Rob Pincus
New member
Some of you may remember a thread about the excellent "SafteyOn" firearms safety CD-Rom.
Well, the makers of that software are trying to convince Wal-Mart to carry the product. This would be a great opportunity to get a responsible product related to guns in a huge market that will attract the attention of non-"gun people".
Personally, I feel that a lack of understanding and positive exposure is at the root of most gun control sentiment.
I recieved the following letter from the president of SafetyOn, LLC. I will be sending a letter and I would encourage TFL members to do the same, or at least send an Email or make a phone call.
Thanks.
****************
Hey Rob,
I am working very hard to get SafetyOn placed in Wal-Mart stores. I believe
this will do more in a single step to get our message of firearm safety out
to the widest possible audience. As any retail store or chain, Wal-Mart is
driven by their perception of customer demand. I would greatly appreciate
it if you could take a moment to drop either a letter or email or phonecall
to Wal-Mart and suggest that they offer SafetyOn to their customers. I have
assembled a current set of contact data for this purpose.
David Glass, President and CEO
S. Robson Walton, Chairman of the Board
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
702 S.W. 8th Street
Bentonville, AR 72716
Corporate Affairs phone number is (800) WAL-MART or (800) 925-6278
Direct telephone number is (501) 273-4000
Letters to the President - letters@wal-mart.com
* Complaints
* General Comments
* Suggestions
Corporate Affairs - alwyatt@wal-mart.com
* Press Releases
* Public Relations
* Student Research Packet
* Wal-Mart History
Public Relations Department - vsburch@wal-mart.com
* Customer Comments
* Public Relations
The reasons for carrying SafetyOn are numerous. First, of course, is that
our nation desperately needs a vehicle to deliver a solid firearm safety
education to todays generation of "videogame-oriented" young people.
Computers are VERY effective training tools. You can run a computer program
in a school or a home. SafetyOn retails for less than a Nintendo game and
can save lives. With everyone from the White House to the local PTA
pleading for an answer to the "gun violence" issue, this is the first
product that breaks new ground in educating the people who need it most.
Secondly, Wal-Mart sells guns. With the immense increase in first-time gun
buyers we are seeing over the last year, it seems only logical and
responsible to provide safety education at the same place. With hunting
season coming up and thousands of hunters flocking to Wal-Mart for guns and
ammo, it is an ideal place to provide life-saving safety education in a
handy package. With stores being sued by anti-gun law firms, providing very
high-profile firearm safety information would serve as an additional bar to
courtroom liability. Its the moral high ground, its proactive. Moreover,
SafetyOn promotes the type of All-American, Pro-Law & Order traditional
values that make up a large part of Wal-Mart's demographics.
Thirdly, Wal-Mart sells CD-ROM videogames of all types, including the
extremely violent games like Doom, Quake, Unreal, etc that have garnered a
great deal of negative press for depicting wanton carnage and violence. In
the face of mounting public criticism regarding the sale of violent
programs, there would be considerable PR value from providing a good message
in the same (CD-ROM) format. It would be very negative to say "we have a
big place on our shelves for violent games on CD, but safety education on CD
doesn't fit our product line".
Lastly, it is a proven success. Chains like Galyans and Bass Pro are
stocking SafetyOn and it is flying off the shelves. One independent gun
shop in Arizona sold three copies while unpacking the display to place it on
the counter. The "Deer Hunter" CD-ROM sold over 1 million copies in the
first year and has spawned literally dozens of spin-offs. The NRA has
approved SafetyOn for its instructors, and it has been adopted by police
departments from San Diego to Philadelphia. International sales include
Australia, England, Germany, Hungary, South Africa, Taiwan, Brazil and many
more.
Obviously this means a great deal to me from a business perspective; my team
has invested over a year and a half of development time in producing this CD
because we believed in it and in the cause of gun safety. A few moments of
your time could mean a great deal in making this a great success. The more
they hear from all of us, the more likely they will be to select SafetyOn.
Anyone who is willing to write or call would be helping to make this come
true. Nothing speaks as loudly as an honest letter from a concerned
customer.
Many thanks in advance,
Michael
====================
Michael Marks
President
SafetyOn
http://www.safetyon.com
The Comprehensive Interactive Guide to Firearm Safety & Responsible Gun
Ownership.
