New Tippmanns…

Has Tippmann lost their mind? Or is this one of the most ingenious marketing ploys ever devised by a paintball manufacturer?

For years the industry has made it a point to mark every marker with "THIS IS NOT A TOY" prominently on every marker sold.

While "THIS IS NOT A TOY" will most likely be marked on this marker perhaps Tippmann figures making it LOOK like a toy will make it pass the MOM seal of approval, therefore increasing sales to the pre-pubescent market. Does a rose by any other name not smell as sweet? Does a paintball marker that looks like a toy not put out an eye just the same?

What do you think?

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Your Monday/Tuesday is my Saturday/Sunday…

I have a small pro-shop where I try to keep a small base of customers supplied with only the best paintball products I can find. I can't afford to stock everything paintball (there are many products that I refuse to stock). Sometimes I have to remind customers that I don't have the FORD/VOLVO item they want because I'm a CHEVY/TOYOTA dealer. I would like to be able to please everyone but when it comes to stocking my shelves I have a budget (and morals) to stick to and I try to spread it out to include a little bit of something for everyone.

I got an e-mail from one of my suppliers today telling me I have to spend a $1000 on their new product kit before I will be allowed to sell their new product. I got a little grumpy.

It's not the thousand dollars. I spend that each week on product anyway. But to be TOLD where and how I must spend my money for the PRIVILEGE of selling a particular brand really put a twist in my knickers. I fired off my own e-mail which was answered by a phone call from the supplier that I cut short because I wasn't in the mood to be "stroked"!

I can be pretty stubborn. I continue to miss out on a lot of profit by refusing to sell the ION. I refuse to work (without pay) as an ION maintenance tech - having to fix and then fix and then fix again their cheaply designed product. Somewhere I got the idea that suppliers work for me. As long as I'm paying my own salary I will not be told where I have to direct my hard earned pro-shop budget.

Don't look for any Kingman VS products on my pro-shop wall anytime soon.

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…I’m no Superman…

I once knew a man who claimed if given enough time and enough duct-tape, bailing wire and C-4 he could fix anything. Right about the time I start feeling that way someone will bring something in the shop that no amount of prying, twisting, banging, cutting, grinding, sanding, clamping, taping or cajoling can fix.

Today it was a customer's leaking ASA port adaptor. In an attempt to fix it someone used epoxy glue to seal it together. I just didn't have the time (or a blow torch handy) to mess with it.

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Confessions…

I have to admit to doing something I know, as a field owner and referee I shouldn't do OR have to admit to! When I get hit while reffing my first reaction is to cuss!

Nothing vulgar mind you. Usually something under my breath along the line of, "Son of a Bit@ch" or D*mn it"! Blame it on my questionable upbringing or lack of education. I can't help it.

For what it's worth it's never directed at anyone in particular though the offending shooter might think otherwise since the misguided superlative is usually followed by an ugly glare in his direction.

I'm actually reprimanding myself for getting in the line of fire or for allowing my attention to be diverted away from the action.

It's not very becoming I'll admit. Allow me to beg for your forgiveness in advance.

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Watch those inspection dates…

There are a lot of "good deals" to be found on CO2 tanks. Problem is, folks buy them from E-Bay or from discounters or from a friend and then find out we can't fill them because they are past due their inspection date. Most times the seller is not aware. Sometimes the seller doesn't care. Sometimes the buyer will argue with us, telling us "so-and-so" filled them and we have to answer back that so-and-so is risking a $25,000 fine and five years in jail.

Almost every metal CO2 tank has a date stamped on them. If it is one of the few that doesn't then it is exempt from inspection. If you're not sure where to find the date we will be glad to show you. The past due date is 5 years past the stamped date.

The same is true for high pressure tanks only some of them are 3 year tanks.

As always - buyer beware. Discounters love to pick up tanks that are cheap due to them being close to their past due date and then pass them on to you at a "great price"! Some sellers drag old equipment out of the closet and sell it unaware or with no concern for the past due date.

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