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Why use a 2A friendly eCommerce platform?

If you're selling firearms or firearms accessories online, finding a 2A friendly platform is the only way to ensure your eCommerce platform provider doesn’t decide to take a political stance, change their Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) and then pull the rug out from under your feet by shutting down your eCommerce store.

Many of the leading eCommerce platforms don’t allow gun or gun retailers to sell firearms, ammunition, or gun accessories on their platforms. That’s because gun control remains controversial in many parts of the world, including the United States. Some platforms allow the sale of some gun-related products, but you need to follow strict guidelines that can restrict business operations. Essentially, these platforms can restrict your ability to sell your entire catalog online and grow your business. In many cases these platforms may not allow the retailers you support or rely on to sell their products on the same platform.

2A Friendly eCommerce Platforms

While major platforms like Shopify are ambiguous in their support of the sale of firearms and accessories, there are many eCommerce platform options available that support the 2nd Amendment. The question is; what eCommerce platforms are available for those who are looking to start and/or to grow an online firearms business?

Firearm Specific Platforms

Gun eCommerce is a breed of eCommerce platform that supports the sale of guns, ammunition, and hunting supplies. These platforms offer advantages in terms of compliance and specialized features required with product sales in the tactical vertical.

Firearms-specific eCommerce platforms offer certain advantages, such as compliance with firearms sales regulations and specialized features, but they may not be the best long-term solution for firearms businesses. These platforms however may not be able to keep up with technological advancements and eCommerce marketplace changes. This could limit the ability of firearms retailers to compete and adapt to evolving customer needs and preferences.

In addition, firearms-specific eCommerce platforms may be less flexible and customizable than more general eCommerce platforms. This can make it difficult for retailers to tailor their storefronts to meet specific customer requirements and business operations. but online retailers need to consider long-term needs and goals before committing to a platform that may not be able to keep up with the rapidly evolving eCommerce landscape.

It’s crucial that you first determine what you need from your online gun store and your online growth goals. A detailed understanding of all the popular gun store eCommerce platforms is the starting point to help you make the right choice.

AmmoReady

AmmoReady is a firearm eCommerce platform providing inventory and catalog management, customizable ecommerce websites, order fulfillment, and firearms drop shipping solutions for FFLs. In order to benefit from the full capabilities of Ammoready’s platform, you'll likely need development assistance to implement all of the features and capabilities available for your online gun. Payment processing methods are also limited on this platform.

Gearfire

Gearfire is another firearm friendly eCommerce option for dealers looking to sell guns online. The technology on this platform offers eCommerce, point of sale, merchant services, consumer financing and more. Additionally, Gearfire makes it easy for merchants to connect with customers, manage finances and handle in-store operations.

Sell Gun Online (SGO)

The SGO platform is a dedicated eCommerce platform that focuses exclusively on gun sales. It has various eCommerce features for an improved customer experience. These features include product filters to help customers find the product they’re looking for and increase your online revenue. Payment methods on this platform may be restricted as you do not have the ability to choose your payment processing gateway. 

2A Friendly Enterprise eCommerce Platforms

When it comes to firearm friendly enterprise eCommerce platforms, there are only a handful of options that have no bias, no judgment, give full freedom of speech and have policy based on actual law. It’s important to consider a variety of factors when selecting the right eCommerce platform for your firearms business, including compliance with legal regulations, payment processing options, security features, customization capabilities, and platform pricing. By understanding these critical factors, retailers in this vertical can make informed decisions to select the best eCommerce platform to meet their unique needs and help them achieve their online business goals.

Adobe Commerce/Magento

Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source are both 2A friendly platforms with no restrictions for legal firearm, firearm accessory and ammo sales. Adobe Commerce and Magento offer both cloud-based and self-hosted options. When using cloud-based hosting, your website is essentially at your platform provider’s mercy. With changes in the political and social climates they could decide your website does not fit their guidelines and remove you from the platform with little to no notice. Adobe Commerce and Magento allow you to cloud host or choose your own hosting provider where you have complete control over your hosting environment. Both platforms integrate relatively quickly (and easily) with numerous 2A friendly payment processors and offer a variety of extensions and add-ons services that improve customer experience and streamline your eCommerce operations. 

BigCommerce

FFL dealers need a reliable online platform that works well with their highly regulated industry. BigCommerce is one of the few major eCommerce platforms that allow gun sales - no firearm or ammo restrictions - making it a solid choice. Features include email marketing automation tools, your choice of credit card processing solution, apps for increased efficiency and FFL integration, as well as features for product filtering and the ability for cloud-based Amazon Web services.

The Right eCommerce Platform for Your Business

Firearm and firearm accessory eCommerce sales are complicated and finding the right 2A friendly eCommerce platform is a must for your business. Smart Solutions is a veteran-owned eCommerce agency that knows the tactical space. Let us help you find the right platform for your business. Contact us to get started. We’re here to help.