Walmart: Raising minimum age to 21.

[rpseraph]

Walmart will no longer sell guns nor ammunition to anyone under the age of 21. They haven't sold AR-15s since 2015, but this is a new level.

Walmart? Really?

[rickyrick]

If government won’t do it, corporations are stepping up with some morals. It is a business’s right.

[Lohman446]

It is the right of a company to decide what they will sell and to whom. Considering the public nature of the ownership of these companies and their shear size I am not certain how comfortable I am with them taking moral stances and decisions.

[NateKirk]

If government won’t do it, corporations are stepping up with some morals. It is a business’s right.

It seems corporations have more power to enact change than the government does in today's world.

[rickyrick]

It’s great that a corporation can choose to sell because of their values and morals.
What’s happening now is corporations are deciding whether groups of citizens are moral or not.

[adamBomb]

What’s happening now is corporations are deciding whether groups of citizens are moral or not.

They have been doing this forever, not just now. Go see if you can find a playboy at walmart...

[rpseraph]

I mean, the percentage of firearms and ammunition that are bought at big-box retailers is tiny compared to online and gun-stores... I suspect its more of PR stunt than anything.

However, it is hard for me to respect a company that participates in PR stunts like this. Personal opinion.

[zukiphile]

Originally Posted by Lohmann

It is the right of a company to decide what they will sell and to whom.

Except when it isn't.

Originally Posted by rpseraph

I mean, the percentage of firearms and ammunition that are bought at big-box retailers is tiny compared to online and gun-stores... I suspect its more of PR stunt than anything.

Surely it's a stunt.

I wonder about the relative volume of sales. People who buy by the case may think big box buyers are suckers, but if there are lots of them, they may outweigh the frugal and dedicated.

[Lohman446]

Except when it isn't.

True. I should have included a caveat in regards to protected classes. My biggest problem with major corporations is hiding behind some fiduciary duty to shareholders to morally "obligate" the use of questionable means of operation and then taking a "moral" stand such as the above. Either you are about the bottom line as a primary concern or you are not. It is possible that this is financially motivated in an effort to shield them from some financial liability.

[ATN082268]

Originally Posted by rpseraph

I mean, the percentage of firearms and ammunition that are bought at big-box retailers is tiny compared to online and gun-stores... I suspect its more of PR stunt than anything.

However, it is hard for me to respect a company that participates in PR stunts like this. Personal opinion.

That's pretty much my take on it. Retailers can always start selling AR-15s, "high capacity magazines," etc. again after the dust settles with little downside.

[zukiphile]

I meant nothing snide or trivial by it, only that we give retailers only as much latitude as we like.

[zukiphile]

Originally Posted by Lohman

My biggest problem with major corporations is hiding behind some fiduciary duty to shareholders to morally "obligate" the use of questionable means of operation and then taking a "moral" stand such as the above. Either you are about the bottom line as a primary concern or you are not. It is possible that this is financially motivated in an effort to shield them from some financial liability.

Or it could simply be that a) they are getting bad PR advice, or b) they are getting good PR advice and I am wrong about enemies having longer memories than the general and uninterested public.

[lamarw]

When I was a kid, I was able to buy rimfire and shotgun shells from the nearby country store. It was not until about 15 years later there was the mass shooting in the bell tower in Texas. It didn't seem the availbility of ammunition to us younguns (pun intended) was the cause of mass shootings.

So, I think we will see Walmart's stand having little if any validity. Usually commercial business decisions are based upon economics and nothing else.

[Lohman446]

Or it could simply be that a) they are getting bad PR advice, or b) they are getting good PR advice and I am wrong about enemies having longer memories than the general and uninterested public.

I think you are right about who has longer memories. I cannot remember a time when announcing you were going to restrict something has garnered more sales from those who were happy with you then it has cost from a combination of the restricted individuals and those who support them. Time and time we have seen someone publicly refuse to serve a particular group - I expect the support they get is much shorter lived than the support they lose because of the action.

Your forgetting a third possible option. That the person controlling the policy is pursuing self interests rather than those of the company. When you own the company that is fine because the two are intertwined. When a company is publicly traded this becomes a dilemma.

[zukiphile]

Originally Posted by Lohman

Your forgetting a third possible option. That the person controlling the policy is pursuing self interests rather than those of the company. When you own the company that is fine because the two are intertwined. When a company is publicly traded this becomes a dilemma.

Indeed. The Paypal/Ebay option.

[Lohman446]

Out of curiosity: anyone know why 21? This seems like an incremental approach to get to the mid-twenties where neurological development and processes stabilize in most people. What is the significance of 21?

[rickyrick]

I think they use 21 because they’ve had success in banning things for people less than 21.

I was a long term service member and I think military service should begin at 25. Just my opinion, 18 year olds are smart and capable, but I don’t think that they are finished maturing mentally.

Now if the legal age of adulthood is 18 then all restrictions should be off. If you wanna restrict something till the age of 21, then fine, make the age of adulthood 21.

[zukiphile]

Originally Posted by RR

I was a long term service member and I think military service should begin at 25. Just my opinion, 18 year olds are smart and capable, but I don’t think that they are finished maturing mentally.

I don't know any women who think I've finished maturing mentally. I'm 52.

18 year olds are teachable. I once heard someone who studies these things note that you can make an older man run every morning and learn dozen of new rules while he is transformed into a useful member of a group, but you are never going to make him think he is enjoying it.

[TrueBlue711]

I suspect its more of PR stunt than anything

Bingo.

[Don P]

It seems corporations have more power to enact change than the government does in today's world.

Yep all the hoop-la about this is all coming the "BIG BOX STORES". The mom and pop shops will hopefully be able to gain from the big corporations decisions.

[ammo.crafter]

Stores can decide to whom they can and cannot sell?

I would understand if there was a codified law and/or statute that mandates one must be at least age 21 before a being able to purchase.

How about restricting sales to short people, bald people, left-handed people.....

[RETG]

Walmart can do what they want, I honestly do not care. I don't believe raising the age to purchase ammo will make a difference in any group. I believe it is stupid, and they are giving into the liberal snowflakes.

However, I will continue to shop for food at Walmart regardless. Fact is, if I drive 30 miles, mostly on mountain roads for a food run, I have a choice of Smith's (Kroger subsidiary) or Fred Meyer (Kroger Subsidiary) and Kroger just announced the same restrictions this AM for their stores.

If I lived in a large city with a lot of option, I might boycott Walmart and Kroger, but in many cases, there are no alternatives.

[rickyrick]

Add Kroger and BiMart to the list.

[TruthTellers]

The more retailers that do it, the more business local gun stores will get.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Add Fred Meyer (which is Kroger).