So I discovered backpage.com through an arfcom member post as a good place to look for local firearm/ammo. I saw ads for all sorts of stuff so it looked like a pretty active marketplace and I decided to try to sell some of my stuff there too. I was able to post a bolt gun I have for sale but tried to post an AR and some .223 ammo and it wouldn't work. I admit that I never read their terms of service but considering that the entire sporting goods section is nothing but guns and ammo it didn't even occur to me that they were anti-gun bigots like eBay. Apparently they are but they only randomly enforce it. I guess they want to make money selling gun ads but also want to be able to pretend they don't allow such evil transactions on their esteemed service? I don't get this. Can anyone else make some sense of this? Here is my email string with them:
>>> Dan... <
[email protected]> 7/28/2009 6:45 PM >>>
Opened an account and tried to post an add - see attached screenshot.
Need some help since I have tried multiple times to get this posted.
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––––––Original Message––––––
From: support <
[email protected]>
To: "Dan..." <
[email protected]>
Date: Wed, Jul 29, 10:00 AM -0700
Subject: Re: Can't post
Per Terms of Use agreed to when creating ads:
18. Posting any material advertising handguns; Posting any material
advertising assault weaponry; Posting any material advertising any
weapons the use, carrying, or advertising of which is prohibited by
applicable federal, state, or local law;
Backpage Support
www.backpage.com
Please include any previous correspondence when replying to support.
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From: Dan...<
[email protected]>
To:
[email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 2009 10:18:54 AM
Subject: Re: Can't post
Are you kidding? Most of your ads on my local page are explicitly selling firearms of all types. My ad is for a completely legal sale. I even make a separate statement to point out that "I will follow all state and federal laws." I am seriously asking the question: are you saying all of the numerous firearms advertised on your site are in violation of yours terms? If so you are extremely lax in enforcing this. I have another perfectly legal ad selling a rifle on your site right now in fact.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless mobile phone
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––––- Forwarded Message ––––
From: Dan...<
[email protected]>
To:
[email protected]
Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 8:51:58 PM
Subject: Re: Can't post
No response? I would like an answer. The entire sporting goods category is filled with firearms ads (the attached is a small example of what is on your site right now - unambiguously selling all varieties of firearms including the exact same type rifle I was blocked from posting). Why are these ads allowed and mine was not?
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They won't respond and I am still unable to make my post for a basic bushy AR and some wolf .223.
Here's a sample of what's up there right now. Almost every add is for a firearm. So you can advertise a FAL and .308 ammo but apparently not an AR and .223 ammo.
http://tucson.backpage.com/SportsEquipForSale/classifieds/Results?category=5435
Sat. Aug. 1
$375, Bushmaster Upper Assembly (Tucson)
$425, S&W Model 442 38SP (Tucson)
$800, Browning Hi Power 9mm Single Action Handgun (Marana, AZ)
wtb IMR4895 (Tucson)
$180, Noveske AR15 lower reciever (Southeast Tucson)
$300, MDL59/66 Yugo SKS 7.62x39 Rifle (Tucson)
Fri. Jul. 31
$450, Taurus Millennium Pro 45 NEW (Tucson)
$30, Federal Power Shok 30.06 Ammo (Tucson)
$30, .10g Shotgun Ammo Power Pack (Tucson)
$100, Vietnam Era Military Patches (Tucson)
$275, Browning Buck Mark Pistol (downtown)
$400, Remmington 1100 3" mag 30" bbl (Sierra Vista)
$25, .12 Gauge Home Defense Loadout (Tucson)
$90, Singer Antique Treadle Sewing Machine, (Kolb/Broadway)
$1,000, Sig-Sauer P220 Combat TB (Tucson)
$385, Tuarus titanium 38 special +p-rarely used (Central Tucson)
Thu. Jul. 30
$1, Jacketed Projectiles and Used Rifle & Pistol Brass (salt lake city)
$35, MAK-90 Dragunov Stock Set (Tucson)
$185, Chinese 75 rd. drum magazine (Tucson)
$35, Beretta 96D High Cap magazines (Tucson)
$1,200, Desert Carbine (Tucson)
$650, Norinco MAK-90 (Tucson)
$190, Charter Arms AR-7 .22lr Survival Rifle (Tucson)
$350, Ruger P97 dc (central)
$1,200, Gary Reeder Custom Pistol (Tucson)
$25, 308 ammo 50rd bandoleer (Oro Valley)
$900, FAL rifle (Oro Valley)
$900, Colt 1911 Auto (Tucson)
$300, Total Gym (Northwest Tucson)
$900, New in Box Savage 10FCP 308 HS w/Farrell Mount (Northwest Tucson)