In the wake of the Newtown Connecticut school shootings, a lot of businesses have made rash reactions to either appease their hoplophobic clientele or the media, and decided to curtail selling certain guns or services. Groupon has decided to stop offering deals on any firearms related ventures. This led me to send them an email cancelling my account.
I just got a response, which is surprisingly to the point. It won’t change my decision, however.
Hi Tom,
Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us.
We understand that this is a sensitive topic, and that some of our customers may not agree with our choice to pause the promotion of firearm-related deals. Groupon has always aimed to offer a diverse range of products and services to meet the various tastes and interests of our subscribers. However, at this time, enough customers and merchants have voiced their opinions that we believe a hiatus is warranted.
Please note that we have never sold guns, and this hiatus only applies to firearm-related deals including shooting ranges, clay pigeon shooting, and concealed weapons training classes. We have not made a final determination regarding this category — we are simply taking a break and may reevaluate in the future.
We genuinely appreciate your opinion and the feedback you’ve given us. I’ll be sure to share your comments with the appropriate people.
Regards,
Michelle M
Groupon Customer Support
Fill Yer Hands 
I e-mailed them as well (1/22) and received the identical responses – first the 48 hour one and then the explanation – except with the name of a different support person attached. I followed up with another e-mail explaining that by the time they realize how unwarranted their “hiatus” is, their customer base will have gone elsewhere. That one received a shorter but still polite response.
Not sure what I am going to do with the two Groupons I bought before they decided to be idiots… too late to get a refund on those.
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First I don’t plan on responding to their email. Nothing they could say will change my mind. Its like when Cheaper Than Dirt stopped selling guns right after Newtown then flip flopped. Too bad.
Second, I have one Groupon left which I plan to use. They already have my money, it’s a sunk cost.
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I called and spoke to a customer service guy so they could hear my anger in my voice. I was polite enough, but if you treat me like I had anything to do with the acts of an evil killer and attack my God-given rights as an American and I will never do business with you. Any hiatus is too long. It says they think the charges are a little bit applicable…
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Personally I don’t think Groupon is blaming me at all. They are responding to a segment of their customer base that is hoplophobic. They are afraid of losing them as customers and they weighed that against the money they made on gun deals and decided the way they did.
I don’t take it personally, nor do I think it’s aimed at gun owners per se. It’s a business decision. But it’s a bad decision. They don’t respect my business, so I don’t give them mine. I’m not angry but I’m not silent either.
I don’t buy the “hiatus while we assess the situation” line either. That won’t buy my business back. It didn’t for Cheaper Than Dirt and it won’t here.
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Okay, if it is not personal, why did they have to weigh in on this at all?
How would those vendor complaints have had any logical validity.
They cowardly chose sides when they did not have to do so.
Neutrality was an acceptable business response since actively denying those lawful gun-related activities implies a judgment against normal gun owners and does not do anything about spree killers.
Sorry, I’m still offended by their actions and so they can pay my small price.
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