A few weeks ago, Woot opened up a new section of its site called Woot Deals. This area marked a departure for the service because it is run by Woot users, rather than a Woot employees selecting every deal. Of course, when you open it up to users, they’re going to get what they want.
Today, the most popular items in this deals section include a bunch of video games, some tennis shoes, a monitor, some laser pointers, oh, and a 9mm handgun.
Actually, the handgun is by far the most popular item of the day so far (Woot uses a Digg-like voting system on items). Thanks to a deal BudsGunShop.com is having, you can get this Smith & Wesson dual action pistol for the low low price of $283 after a $50 rebate. Of course, as the site notes, “THIS ITEM HAS HI CAPACITY MAGS AND CANNOT BE SHIPPED TO NEW YORK OR CALIFORNIA.”
As you might expect, the Woot page for the item has already turned into a back and forth about the gun laws in America. Here’s a good one, “Anyone who has a problem with America, can get the #$%@ out and go live in Canada.” Here’s another, “Guns don’t kill people. People do. Guns just make it really easy.”
Buying handguns online is not illegal in most states, but it is a pain. Apparently, you’re free to buy the gun, but it has to be shipped to a federally licensed dealer in your state, where you then have to go fill out paperwork and pass the background check before you can pick it up. Also, the idea of Woot as a go-to place for handgun deals is kind of humorous and probably not what the people behind the site originally envisioned it as. But when you open it up to the community, they’re going to do what they want to do.
[thanks Shmuel]
