Groupon Inc. has stopped all current and future gun-related deals, apparently bowing to customer pressure a month after the deadly mass shooting at Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Conn.
“All scheduled and current gun-related deals featured on Groupon North America, including shooting ranges, conceal-and-carry and clay shooting, have been placed on hiatus while we review internal standards that shape the deal inventory we feature,” spokeswoman Julie Mossler said. “The category is under review following recent consumer and merchant feedback."
The Chicago-based company didn't say how long the hiatus will last.
Some businesses whose deals were canceled reacted angrily. A Texas gun shop owner was calling for a Groupon boycott, media reports said. There was no word from LivingSocial or other daily deals sites about their plans, if any.
There was no immediate reaction from the National Rifle Association (NRA). However, in response to President Obama's inaugural address, NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre repeated the organization's opposition to toughened gun laws.
"Attacking firearms and ignoring children is not a solution to the crisis we face as a nation. Only honest, law-abiding gun owners will be affected and our children will remain vulnerable to the inevitability of more tragedy," LaPierre said in a commentary on the NRA website.
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