Credit or Credibility?

[tombogan03884]

I know some of you saw this in this morning's Shooting Wire, but for those who do not subscribe,

http://www.shootingwire.com/

FEATURE
Credit or Credibility?

On Friday, we reported the ongoing matter of scope and accessory mount company Warne being denied credit because it manufactured products used in military guns.

While nothing has happened on that front, we've gotten contacts from other companies that point to what might appear to be a philosophical boycott of the firearms industry.

No sooner had Friday's editions gone out than we received the first email regarding companies that do not extend credit or services. The first, unfortunately, wasn't one that is a surprise to many in the industry. PayPal Services has never done business with gun companies, but that seems to be one of the companies worth mentioning.

Another, however, is one that came as a shock to everyone I've spoken with.

Bill Jenkins, President of CW Jenkins Consulting and 10X Gunsmithing in Vero Beach, Florida, sent me a note Friday which was simple in its content and surprising in the message:

"The industry should be aware that Intuit, who owns Quicken, Quick Books, Quicken Loans, Turbo tax and Homestead Technologies, has issued the following notice while suspending my web site. "....we do not support or service anyone who manufactures, distributes or sells firearms."

After suspending my web site I had to seek legal representation in order to get my HTML code released."

Wow, that one came as a surprise. We've operated on Quick Books and Turbo Tax since forming our business nearly a decade ago. Fortunately (I guess), our SIC code doesn't cover firearms manufacturing so we've not run afoul of Intuit.

In fairness to Intuit, we've not spoken with them, but have made efforts to contact a company spokesperson.

That having been said, there's really only one question to be asked when we do get in contact with them: Is Mr. Jenkins correct in his comment?

If the answer is negative, someone certainly took an irresponsible course of action toward Jenkins and his company. He's owed an apology - and most likely compensation for the "legal representation" he had to seek to get his HTML code released.

If the answer affirms that position, another mainline company is quietly denying service to companies in one of the few industries covered under the Bill of Rights.

As a small businessperson, I understand the right to do business with whomever you choose. But I also understand that denying services to a company and not clearly stating the policy before providing a service is misleading.

Citi, PayPal and Intuit are only three companies in the wide universe of corporate America. But they all operate in an area where all industry categories need assistance: financial services.

The firearms industry isn't a big industry category. Neither, however, is it the corporate equivalent of chopped liver. It's a multi-billion dollar industry with publicly-held companies that move and hold significant amounts of money.

It might be time for one of those "major" companies to start thinking about a private banking division to service a particular industry category.

I've always believed that you voted with your conscience- and your checkbook. Maybe it's time for the firearms industry to only do business with companies that demonstrate- with their actions - their support for the industry.

But that's just me thinking out loud.

We'll keep you posted.

-- Jim Shepherd

[tombogan03884]

Update :

http://www.shootingwire.com/

More items are covered in the article at the link but I'm only posting the part that applies:

This morning, news of some positive progress from Intuit regarding one of their companies which has a policy in place not to do business with companies in the firearms and shooting business.

Yesterday morning, we received copy of a correspondence from an Intuit representative regarding Homestead, indicating the problem might lie with a policy that was in place before the company was acquired by Intuit.

According to the correspondence, Intuit is "actually looking at and reviewing in detail the terms and conditions." One of those conditions, as you've read, is Homestead's no firearms business policy.

Doesn't mean the matter's resolved with Intuit - or Homestead- but getting companies to look at policies that seem more politically correct than business-focused may be another way the industry works toward protecting itself. Being squeezed in areas that might not be rallying points for the general consumer (like credit and affordable business systems), but form critical operational areas could still be very damaging.

Late yesterday afternoon, further confirmation of Intuit's active response once the policy was brought to their attention. National Shooting Sports Foundation Senior Vice President and Counsel Larry W. Keane contacted me with news that communication between Intuit and the NSSF had been underway, with a trading of information between the company and the NSSF.

Seems Intuit's more than willing to take a long, hard look at the Homestead policy which they inherited, but had not addressed.

Sounds like this one's going to get resolved quickly - and positively. Again, however, it appears to be part of a growing practice of social responsibility on the part of financial institutions. But I don't get the firearms prohibition. Since I believe the tool used by a criminal is not the engine that drives the act, I might simply be out of touch.

Regardless, we'll keep you posted.

[fightingquaker13]

Just bizarre. I understand pay pal. I don't agree with them, and try not to use them, but I do get it. Someone buys a gun from an on-line site and shoots up a post office.The guy, the seller, the site and pay pal will get sued. I can see them saying look, its 1% or less of revenue, just don't go there. But Quicken? You don't inccur liability, you just don't like guns and are being an A-hole. Its not like plenty of pimps don't use Quik Books. Granted a business do or refuse to business with whomever they choose and I won't say them nay. I'll just excersize the same perogative.
FQ13`who hates boycotts and politically active businesses equally. As a general rule, I wish folks would keep business seperate from politics. Donate some cash to charity, but not activists. Don't make me be in a postion of vetting companies like candidates for their policies. I'd just as soon vote on what you sell and not have to know that I'm supporting an agenda.