Making a probitable splat: paintball is hot and there's a lot of money to be made for dealers who do it right

Shooting Industry, Nov, 2003 by Tom Gaylord

Paintball is a fast growing sport. A combination of tag, capture the flag and hide-and-seek, paintball has evolved from an "extreme" sport to one enjoyed by millions of people in the U.S.

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According to the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA), 6.9 million participants took part in paintball in 2002, replacing snowboarding as the nation's fastest growing sport. And paintball customers spend a lot of money. The wholesale of paintball equipment rose from $170 million in 1999 to $225 million in 2001.

For the gun dealer, this means an opportunity to enhance the sales of their existing operation by introducing paintball into their product mix.

Paintball products include markers--special airguns that launch paintballs--sights, safety equipment and air and C[O.sub.2] tanks. In addition, maintenance/modifications for markers can add business.

Most of those involved in paintball tend to be in their early 20s or younger, with the greatest number around 16. They don't often come from the shooting sports, though Doug Pittman, owner of Montana Hawk, a gun shop in Cotati, Calif., says, "We are now selling guns to kids who bought markers from us 10 years ago, so I see paintball as one way of growing our future firearm business."

This "growing-your-business" feature is one of the major reasons gun dealers should consider adding paintball to their operations, according to Al DePaoli, owner of ADCO Sales Inc., one of the few companies in the firearm industry with extensive experience in paintball. In 1988, ADCO's introduced its first paintball red dot sight.

"Paintball is a major growth area," said DePaoli. "Paintball will inspire youth to come into your gun shop and they'll see that shooting is a legitimate sport to graduate into. Gun dealers shouldn't just brush aside paintball. There's a lot of money in the sport."

Selling Paintball--Three Levels Of Involvement

Most dealers who are just starting into paintball begin with sales only. This requires stocking markers, paintballs, sights and safety items like goggles. There can also be added sales for selected tactical gear and clothing a store may already carry.

This sales-only approach is, by far, the most common approach for an existing gun store, but it may not be the best. Since C[O.sub.2] is vital to the game, any store that doesn't also charge bulk C[O.sub.2] tanks is loosing a lot of important business.

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To get started dealers need a source for the products. There are no trade shows devoted exclusively to paintball. In addition, paintball is not well organized in the wholesale and retail sectors. For a gun dealer just starting into paintball your best source for products and information is National Paintball Supply.

Sales And Service

The second level of paintball business is sales and service. If you decide to offer this level, you will be filling air tanks. You'll need a high-pressure (at least, 3,000 psi but 4,500 psi is more desirable) compressor for the air tank and separate C[O.sub.2] filling equipment for the C[O.sub.2] tanks.

A gun shop that offers sales and service can draw a lot of traffic, and gun dealers should establish solid rules concerning young paintball customers.

"We do not sell directly to underage kids," said Pittman. "Our minimum age to buy markers is 18, so when younger kids come in, they have to bring their parents. That's another benefit, because it gives us a chance to talk to the adults about safety, as well as show them the rest of our store.

"If underage kids do come in alone, they have to stay in the paintball section. We think it's important to keep these items separate from the rest of what we sell."

Dealers can go even further by repairing guns and providing modifications and upgrades to the guns you sell. This is similar to selling reloading supplies and providing gunsmithing services in your existing business. You'll need space, equipment and tools, plus a knowledgeable staff member or two to handle the business, but it is where the larger profits reside.

Like your gunsmith, expect your paintball support staff to provide technical support above and beyond their normal scope of duties. This work should not be assigned to your gunsmith as an extra duty. The technology of the guns, gear and games is vastly different from firearms, so hire someone to handle this part of the business.

Full Paintball Operation

The third and most extensive level is operating a playing field. It's like operating a shooting range in conjunction with a gun store. Most playing fields are outdoor facilities, but some are indoors.

Besides collecting fees from the players, you also rent equipment and sell consumable supplies like paintballs and air. This is where the public comes to see if they're interested in paintball.

Obviously it is best to have everything, including sales and service, at a playing field, if possible.

Zoning is a big issue for a game field, as is safety and providing trained officials to control the play, according to Paul Fogal, owner of Skirmish USA in Jim Thorpe, Pa.