GRNC Alert 09-24-13: Authorize.Net “De-Authorizes” Gun Sellers

AUTHORIZE .NET ABANDONS GUN SELLERS

GRNC has just learned that the shopping-cart-gateway provider, Authorize.Net (a subsidiary of CyberSource), is refusing to continue providing services to Hyatt Guns, a large North Carolina-based gun shop that also has a sizable online presence. In late August, management at Hyatt Guns was disappointed and perplexed to receive a notice explaining that the store was in violation of Authorize.Net’s “acceptable use” policy. What was their offending violation? They sell firearms. In Authorize.Net’s own words:

Dear Hyatt Gun Shop Inc,

Authorize.Net LLC (“Authorize.Net”) has determined that the nature of your business constitutes a violation of Section 2.xiv of the Authorize.Net Acceptable Use Guidelines and Sections 3.3 and 11.3 of the Authorize.Net Service Agreement (the “Agreement”). These sections include, but are not limited to, the sale of firearms or any similar product. Accordingly, pursuant to Section 4 of the Acceptable Use Guidelines, your ability to access and use the Authorize.Net Services will be terminated on September 30, 2013.

You read that right. Authorize.Net is terminating the gun store’s access to its services simply because they sell guns. Based on their policy statement above, one can only conclude that this discriminatory policy is being applied to gun sellers nationwide. It looks like the small but noisy anti-gun crowd has gotten to what must be a jelly-spined PR department at CyberSource and Authorize.Net. Either that, or leadership at these companies have simply become anti-gun all on their own. Whatever the cause, Authorize.Net is making it clear that businesses lawfully selling firearms are undesirable, and need not apply.

Authorize.Net’s unexpected abandonment has left Hyatt Guns, and presumably others, with very little time to find a new provider for online transactions. The scramble to set up a new system in a short period of time is disruptive and quite costly. If this is how upstanding business people are going to be treated by CyberSource and Authorize.Net, it’s time that we all “de-authorize” them from our online experience.
GRNC is recommending that you keep a close eye out for the Authorize.Net and CyberSource names and logos when shopping online, and avoid making purchases from companies that use their services. When you run across one of these logos, take a moment and let the online shop know why you’ve decided to take your business elsewhere. Below you’ll see the identifying logos for CyberSource and Authorize.Net, which you may see when checking out at an online store. Please take a good look, and put them on your “don’t buy” list. 

GRNC also asks that you contact CyberSource and make it clear that you’re on to them, that you refuse to buy from companies that use their services, and that you intend to convey this message to online merchants. They need to know that singling out upstanding businessmen and women, and needlessly making it more difficult for them to conduct lawful and ethical commerce, will not be tolerated. Tell them that making such an unjust practice part of their business model will not only adversely affect their reputation, but it will hit them where it hurts most—the bottom line. Below, you will find contact information and suggested text for a message to CyberSource regarding Authorize.Net’s prejudice. Please contact them, and let them know that treating gun sellers like second class merchants is an affront to gun owners, and to all freedom-loving people for that matter.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

• Contact CyberSource regarding Authorize.Net: Respectfully tell them that treating honest, law-abiding businessmen and women as though they are doing something immoral or illegal is not acceptable. See contact information and suggested messages below.
   
• Watch for the CyberSource and Authorize.Net Logos: Take a good look at the logos below. When you see any of these at a merchant’s site, take a moment to tell them why you will not be spending your money with them.

• Support Grass Roots North Carolina: Please donate to GRNC so we can continue to effectively fight against these sorts of attacks on your gun rights. CLICK HERE or go to: http://www.grnc.org/join-grnc/contribute

CONTACT INFO
CyberSource phone: 650-432-7350 / 800-530-9095
(CyberSource President and CEO, Michael Walsh)

Send an online message with this e-mail address:   sales@cybersource.com

Or by clicking here,Or go to:

http://www.cybersource.com/contact_us/?utm_expid=48516430-5.ahagzESsQl2BCjNlg4_LNA.0&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cybersource.com%2F

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

PHONE MESSAGE

I’ve just heard about your subsidiary, Authorize.Net’s, policy of discrimination against gun sellers. Cutting off product access to honest, law-abiding businessmen and women as though they are doing something immoral or illegal is not acceptable. I’m calling to let you know that I’m taking a stand, and I will not buy from merchants who use the CyberSource or Authorize.Net services as long as your company practices this sort of intolerance as part of its business model. When I run across a merchant using your services, I intend to tell them why I am taking my business elsewhere. I hope CyberSource will update the Authorize.Net policy to be more inclusive, and I ask that you please deliver my message to your President and CEO, Michael Walsh. I plan to monitor this matter through alerts I receive from Grass Roots North Carolina. Thank you.

ONLINE MESSAGE

Suggested Subject: “Stop Discriminating against Gun Sellers“

Dear  Mr. Walsh and CyberSource Management:

I’ve just learned about your subsidiary, Authorize.Net’s, policy of discrimination against gun sellers, specifically against Hyatt Guns in North Carolina, but doubtless many others as well. I understand that your company has had a presumably amicable business relationship with Hyatt Guns for more than four years, but you’ve suddenly contacted them to tell them that you will be abandoning them, leaving them only a short thirty days to make other arrangements in order to keep their online shop in business.

Cutting off product access to honest, law-abiding businessmen and women as though they are doing something immoral or illegal is not acceptable. I am writing to inform you that I will be taking a stand against your unethical treatment of Hyatt Guns, and gun sellers in general. I will not buy from merchants who use Authorize.Net services as long as your company practices this sort of intolerance as part of its business model. When I run across a merchant using your services, I intend to tell them why I am taking my business elsewhere.

I hope you will rethink your policy, which unfairly singles out merchants who serve customers in an area of commerce that is traditional, vital and Constitutionally protected. I will continue to monitor this matter through alerts from Grass Roots North Carolina.

Respectfully,

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