Wal-Mart moving away from firearms

[Marshal Halloway]

Wal-Mart Moving Away From Firearms
By Jim Shepherd
Apr 15, 2008 - 1:37:04 AM

Wal-Mart has announced it will now film its gun sales in the United States and create a computerized log of purchases. The log will also create a record and alert system that will record when a gun sold at a Wal-Mart is used in a crime. Should the purchaser of that gun later try to buy another gun at Wal-Mart, the system would alert the sales clerk who could then refuse to make another sale.
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[Outlaw]

Yeah, I saw that last night on the news. I would guess their gun business is going down the toilet after this. Be interesting to see the results say after 1 year.

[cookie62]

"The company will also run background checks on any employee who handles firearms. "


But not to see if they are in the country legally!

[keithm]

This is good news for the local gun stores.  Their ammo sales will go up.  As will gun sales.  That is, if everyone's aware that Wally World will be going all big brother on the gun sales.

Do you think Inner Party members will have to be photographed to buy a gun?

Edited to add:  I demand that Walmart photograph anyone who buys a printer or computer as well.  They could be used for evil free speech.

[MikeBjerum]

WalMart's moves lately in guns and ammo are more than irritating!  All of our WalMarts up here have or are going out of guns.  Most still carry ammo, but it is just basic stuff with no real choices.

Through earlier releases and with this move I see WalMart as saying "We don't really want to sell guns and ammo, but to best serve our customers we will do it."  They are also telling the anti's "We want out of this, but because of our customer base we need to do something, so we have backed off to the barest stock."  They also cater to the anti's by being a test site for all their intrusive regulations.

My crystal ball tells me that the next announcement from WalMart will be "We are the world's largest retailer, we have completely dropped all firearms and ammo, and our sales are higher than ever."  "We are seeing families shopping here, and they tell us they love the comfort of not having dangerous items in the store."  And, "Handling firearms sales was high stress and involved a lot of extra expense for us as a company, our employers, and our customers, and in this tight economy we could just not justify this cost of opperation just to appease a few fringe customers."

I talked about the homoginization of the firearms industry caused by merger, aquisition and trying to be everything to everyone.  I see these moves by WalMart as eroding our opportunities and rights by tweaking the free market.

[Sponsor]

[ismram]

I have never bought a F/A at Wal-Mart (Or intend too!) I do buy ammo. I allways buy F/A's at local gun shops (Help the little guy.) I think that I'll help them even more now, with my ammo purchases.

[jnevis]

So how long does anybody think it will take (or should take) for someone, backed by the NRA and/or others, to sue WalMart for personal security issues having documenting them as if they were a criminal, or GOING to be, even if they pass the NICS checks and any state background checks?  Wouldn't thier database violate the Tiahart Amendment?

WalMart is too BIG and too PERVASIVE to even try and suggest a boycott or something similar.  Letter writing will probably be a waste of effort to but at least they'd have an idea of the response.

[jaybet]

I have NEVER bought a thing at a WalMart and will not ever unless the big one comes and it's the only store left on earth. At that point, I'd probably just go rob it anyway.
They've been predatory since day one, they abuse their employees and their suppliers and now they want to be politically correct? It's just a move they're making because they think it will benefit their image a little.
Of course, once again it's a measure that will ostracize legal gun owners and do NOTHING (I repeat, in even BIGGER letters) NOTHING to curtail illegal gun sales or use. More lip service, less freedom courtesy of the scumbag 800 pound retail gorilla.

[pioneer]

I e-mailed WalMart last night, informing them I would no longer be spending my money at their stores, and why.  Here's what the "deal" includes;

The 10 points of the Responsible Firearms Retailer Partnership are:
1.   Videotaping the Point of Sale for All Firearms Transactions. Participating retailers will videotape the point-of-sale of all firearms transactions and maintain videos for 6 months to deter illegal purchases and monitor employees.
2.   Computerized Crime Gun Trace Log and Alert System. Mayors Against Illegal Guns will develop a computerized system that participating retailers will implement over time to log crime gun traces relating to the retailer. Once the program is in place, if a customer who has a prior trace at that retailer attempts to purchase a firearm, the sale will be electronically flagged. The retailer would have discretion to proceed with the sale or stop the sale.
3.   Purchaser Declaration. For sales flagged by the trace alert system, participating retailers will ask purchasers to fill out a declaration indicating that they meet the legal requirement to purchase the firearm.
4.   Deterring Fake IDs. Participating retailers will only accept valid federal- or state-issued picture IDs as primary identification. Retailers will utilize additional ID checking mechanisms.
5.   Consistent Visible Signage Consistent Visible Signage. Participating retailers will post signage created by the Responsible Firearms Retailer Partnership to alert customers of their legal responsibilities at the point-of-sale.
6.   Employee Background Checks. Participating retailers will conduct criminal background checks for all employees selling or handling firearms.
7.   Employee Responsibility Training. Participating retailers will participate in an employee responsibility training program focused on deterring illegal purchasers. The Responsible Firearms Retailer Partnership will create an online training system based on Wal-Mart's training program.
8.   Inventory Checking. Participating retailers will conduct daily and quarterly audits. Guidelines will be based on Wal-Mart's existing audit procedures.
9.   No Sales Without Background Check Results. Participating retailers would prohibit sales based on "default proceeds," which are permitted by law when the background check has not returned a result within 3 days.
10.   Securing Firearms. Participating retailers will maintain firearms kept in customer accessible areas in locked cases or locked to racks.

Participating retailers will phase in the provisions of Responsible Firearms Retailer Partnership over time.

http://www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org/html/media-center/pr007-08.shtml

Send comments to WalMart: http://walmartstores.com/contactus/feedback.aspx

[jnevis]

Sad part is most of the "10 Points" is at face value a bad idea, or something the BATFE has mandated for years to some extent:  training for employees, proper background checks/legal IDs, inventory/paperwork audits and properly securing inventory.  Last time I checked if someone tries to buy a firearm that isn't supposed to the background check flags and they should not be allowed to purchase the firearm, I didn't think it was ever up to the individual retailer to make that determination.

Problem lies with how that information is used and passed around to determine "eligibility"