Tech Giant SalesForce telling clients to stop selling firearms or else

[Mali]

The Washington Post reports that Salesforce is a $120 billion San Francisco-based company whose “skyscraper…towers over the city as the tallest building and a major landmark.”

They are now telling customers who sell firearms that they are barred from using Salesforce “technology to market products, manage customer service operations and fulfill orders” unless they cease selling AR-15s.

Salesforce’s “Acceptable Use Policy” goes beyond a ban on AR-15s, to include any semiautomatic firearms “that have the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any of the following: thumbhole stock, folding or telescoping stock, grenade launcher or flare launcher, flash or sound suppressor, forward pistol grip, pistol grip (in the case of a rifle) or second pistol grip (in the case of a pistol), [and/or] barrel shroud.”

The policy also makes clear that gun retailers cannot sell “high capacity” magazines if they want to use Salesforce software.

SalesForce is a major player in the customer/contact and sales management software market. Their software is used behind many of the major vendors including Gander Mountain. The cost of changing out the backend systems will be incredible and make a change to another software backend something many of the vendors will not be to make in any sort of timely manner.

[Jito463]

Wow, talk about shooting yourself in the foot (metaphorically speaking).  Apparently Salesforce believes they're better off without those customers.

Did they give them a time period for the transition, or was it just dropped in their lap?

[m morton]

 if you pay to use there software, they will get sued for breach of contract if they just up and change policy.. and keep you from selling your products you have been selling all along.

[Mali]

The new rules take effect when they renew their contract with SalesForce so nobody is forced off now if they have another year on the contract. However, if you were in the midst of renewal guess what.

[Atrus]

if you pay to use there software, they will get sued for breach of contract if they just up and change policy..

I work tangentially in a field that now and then involves attorneys going through the complete contracts and terms of service of software companies and striking/modifying language before anything is signed by a new client, and it's a long, drawn-out bartering process billed by the hour by attorneys specializing in technology contract law. I guarantee any company that didn't do that is subject to a line somewhere in the terms of service along the lines of "these terms may be modified and updated at any time and your continued use of the software constitutes your acceptance of these modifications."

[eelstrebor1]

If SalesForce processes credit card purchases only, then I don't care. If I can't use cash to buy from a vendor because of this insanity or if they stop selling a particular firearm or accessory because of this nonsense, then I'll go elsewhere to buy my firearms and accessories. In my "humble" opinion, businesses should keep their political bias to themselves. It seems like bad business to insult 100 million gun owners.