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Can you sell firearms on Shopify?

Yes – you can sell firearms on Shopify – but, because of Shopify Payments’ more restrictive gun policies, you need to set up your own FFL-friendly credit card payment processing.

That said, the Shopify website builder and shopping cart’s core Acceptable Use Policy restricts what type of firearms you’re allowed to sell on your Shopify website – regardless of your payment processor.

Below we discuss which firearms are allowed on the Shopify platform, and how to accept payments. We also link directly to Shopify’s policies so you can review them in detail. * Please check out our Shopify AuthorizeNet compatibility updates page for the most current information on using Authorize.Net to connect to Shopify.

Learn more about how to set up FFL friendly online payment processing by reading our FFL payment gateways 101: a complete guide

What guns are prohibited by the Shopify platform itself?

You can generally sell hunting rifles, simple wheel guns, and most pistols using Shopify if you set up 2A friendly credit card payments correctly, but there is a lot you cannot sell, regardless of how you accept credit cards.

Our Shopify Payments article, titled “Need a Shopify Payments alternative? Here’s what to do” discusses how to set up alternative payment processing on a new or existing Shopify website.

Although selling guns is generally allowed on Shopify, many firearms and accessories are on their “restricted items” list. While we recommend that you read Shopify’s Acceptable Use Policy for yourself, below is a rundown of their prohibited 2A related items.

Shopify’s “Acceptable Use Policy” and firearms: explained

Even if your website uses a 3rd party, FFL-friendly, payment gateway you cannot sell the following items on Shopify. Period.

  • Any functioning automatic weapon, regardless of FFL license
  • Semi-automatics with any of the following:

Magazine capable of accepting more than 10 rounds
Bump stock or any rapid-fire mods
Barrel shroud
Thumbhole stock
Any threaded barrel capable of accepting a suppressor or the suppressor itself
Grenade or rocket launchers of any type
A long gun with a pistol grip or in the case of a pistol, a second or forward one

  • Ghost guns, or guns without serial numbers
  • Any semi-auto firearm that has a fixed mag capacity of more than 10 rounds
  • 3D printed guns or blueprints
  • 80% or unfinished lower receivers
  • Magazines of more than 10 rounds
  • Any part, component, or kit for any firearm listed above

Source: https://www.shopify.com/legal/aup-definitions#RestrictedItems

Regardless of whether you’re using, or about to use, Shopify or another e-commerce platform, you can always get in touch with us for online FFL payment gateway advice. We can assist you in finding the right high-risk payment gateway for your FFL site.

If you have any questions regarding how to sell firearms online by getting an FFL-friendly payment gateway-  contact us any time.

Shopify Payments and Shopify – there’s a difference

Shopify is a fantastic e-commerce platform, and we often recommend Shopify to our various high-risk clients. However, something many people miss is that regardless of what type of firearms you’re selling, you cannot use Shopify Payments. Shopify Payments operates with its own terms and conditions and is, in effect, Shopify’s payment gateway.

As a high-risk merchant, you should probably just stay clear of Shopify’s standard, out-of-the-box, credit card processor. Don’t get us wrong, Shopify Payments is an excellent payment processor. However, it’s not well suited for firearms e-commerce.

Many high-risk resellers and FFL dealers have experienced being declined or shut down by Shopify Payments. If you’re among them, there’s plenty of alternatives. We’ll cover these in greater detail later.

Source: https://www.shopify.com/legal/terms-payments-us

What to do if Shopify’s revised policy is restricting or banning your online store

As we’ve mentioned above, being banished from Shopify is not the end of the world. There are plenty of alternatives available. There are other platforms we’re happy to recommend to you that are 2A-friendly. The list we’ve created below will give you an excellent starting point. Tasker Payment Gateways LLC Answer Guy

WooCommerce and FFL to FFL sales

WooCommerce is an excellent alternative that’s compatible with WordPress. In fact, the WordPress/WooCommerce combination for FFL dealers is a favorite among our clients.  There are multiple reasons why this combination resonates so well with high-risk merchants.

For one, WordPress is a beautifully intuitive CMS (content management system). It powers tens of millions of websites across the world along with millions in the US alone.

On top of that, WordPress/WooCommerce is compatible with three of the very best payment gateways there are – NMI, ePN, and Authorize.Net. This combination is as potent as it is popular!

Source: https://trends.builtwith.com/cms/WordPress

BigCommerce and e-commerce firearms shops, a great Shopify alternative

BigCommerce works very well for high-risk merchants and is a good solution for site owners looking for a Shopify alternative for firearms sales. It also offers a great deal of compatibility and it’s a big name among e-commerce platforms for good reason. It contains all that you’d expect from one of the most familiar names in the e-commerce platform industry.

BC offers great customization and design freedom with robust functionality. There’s also a vast library for third-party apps and plug-ins. However, it should be mentioned that if you’re using BigCommerce for your FFL sales, you need to have a suitable high-risk merchant account.

No need to panic though, we’re more than happy to provide our insight and get you up and running with a stable, 2A friendly payment gateway. Contact us to get started.

GunBroker

Although it is not a comprehensive website builder, GunBroker is an affordable, stable way to legally sell firearms online.

We wrote about GunBroker, and the ability to use one merchant account and payment gateway for both your own FFL website and for GunBroker listings. Check out our GunBroker payment processing information page as it discusses payment processing for FFL auctions and online sales in detail.

Established in 1999 and with billions of dollars in sales and millions of monthly visitors, it is wise for any online FFL to consider adding a GunBroker listing.

Source: https://www.gunbroker.com/Content/Investor/Assets/GB-FactSheet.pdf

Accept payments for firearms and FFL accessories on Shopify today

Regardless of what platform you choose for selling your firearms and accessories, you’ll need a high-risk merchant account and a payment gateway. We specialize in recommending the optimal merchant account/payment gateway combo you’ll need to sell your FFL products.

At Tasker Payment Gateways LLC, we’re always more than happy to offer one-on-one support. We’ll take you through your shopping cart, merchant account, and payment gateway options, and together we’ll find the best solution for you.

Contact us now, and we can start helping you accept credit cards for your FFL products today!