Shopify Shuts Down Online Gun Dealers

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Shopify has done an undercover change of their sales policy. On Monday, August 13th, 2018 Shopify added an entire list of restricted items to their terms of use page. Earlier this month Shopify shut down Defense Distributed’s account. Defense Distributed was marketing and selling the Ghost Gunner, an at home CNC machine. Now it seems that Shopify is hell-bent on shutting down the vast majority of their firearms-related customers.

Shopify edited their policy late last night and according to Spike’s Tactical are not responding to inquiries. The new policy reads like so:

Certain Firearms

• an automatic firearm that has not been rendered inoperable
• a semi-automatic firearm that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine, with one or more of the following items:
  • magazine capable of accepting more than ten rounds
  • bump stock
  • rapid fire trigger activator or trigger crank
  • barrel shroud
  • thumbhole stock
  • threaded barrel capable of accepting a flash suppressor, sound suppressor or silencer
  • grenade or rocket launcher
  • flash suppressor, sound suppressor or silencer
  • pistol grip (or in the case of a pistol, a second pistol grip)
  • forward pistol grip
• a semi-automatic firearm that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than ten rounds
• firearms without serial numbers
• ghost guns and 3D printed guns, including blueprints for such guns
• any part, component or kit for any firearm or gun listed above

Certain Firearm Parts

• 80% or unfinished lower receivers
• magazine capable of accepting more than ten rounds
• bump stock
• grenade or rocket launcher
• pistol grip (or in the case of a pistol, a second pistol grip)
• forward pistol grip
• barrel shroud *
• thumbhole stock *
• threaded barrel capable of accepting a flash suppressor, sound suppressor or silencer *
• flash suppressor, sound suppressor or silencer *
• rapid fire trigger activator or trigger crank
• any part, component or kit for a firearm part or including a firearm part listed above

*only if for use with a semi-automatic firearm

Read it yourself here.

It’s almost like someone who knows virtually nothing about firearms wrote this policy. Perhaps they copy and pasted regulations from states like California. The last portion regarding the fact that some accessories are only prohibited for sale if they are used with a semi-auto rifle is remarkably telling. For example flash suppressors, and suppressors are built after calibers, not firearm actions.

Of course, 80% receivers are also mentioned, which likely covers 1911 frames and polymer Glock frames. The entire list reads like most ill-informed gun regulations. It’s a list of things that look scary, and don’t affect the performance of weapons.

Shopify is a massive platform, with a reported 600,000 businesses using their services. Gun companies like Spikes and Rare Breed Arms use Shopify to sell their wares. They may soon end up without an online gun storefront and out a significant investment. Building a Shopify site that functions and looks good costs money. According to Spike’s they’ve invested 100,000 dollars in their Shopify store.

According to Shopify, a violation of their policies could result in a suspension or termination of a Shopify account. At any time Shopify can end the business of firearms companies everywhere. This new policy is a terrifying result for the firearms industry. We’ll see what Shopify has to say in the coming days regarding the policy.

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