Well, the makers of that software are trying to convince Wal-Mart to carry the product. This would be a great opportunity to get a responsible product related to guns in a huge market that will attract the attention of non-"gun people".
Personally, I feel that a lack of understanding and positive exposure is at the root of most gun control sentiment.
I recieved the following letter from the president of SafetyOn, LLC. I will be sending a letter and I would encourage TFL members to do the same, or at least send an Email or make a phone call.
Thanks.
****************
Hey Rob,
I am working very hard to get SafetyOn placed in Wal-Mart stores. I believe
this will do more in a single step to get our message of firearm safety out
to the widest possible audience. As any retail store or chain, Wal-Mart is
driven by their perception of customer demand. I would greatly appreciate
it if you could take a moment to drop either a letter or email or phonecall
to Wal-Mart and suggest that they offer SafetyOn to their customers. I have
assembled a current set of contact data for this purpose.
David Glass, President and CEO
S. Robson Walton, Chairman of the Board
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
702 S.W. 8th Street
Bentonville, AR 72716
Corporate Affairs phone number is (800) WAL-MART or (800) 925-6278
Direct telephone number is (501) 273-4000
Letters to the President - letters@wal-mart.com
* Complaints
* General Comments
* Suggestions
Corporate Affairs - alwyatt@wal-mart.com
* Press Releases
* Public Relations
* Student Research Packet
* Wal-Mart History
Public Relations Department - vsburch@wal-mart.com
* Customer Comments
* Public Relations
The reasons for carrying SafetyOn are numerous. First, of course, is that
our nation desperately needs a vehicle to deliver a solid firearm safety
education to todays generation of "videogame-oriented" young people.
Computers are VERY effective training tools. You can run a computer program
in a school or a home. SafetyOn retails for less than a Nintendo game and
can save lives. With everyone from the White House to the local PTA
pleading for an answer to the "gun violence" issue, this is the first
product that breaks new ground in educating the people who need it most.
Secondly, Wal-Mart sells guns. With the immense increase in first-time gun
buyers we are seeing over the last year, it seems only logical and
responsible to provide safety education at the same place. With hunting
season coming up and thousands of hunters flocking to Wal-Mart for guns and
ammo, it is an ideal place to provide life-saving safety education in a
handy package. With stores being sued by anti-gun law firms, providing very
high-profile firearm safety information would serve as an additional bar to
courtroom liability. Its the moral high ground, its proactive. Moreover,
SafetyOn promotes the type of All-American, Pro-Law & Order traditional
values that make up a large part of Wal-Mart's demographics.
Thirdly, Wal-Mart sells CD-ROM videogames of all types, including the
extremely violent games like Doom, Quake, Unreal, etc that have garnered a
great deal of negative press for depicting wanton carnage and violence. In
the face of mounting public criticism regarding the sale of violent
programs, there would be considerable PR value from providing a good message
in the same (CD-ROM) format. It would be very negative to say "we have a
big place on our shelves for violent games on CD, but safety education on CD
doesn't fit our product line".
Lastly, it is a proven success. Chains like Galyans and Bass Pro are
stocking SafetyOn and it is flying off the shelves. One independent gun
shop in Arizona sold three copies while unpacking the display to place it on
the counter. The "Deer Hunter" CD-ROM sold over 1 million copies in the
first year and has spawned literally dozens of spin-offs. The NRA has
approved SafetyOn for its instructors, and it has been adopted by police
departments from San Diego to Philadelphia. International sales include
Australia, England, Germany, Hungary, South Africa, Taiwan, Brazil and many
more.
Obviously this means a great deal to me from a business perspective; my team
has invested over a year and a half of development time in producing this CD
because we believed in it and in the cause of gun safety. A few moments of
your time could mean a great deal in making this a great success. The more
they hear from all of us, the more likely they will be to select SafetyOn.
Anyone who is willing to write or call would be helping to make this come
true. Nothing speaks as loudly as an honest letter from a concerned
customer.
Many thanks in advance,
Michael
====================
Michael Marks
President
SafetyOn
http://www.safetyon.com
The Comprehensive Interactive Guide to Firearm Safety & Responsible Gun
Ownership.