Groupon Distances Itself From Gun Community: Indefinitely Suspends All Gun-Related Deals

Online deals company Groupon decided last week to suspend all gun-related deals on its site, making it the latest company to cautiously back away from anything related to firearms.

“All scheduled and current gun-related deals featured on Groupon North America, including shooting ranges, conceal-and-carry and clay shooting, have been placed on hiatus while we review internal standards that shape the deal inventory we feature," Groupon spokeswoman Julie Mossler said in an emailed statement.

"The category is under review following recent consumer and merchant feedback,” the statement adds.

News of Groupon’s decision broke after a Texas gun shop owner had a deal for discounted concealed handgun license classes cancelled before its set expiration date.

"The Groupon representative calls me up and he says that 'Well, because of the CEO, he's decided to suspend all Groupon deals related to handguns, concealed handguns or anything dealing with guns period,'" owner Michael Cargill tells KTBC Fox 7.

"It's as if people at Groupon equate anybody that believes in the Second Amendment with the armed monsters that occasionally make headlines and that's not the people that sit here in our concealed handgun license course," he adds.

After President Obama’s press conference on guns last Wednesday, Cargill said the number of people signing up for the deal went through the roof.

"[T]he deal just went crazy and it looked like we were going max out," he said.

However, by Friday afternoon, Groupon had suspended Cargill’s deal – one day ahead of its set expiration date.

True, Groupon reserves the right to cancel any deal at any time, but the company must put it in writing first. Cargill claims he never received a written notice and is now considering taking legal action.

"If we're able to sue, then I want to sue,” he said. “But if I cannot do a lawsuit or a class action lawsuit against Groupon, what I am asking ... I'm asking everyone in the Second Amendment community to boycott Groupon, because the message they're sending is, 'Look, we do not want to support law-abiding citizens taking time out of their schedule to learn the safety surrounding firearms.’”

Similar deals at other Austin, Texas, gun shops have been cancelled by Groupon, according to KTBC Fox 7.

"The decision to suspend gun-related sales will negatively impact Groupon," Eli Federman, SVP & Chief Communications Officer for 1SaleADay, told TheBlaze. "Considering the timing with President Obama's gun-control executive orders, its safe to assume this decision was political."

"Groupon is based in Chicago which has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the nation, so their corporate values seem to reflect that anti-gun culture," he adds. "The decision to suspend gun-related deals is out of touch with the vast majority of the American people who believe in responsible gun ownership."

A Groupon spokesperson did not respond to TheBlaze’s request for comment.

Hey! Why aren't you following Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter?

(H/T: Gizmodo).

This post has been updated. Featured image courtesy groupon.com