Monday, May 2, 2011

The Monday Poll

Wow, it's that time again already. Another week has passed and it's Monday once again. Would it surprise you if I told you the NPPL website is covered with Xs that look like an xball prop? (It really is.) (Wassup with that by the way?) Would it surprise you if I told you there's another diabolically clever 'Another Cynical VFTD Game' coming this weekend? (I do!) (And it is!) (Diabolically clever, d'oh.) Would it surprise you if I have nothing this week for The Monday Poll? (I know, you cheated and already noticed there's a new poll up so what is really surprising is that I'm asking such a dumb question in the first place. Yeah, well, screw you--and I mean that in the most polite and hospitable way possible.)
This week VFTD wants to know what an average day of paintball costs--you. It doesn't matter if it's team practice, an all day Big Game, a routine day of rec play or whatever else comprises your typical day of paintball play. When you calculate the cost though please leave out things like gasoline for the drive and the drive thru at Dunkin' Donuts. Stick with costs that are directly part and parcel of playing some paintball. You know, air, field fees, paint, rentals, etc. Whatever applies in your situation. Then go and find the cost option in the poll that comes closest to the number you calculated for an average day of paintball. Piece of cake. (No, there's no actual cake involved.) Vote and see how what you pay compares to what others around the country--and even the world--pay for an average day of paintball.
Go on. What are you waiting for? An invitation? You're invited. Vote already.

Monday Poll in Review
Last week's Monday Poll wanted to know what items of paintball equipment you were (are) most likely to buy used. The answers probably confirmed what everyone assumed, at least about the most popular second hand items, but they also surprised me with respect to how few votes some items received. Guns grabbed 83% of the voters. (Since voters were allowed to vote for more than one item the percentages here indicate what percentage of all voters voted for a particular category.) This was number one by a large margin. Second was loaders at 49% and barrels took the third spot with 38%. Last among the big four was compressed air at 36%. A few years ago air probably would have ranked higher back when the purchase new price was a lot steeper than it is today.
After the big four there's a big drop-off to gearbags at 18% closely followed by jerseys (17%), packs (16%) and goggles (13%). Pants & backpacks tied at 9% followed by pads at 7%. The rest of items; sliders, cleats, paintball-related casual, gloves didn't total 5% cumulatively.
For the most part it seems that the gear that comes with the highest brand new prices are the most popular second hand items. But it also seems to be true that there is resistance to some of the categories that isn't related to price. For example one might think goggles would have scored better given new prices for the most popular systems on the market but it also seems that some players are averse to buying second-hand goggles. And the jersey market has other factors that need to be taken into consideration. Now you know what will sell and what you might as well keep 'cus nobody is gonna buy it.

4 comments:

raehl said...

The previous week's question could pretty simply be distilled down to "How much of the previous owner's sweat is included?"

Baca Loco said...

Wash much? Sadly I'm not amazed at what a bunch of candy asses the younger generation(s) have become.

Anonymous said...

$5 a day/$15 a week if I'm feeling frisky.

Don Saavedra said...

I think Chris is discounting those of us with unique, god-like physiques...