4456]

as far we know when the price is increase, they will never going back to the old price, perhaps a lil bit cheaper but never as cheap as 2-4 years ago, hard to get raw materials make the price stays or increase

[@Soundfire6]

Guess that explains why trying to get a CYMA RPK is so hard right now.

[@DisturbedGeneration]

2022 seems terrible for airsoft. Canada is almost passing a crappy bill Most good airsoft companies need one or two forwarders to buy any gun. Or even a patch. And all the airsoft stores in Canada, are out of stock, and all 200 plus for base blow backs. Everything I see on the hopup app is either just parts, or a 1000 dollar used broken gun.🤷‍♂️

[@chadherron5740]

When running coms is there a chart or some reference for programming radios?

[@TheSuburban15]

My Google Fu is weak this morning, but look for the radio flash cards.

[@ce2341]

Is this why evike is taking forever to ship my stuff?

[@o.h.sairsoft9065]

spot on...

[@NepaAirsoft]

I feel for the players in the UK. The fees for shipping to there are killer from what I have seen.

[@rogerborg]

And loads of stuff is getting seized by Customs, even basic components like rails.

[@TheSuburban15]

They voted for it

[@rawevidence540]

@@TheSuburban15 they voted to be free from the Marxist EU

[@xBB4L_Airsoft]

I just can't find a good GBBR in Canada, not a single AK

[@shirokuma2000]

My life: *buys airsoft gun* *breaks as soon as i get on the field*

[@ampedmoose]

Thats me anytime I use my hpa gun

[@HashishTV]

Literally happened with my very first airsoft gun a few months ago. Ironically it was the M4

[@jacksoncohen4907]

Getting a dye was a nightmare-

[@CanI...]

A huge part of Asia not being in as much of a lockdown as Europe and the Americas is because people there are following the rules instead of conspiracy theorising...hopefully we can get back to normal over here soon and the airsoft industry (as well as the events industry as a whole) can regain its former glory.

[@gavin1506]

You've missed Japan is now able to sell to EU with no tax. Airsoft will start to be moved there from Japan direct.

[@pushinpeter307]

Good insights

[@psdcairsoft]

I'll still be buying more gear no matter how expensive it gets 😂

[@mikekil-callsignares2139]

I work for a pet store company and we have the same issue with food for our pets

[@beingre_bornbrb]

Never forget that northeast airsoft was coming out with a uzi (regular uzi not min⚡️micro) when the pandemic started but I’m guessing this effected it in some way...

[@johnniechang0906]

Also now the airsoft manufacturers have pay more for IP and you have to pay extra $50 for licenced products like VFC's...

[@buricua2011]

I wonder how many people have gotten out of AS since the pandemic. I think im finally selling my gear and moving on to other hobbys

[@everythingatlasgamingandmo1386]

Bro it’s booming here in the valley of cali

[@zack8650]

Wish airsoft was cheaper and more widespread, Keep up the good work though!

[@kristoffermarn6118]

This is where it is so nice that I’m not a airsoft retailer. I can support myself with somme 3D printers. So thats super nice. But its sad that so many small bussnieces has to close Down......

[@mikeevans9647]

A lot of airsoft retailers are using all of this to really jack up prices. Can you say "how many people can we rip off today".

[@maggotpraiswater]

It’s a very good perspective on what is going on. But let’s also not forget to mention that more inexperienced people are getting hired in that whole chain due to this pandemic. The manufacturing that I due (roofing materials) we actually picked up in business. Our only drawback is truck drivers. There are a lot of new truckers coming in, so I can only think that is a problem all over. The rest of America needs to just reopen all the way.

[@TheSuburban15]

I worked in shipping/transport. There has been a driver shortage going back 5 years or so. We had a hard time getting shipments picked up the same day, which is real bad when that's like $60,000 worth, and it shuts the customer down for a day.

[@AcePotato_]

shipping and somehow i just had to think of that one ship XD

[@captureoutdoormedia]

Why is it that there aren’t a plethora of airsoft manufacturers in America? The technology isn’t that sophisticated, and there is some demand here.

[@oscars7948]

You think airsoft is bad, try buying a decent bike or a graphics card. We kinda dodged a bullet.

[@kaslab]

This is veryi nformative video.. each time some ask me why airsoft is more expensive now, I can link them this thanks!

[@tonydiazist]

man there is no .25g bbs anywhere in stock

[@willratsoy3433]

ur beard looks crazy in 4k

[@luissantiago5163]

Oh nice. Good morning

[@jonathandeleon2417]

We need a USA made airsoft guns. 🇺🇸 I would pay more for something made in the USA

[@hayfrythegoat]

Glad I got my 4 extended hicapa mags before prices rose

[@opairsoft8100]

They haven’t though

[@hayfrythegoat]

@@opairsoft8100 they might

[@RealHexJoker]

I spent like a grand on gear this year

[@Terminatorbart]

Must...play...airsoft!

[@BarrieBuskruitZV]

Now where u get these facts from tho

[@chorkydorky2187]

hahaha 30% margin they should sell gelblasters they have almost 100% markup on airsoft price in most cases

[@ivanivanovic5857]

Yeah everything is sold out at the moment. Kinda annoying.

[@steveduran1664]

So, pretty much the same reasons the cycling industry has been completely crazy the past year.

[@michaelortiz8365]

You made reference to airsoft margines being so thin to begin with. Well with the prices going up and people working less; and yet we as a community are spending the increased money on our hobby. I think that the prices we are seeing now will be the prices we see for the future. Think about it. In this shortage the margines are even smaller now than before. Thats all because of what you oitlined. Well the increased proces will stay after the Pandemic gets under control, then the margine is more in the business favor. After all we as a community would already be use to the proce increase.

[@benblogsandgaming8933]

If you think this is bad you should see real gun and ammo prices in America lol

[@coreystack5655]

If airsoft is expensive what is paintball

[@JohnEllisIII]

The United States money printing will cause a lot of price inflation. The raw material price is the first sign.

[@sinchedaniel1]

im still waiting my money back for the patch scammers