If you sell firearms, ammunition, or other regulated products, you already know that operating an ecommerce store isn’t as straightforward as other industries. Between complex compliance requirements, FFL transfer rules, restricted shipping zones, and payment limitations, selling online comes with real operational challenges.
We’ve worked with dozens of firearms and ammunition retailers on BigCommerce to solve those exact challenges—with custom features that are tailored, tested, and scalable. Whether you’re launching a new store or optimizing an existing one, our custom development work is designed to make your online business run smoother and stay compliant.
Here’s a look at some of the key features and customizations we’ve built for online gun and ammo stores.
FFL Dealer Selection at Checkout
Federal regulations require firearms to be shipped only to licensed FFL dealers. Without the right technology in place, this step can be confusing for customers and time-consuming for merchants.
That’s why we specialize in Ship to FFL Functionality, which allows:
- Customers to search for FFL dealers by zip code or radius
- Selection from a map or list view directly in checkout
- Orders to automatically attach the chosen FFL location for compliant shipping
- Dealers to be pulled from a live database or a merchant-managed list
This feature streamlines the entire FFL transfer process, giving customers confidence and saving you hours of manual coordination.
Split Shipments for FFL and Non-FFL Items
Many online gun stores sell a mix of regulated and non-regulated products—like apparel, accessories, or cleaning kits. But most ecommerce platforms aren’t equipped to treat those items differently at checkout.
We developed smart cart-splitting functionality that automatically:
- Flags firearms or FFL-required products
- Separates shipping workflows behind the scenes
- Lets customers receive non-FFL items at home, while ensuring firearms are sent only to the selected dealer
Document Uploads for ID Verification
Some states require ID verification, permit uploads, or proof of eligibility before certain products can be shipped. Rather than handling this manually, we help our clients automate the process with custom document upload fields at checkout.
Customers can upload:
- Driver’s licenses
- FOID cards
- Law enforcement credentials
- Other relevant documentation
These uploads can be triggered by product category, shipping destination, or customer group—so you’re only asking when it’s legally required.
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Shipping Restrictions Based on Product and Location
Not every product can be shipped to every location—and failing to enforce restrictions can lead to legal issues or order cancellations.
Our Shipping Restrictions solution allow you to:
- Apply shipping restrictions by product category, brand, or individual SKU
- Define rules based on state, ZIP code, or even municipality
- Support mixed carts, allowing restricted and unrestricted products to ship separately
- Display custom error messages so shoppers understand why they can’t check out—and how to fix it
Excise Taxes and Product-Based Fees
Firearms and ammunition retailers often need to apply product-based excise taxes or regulatory fees. Rather than baking those costs into your product prices, we help you calculate and display fees as separate line items during checkout.
You’ll be able to:
- Set up per-product, per-category, or threshold-based fees
- Adjust fee amounts as regulations change
- Maintain transparency and flexibility without a full repricing
Get the Top Features that Work for Firearms Ecommerce
If you’re struggling with compliance issues, inefficient workflows, or customer confusion, you’re not alone—and you’re not stuck. With the right technology in place, your store can offer a seamless, transparent buying experience while staying within legal boundaries.
At IntuitSolutions, we specialize in building ecommerce solutions for regulated industries. Let’s talk about how we can support your business goals.
Improve UX for Restricted Products
Get the features that keep customers coming back. Custom checkout, UX, and more.
