E-commerce Giant Shopify bans sales of some guns, weapons and ammunition

Shopify has announced it will restrict merchant’s ability to sell firearms, ammunition, and parts on its E-Commerce platform according to its latest Acceptable Use Policy. Shopify is a Canadian online-store provider for hundreds of thousands of e-commerce stores. When asked about the changes, Shopify stated:

“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,” the company stated in an email. “As we continue to scale globally, we may further refine our policies as needed.”

From the latest update to their Acceptable Use Policy, “Restricted Items” means:

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 10 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 10 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 10 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

While this change will inevitably affect niche manufacturers/retailers who rely on their Shopify-powered online store as their primary source of sales, the company told the Associated Press that the policy change would only affect “a small number of merchants,” but didn’t specify how many. If you’re a firearm dealer, custom parts retailer or one of the other merchants affected by Shopify’s updated Acceptable Use Policy, SandStorm IT would love to help you migrate to a custom e-commerce solution that would keep you “Open for Business” online. Feel free to give us a call at 901-475-0275.