Thanks to Angel Mitsukai Sosa who shared to Optimus Prime this post on Facebook by Walter Chang, Airsoft GI's CEO, on the problems of the airsoft industry in the USA. This is an old post, dated 17 October 2014, but airsofters on Facebook have started to pick up and share this post to others just last week. Walter is worried about the downward trend of airsoft as shown in this graph of airsoft on Google trends:

You'll notice that the last high peak of airsoft in Google trends was in 2011, and from there, it is a slow downward trend. Google trends is about a particular search-term is entered relative to the total search-volume across various regions and languages of the world. It can be considered a consumer barometer as consumers these days usually consult internet search engines to look up a product before making a purchase. It also shows interest in an industry or sport, such as airsoft. With Google being the dominant search engine it can provide an almost accurate outlook about airsoft as based on the search-term. The graph above covers the United States, but you can also check worldwide and regional trends.

Walter has this to say:

This is the problem for this industry, the public opinion of airsoft as whole is going down hard and fast. GI has been trying to spread the fun and joy of airsoft. We have been sending out our marketing team all over the country to promote airsoft game more than ever.

Price will not fix the issue. However, as a business we must compete. Price war is the stupidest way to compete and it will ultimately destroy the whole commerce of airsoft. Shops and distributors must understand that. GI is part of the problem, because we have to constantly react to some other shop. We can keep doing this, but the smaller shops would be very hard to survive because of the war. The war has been going on for almost 3 yrs. It is almost like Black Friday everyday in this industry. So, really in order to keep the sport alive, we must somehow stop the war. [sic]

But is it always about the price war alone? After reactions began coming in just last week, months after his post, he adds more:

There are plenty of problems that few of hobbyists understand. I can try to point out a few here.

1. Political Climate and school districts both have very negative views on airsoft.
2. Misunderstanding views on airsoft from real gun owners
3. Generation gap between players; hardcore players tend to look down on newbies (which is understandable, however, not good for the hobby)
4. Very few innovation from manufactures due to down turn of the industry. Also, distributors and factory went out of business.
5. Long Beach port strike did not help our current situation. (lousy inventory, stocking issue)
6. Price war
7. Limited airsoft fields
8. Social medias dislike airsoft and other shooting sports (no facebook or google ads) [sic]

The points he raised gives us a more holistic view on the problems that is facing airsoft in the U.S.A. and thus. cannot be blamed on a price war amongst airsoft retailers alone. While a price war may be damaging to the airsoft retail sector as a whole, for the consumers, it is a big benefit. If the price war will continue, there will be a market correction and consolidation that a few would survive and come out stronger. The efforts of AirSplat.com and Airsoft GI (through GI Tactical) to expand their physical reach in various U.S. regions can be an example of a defensive strategyto stay ahead of the competition; others are resorting to just internet sales only to answer shortcomings in the lack of physical store branches.

You may not agree with all the points raised, but surely you will agree with some. Each needs to be addressed carefully by the airsoft community (players and industry) in cooperation with other sectors that have a stake in the survival of airsoft in the country, such as tactical gear makers which recognize the revenue stream that the airsoft market is providing for their products.

I digress with the point of "very few innovation" as airsoft is actually experiencing an explosion in innovation this decade. We’re seeing even more airsoft technologies being deployed: electric blowback and recoil, enhanced gas blowbacks, new generation HPA systems, safer BFGs, airsoft pyros, and realistic action airsoft shotguns. More serious players are coming to the airsoft market, with the entry of Tippmann and Valken Tactical plus the recent newcomers but innovative shops such as PolarStar Airsoft, Hephaestus, GHK Airsoft, Wolverine Airsoft, Angry Gun, Ace1Arms, Incentive Designs, Airsoft Systems, etc., the list is just increasing.

With that said, what Walter wants is a stop to cutthroat competition that is happening amongst the retailers in the U.S. given a shrinking market if Google Trends is to be believed. Once that is done, a harder battle is ahead --- that of turning the public opinion on airsoft for the better as shown in his December 3, 2014 post:

We have failed to realize public viewpoint on airsoft is actually hurting the sale; not can you sell it cheaper. Plenty of parents will not purchase any airsoft guns for their children because of public negative view on guns and school policies on violence.

Even one of the airsoft brands CEO said "He doesn't want his kid to play airsoft. Because, he doesn't want the school to call him, if his kid chat about airsoft at school". [sic]

There are several solutions to this, the drastic one is not to sell airsoft to children and do not allow them to hold or handle airsoft guns without adult supervision.

The real steel firearm owners may still look down on airsoft users, but these days, the recognition and acceptance of airsoft is more pronounced by bigger appearances of airsoft in firearms trade shows and personalities from tactical and practical shooting communities coming out in support of airsoft as good tool for crossover training.

A tall order? Well, there is no industry association for airsoft, to speak of, with the closest being the  Airsoft Safety Foundation that was founded in reaction to the efforts in California to further regulate airsoft. The name itself is apt for the association to show that the industry is serious about the safety of the sport. If there's no central coordinating body to properly focus the efforts of the industry to improve the image and acceptance in the U.S.A. and at the same time increase the market pie as brought about by such acceptance, Walter's dream of stopping the downward trend may remain as is, just a dream. Airsoft in the U.S.A. might just hit rock bottom first before a big change will take place.

You can follow Walter on Facebook by going to the Airsoft GI CEO's Corner.