TGSCOM
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Firearms retail |
| Founded | 1999 in Arizona, United States |
| Founder | Eric Thompson |
| Defunct | May 20, 2012 |
| Headquarters | Green Bay , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Eric Thompson (founder) |
| Products | Firearms, sporting equipment |
Number of employees | 37 (2009) |
TGSCOM, Inc., an American online firearms retailer, was based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The company marketed guns and sporting equipment through more than 150 websites, such as thegunsource.com and topglock.com. Established in Arizona in 1999 by Eric Thompson, the business moved its headquarters to Green Bay in October 2006. TGSCOM discontinued its operations on May 20, 2012.
Closure and controversies
TGSCOM ceased business activities in May 2012 amid an investigation by the Green Bay Police Department triggered by multiple customer grievances regarding charges for products that were never delivered. Similar complaints emerged from law enforcement agencies across almost all U.S. states, prompting an FBI inquiry into the matter. The Wisconsin Better Business Bureau documented close to 200 grievances from clients spanning 44 states and recommended that affected consumers contest the charges through their credit card providers.
Federal documentation showed that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives issued citations against TGSCOM in 2007 and 2009 for various infractions, including inadequate record maintenance and sales that breached federal age restrictions and mandatory waiting periods.
Eric Thompson, the company's founder, refuted any criminal allegations and attempted to secure investors to revive the enterprise; nevertheless, TGSCOM remained shuttered, with its assets subsequently becoming part of Thompson’s divorce settlement.
Media attention
TGSCOM supplied firearms and related products to individuals responsible for several notorious shootings, such as George Sodini (2009 LA Fitness shooting), Steven Kazmierczak (2008 Northern Illinois University shooting), and Seung-Hui Cho (2007 Virginia Tech massacre). In August 2009, the company employed 37 staff members; at the time of the Virginia Tech incident in 2007, it managed 50 websites with a workforce of 10 employees.