clarence.birdseye
Member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2015
- Messages
- 13
Shopify is a hosting service that provides storefront software for a fee. We use it currently for exoticammo.com. It is easy to set up and lets one focus on the business rather than the tech stuff. Shopify is one of the biggest and many many gun related companies use it including Spikes Tactical and many others.
Until now.
I, and many other sellers of gun related products got this love note:
I'm not going to take you thru the full mess, suffice it to say that they, basically, will suspend any account that caries anything they deem offensive. Yeah, the usual suspects are included (hi cap mags, flash hiders <!!!>) and so on but ANYTHING can be a cause for the loss of your livelihood.
When I continued to press them for clarification, I got this:
"Get a lawyer". I read that and gave up. I am now in the process of migrating to 3DCart, a Florida, gun friendly alternative to Shopify.
I write this for a simple reason. I want all of us to really really understand that gun laws can remain exactly as they are and things can be done that will effectively disarm you. I use Authorize.net to process credit cards, many processors will not handle firearms transactions. If you can't pay, you can't buy. It isn't a joke and it isn't going to go away.
And the only recourse is to be damn sure that you are voting for candidates who support your gun rights. You have to fight the political fight. If you walk into a gun store, particularly a Mom and Pop, buy something. Buy a box of ammo. We have to support each other. And we also have to be aware of the danger.
Until now.
I, and many other sellers of gun related products got this love note:
Hello and thanks for reaching out to us today.
From time to time, Shopify reviews and amends the terms, conditions and policies governing the use of our platform. We have recently amended our Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) to restrict the sale of certain firearms and parts on our platform. A full list and revised version of our AUP can be found at
https://www.shopify.com/legal/aup.
Based on this update, it appears that your store may be impacted. Please review your store and the revised AUP to ensure you are in compliance with Shopify policies. Section 8 has a link to items that are considered Restricted Items. You can see the full list here. Review the list to make sure you are in compliance.
Let me know if I can help you with anything else!
Here’s to your success!
Nathan | Merchant Success Guru
Shopify Support Team
Now, one might ask "what exactly is offensive? I did ask.From time to time, Shopify reviews and amends the terms, conditions and policies governing the use of our platform. We have recently amended our Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) to restrict the sale of certain firearms and parts on our platform. A full list and revised version of our AUP can be found at
https://www.shopify.com/legal/aup.
Based on this update, it appears that your store may be impacted. Please review your store and the revised AUP to ensure you are in compliance with Shopify policies. Section 8 has a link to items that are considered Restricted Items. You can see the full list here. Review the list to make sure you are in compliance.
Let me know if I can help you with anything else!
Here’s to your success!
Nathan | Merchant Success Guru
Shopify Support Team
A couple of points: The way the AUP is worded almost any piece of hardware could be construed as "restricted". I would like clarification on that.
Further, what precisely, are we selling that might be objectionable? I have been getting these vaguely threatening emails for a reason. I would like some specifics.
This seems like an authoritarian missive with vague requirements that are designed to cause a person to fail. Your list of things that are restricted are perfectly legal in almost every state. Why are you taking it upon yourself to make a political statement?
Don't get it and don't like it. Then again, you are far beyond the point where any individual matters very much.
Further, what precisely, are we selling that might be objectionable? I have been getting these vaguely threatening emails for a reason. I would like some specifics.
This seems like an authoritarian missive with vague requirements that are designed to cause a person to fail. Your list of things that are restricted are perfectly legal in almost every state. Why are you taking it upon yourself to make a political statement?
Don't get it and don't like it. Then again, you are far beyond the point where any individual matters very much.
I'm not going to take you thru the full mess, suffice it to say that they, basically, will suspend any account that caries anything they deem offensive. Yeah, the usual suspects are included (hi cap mags, flash hiders <!!!>) and so on but ANYTHING can be a cause for the loss of your livelihood.
When I continued to press them for clarification, I got this:
The AUP has a lot of high-level language, but if you click the link in Section 8, you can see a very specific list of items that are restricted. If you are unsure what items might qualify as at item on the list, it is recommended that you seek independent legal counsel, to help you interpret it.
"Get a lawyer". I read that and gave up. I am now in the process of migrating to 3DCart, a Florida, gun friendly alternative to Shopify.
I write this for a simple reason. I want all of us to really really understand that gun laws can remain exactly as they are and things can be done that will effectively disarm you. I use Authorize.net to process credit cards, many processors will not handle firearms transactions. If you can't pay, you can't buy. It isn't a joke and it isn't going to go away.
And the only recourse is to be damn sure that you are voting for candidates who support your gun rights. You have to fight the political fight. If you walk into a gun store, particularly a Mom and Pop, buy something. Buy a box of ammo. We have to support each other. And we also have to be aware of the danger.