As the sport of airsoft becomes more and more popular (especially with the introduction of airsoft sniper rifles), more and more ecommerce websites selling airsoft guns have made their way onto the internet. But you may want to be careful (and do the proper research) before you go ahead and buy from one of these sites.
What are the most important factors to consider when purchasing an airsoft gun online? Well, first of all, it is a good idea to check their shipping policy. Many online airsoft rifle shops dont even ship the gun out for literally 3-5 days or so, and on top of that, they usually ship UPS or FEDEX ground, which can take up to 6 business days AFTER they ship the item!
Just as important, is their policy for returning broken or defective airsoft guns. For example, are they willing to replace a defective gun, and if so, how long do you have to send the gun back? And who pays for the shipping costs involved with returning a broken gun? Basically if a website doesnt offer at least a 10 day return/replacement policy for broken or defective guns, then it is highly recommended that you find a different website to buy from.
The main reason why this is an important factor is because a lot of the electric airsoft guns (and airsoft sniper rifles) are manufactured in China, where quality control seems to be a bit lacking, especially with certain manufacturers.
However, there are certain brands that dont generally have many issues at all, in which case the return policy wouldnt be as critical. But there are a few brands that are KNOWN to have a fair amount of problems, and those brands are: WELL, AGM, and Jing Gong (JG). Also, be especially cautious about buying airsoft sniper rifles, as those tend to have the most issues for some reason.
As far as prices go, pretty much all of the airsoft rifle stores are priced fairly competitively. However, watch out for the occasional website that jacks their prices up to ridiculous amounts. Just do a fair amount of shopping around, and then choose the site which has reasonable prices AND a good shipping/return policy.
It isnt too hard to find a good online airsoft retailer if you do a bit of searching on google, but there are 3 known sites that have been tried and proven, and offer great prices and exceptional service. Those 3 sites are: Airsplat, Pyramydair, and AirsoftGI. For the most part you will find that Pyramydair and Airsplat have the best prices around, but AirsoftGI has great prices too, and they offer excellent customer service as well.
Between Pyramydair and Airsplat, in many cases Airsplat will have the lower price tag. However, Pyramydair tends to have faster customer service (and you wont have to wait on hold very long when you call them). Also, Pyramydair is located in Ohio, while Airsplat is in California. This can greatly affect shipping time, depending on where you live, since both sites generally ship via UPS ground.