Toronto Kit Exchange?
 

As part of the development of a GTA Airsoft "Community Center" I was thinking that a Kit exchange or consignment shop may be helpful.

The Idea is .. if you have something you want to sell you could leave it at the Kit exchange tagged with the price you want. The item would be displayed in the "kit exchange store" This way people would be able to see the item, try it on. Check it out before laying down the cash.
Everyone would save postage.

The Kit exchange would be secure, and managed by my staff

Is this something that would be of use?

I think that would be an amazing idea.

Would there be any stocking fee's or holding fee's or anything? Not that I'm against it, just wondering.

I was thinking that the Kit exchange would be a benefit of membership.

This will be part of the services provided by the Toronto Tactical Airsoft Close Combat College (TTAC3) That will be opening later this summer.

I just wanted to get some feedback on the idea

Sounds like a great added benefit to being a member.....

Is there any more info available on the TTAC3?

More Info
 

will be forthcoming shortly.

We need to iron out some of the logistical issues with respect to the facilities.
Then we will do some testing, then an invitation only inaugural event.

then a grand opening open house.

TTAC3 will be focused 100% on CQB training, with emphasis on training

I have a question. If your "store" runs into a problem and the guns/gear are seized, will I be compensated?

give us a hypothetical reason as to why it would get raided? i'm curious.

It's not so much natural disasters or greedy hands I'm worried about... it's the constant (I would guess) finger-fondling of big-ticket or novelty items. This concerns mostly high-end rigs and the like (if we're talking straight gear) and finicky and fragile GBBs (if we're going the whole shebang).

This would certainly be an interesting place to go, say, on a free evening or something just to browse... but would it be member-restricted so as to prevent walk-ins and other curious folk who wander in from an ASC redirect? That having been said, what constitutes membership? Costs? Commitments?

The TTAC3 concept also sounds novel. Some more fleshing out and my interest would definitely increase.

I am but a man of moderate strength and brief lapses of imagination. Perhaps I can be of some assistance in the manual labour of this project? Shoot me a PM if my sweat is needed.

A venue teaching people real world CQB(read: police/military" tactics and selling/renting realstic looking things that most cops would be considerd firearms? Why woudln't it be raided?

um, because nothing illegal is going on...

The police have much more pressing problems than raiding martial arts studios.

police raid places that they have probable cause to presume illegal activities are conducted. I am certain Meth labs and grow ops are way up on their list.

Your stuff should already be insured through your own policy. Most insurance policies have coverage for contents away from your home.

If you don't have coverage.. it is your problem.

As ownership would be retained by the seller until sold such stuff would be excluded from our policy ( yes we are fully insured)

All reasonable precautions would be taken to preserve the security of items.

I guess this would be a good idea for casual gear collectors, who want to exchange surplus or replica gear. But I personally wouldn't feel comfortable leaving big ticket items such as Paraclete RAV's or LF RAID packs at the store so others could fondle my gear.

If you don't think a venue teaching CQB to civilians in Toronto is going to be of interest to the Police, when they get wind of it, or the first soccer mom who sees it has a problem with it, I think you are in for a shock. Especially with the 4 shooting last weekend, you think they are not going to be having another "blitz" shortly. Listen to the news reports.

Most people in Toronto will go through the ASC Buy and Sell here - its very convenient and you can put up pictures and the goods remain under your control. Its just too easy to sell them through this forum. I've got consignment arrangements with Army Issue for some of my BB Bastard stuff, but that is different - thats a retail effort of consumable goods.

I've also tried game flea markets and people do bring stuff to games and at times there is a lively trade going on.

Consigning gear items would pose little difficulty. Consigning AEGs and GBBs is another story. If I was running a consignment shop I would watch my legal position in respect to airsoft and reselling preowned guns - there is that little pre-December 1998 clause that supposedly makes it a no - no to resell what AEGs you have, but makes it okay to own them (lets not start debating interpretations - this is ONE interpretation).

I've often thought of doing something like this myself, but I think the number of people who would consign items would me in the minority...

With respect to what kind of things could be placed in the "kit Exchange" Gear only would be the rule, I am not interested in holding guns for people.

And obviously if you are not comfortable leaving "big ticket" items then don't No one is forcing anyone to use the service.

What I expect is that it would be a good place to pick up used "starter gear" for people new to airsoft.

As far as Police interest in our activities, it extends as far as the law goes.
There is no difference between this activity and the things that go on at paintball fields and Airsoft fields throughtout Ontario. All legal activities.

What we are doing is essentialy "live action role playing" with as much realism as possible... but at the end of the day .. it is still "play" and well below the radar as far as the police are concerned.

Where the police get involved would be where responsible ownership and use ends. Which will remain an issue in the community regardless of the existance of TTAC3