Bitcoin Forum

There's only one place near me where I can spend my hard earned Bitcoins in a public store. So after only recently finally sorting out my paper and online wallets, I thought that today I would attempt to spend some mBTC in public for the first time. After entering the bustling convenience store I loudly proclaimed with pride to merchant, "Can I pay by Bitcoin here?" After initially expecting a most enthusiast reply to my question, imagine my startled surprise when he replied "Um yes...", "...but I don't have the machine here". He then looks around at the other customers listening and shuffles on his feet. I then say, "okay then I'll take my business elsewhere" before I promptly left leaving my goods behind.

If merchants aren't prepared to adequately provide the means for customers to pay with Bitcoin then this monetary revolution will never take off. I'll be taking my Bitcoins and business elsewhere.

I keep thinking that we need some uniform solutions like Visa and Mastercard in the credit cards field
Some hardware or payment machines that make payment an easy way

Its a good sign that a crypto currency will be accepted in local stores in future, but give it some time :)

Yes,it is a good sign that shops are already accepting it,but I think customers and shops need some adoption time

But the customers won't come with their Bitcoins if the merchants don't have the means or can't be bothered to process the transaction. Why proudly advertise yourself* as accepting Bitcoins then acting like you can't be arsed?

*last year this merchant was in the newspapers proclaiming acceptance of Bitcoins.

You didnt pay fiat!  :)


You should return tomorrow and try again. Its actually a bad sign if they accept BTC but so few people ask for it. If I were the manager Id ask myself if it was a bad idea to offer it since there is obviously no demand. If they fail again tomorrow, announce that you will return the next day, so they can prepare for you ;)

A lot has happened in the last year.  He may have been as enthusiastic about bitcoin as yourself at one time, might still be.  Definitely go back and apologize for being an ass and talk to him about his experiences with accepting bitcoin.  There is an opportunity to make a bitcoin friend here.  We'd be interested in hearing a merchants perspective, as well as seeing this thread turned into a successful bitcoin transaction.

merchand are noobs.  :D
they use a "proprietary app" to use bitcoin network ... it's a joke.  ;D

they don't have already hit that a dedicated phone (crapy, 3 years old) ... plug to source and with wifi connexion is the "all you need" to accept bitcoin.

but people want "easy money" ... well, pay the inflation, dude !  ::)

I wonder what "machine" he was talking about? All he needs is a QR-code duct taped to the counter. He could check the balance online to see that you paid. There is no equipment needed to accept bitcoin.  

P.S. Nice job walking out. Nothing says more than voting with your money.

Now the owner has probably decided to accept bitcoin payments as he thought about potential customers!

Haha, plus one this.
Peak hour is probably not the best time to spring this on an unsuspecting employee who probably has no experience with it.
The manager must have been enthusiastic about bitcoin to announce loudly that he'll accept it in store, a big favour to bitcoin, as it is still a financial risk.
They should be thanked and encouraged to improve the service, not made to regret their decision.

It's not like you need any specialist equipment. A QR code or a smartphone is all they would need.

maybe next time  :) . remember, bitcoin is still a ninche.

For retailers, the Bitcoin system has to be integrated into the point-of-sale system, just like credit cards. Otherwise, at the end of the shift, the register won't balance. There are a few POS systems which now have Bitcoin support.

Hmm on reflection I guess I should have said, "I will come back tomorrow will you have the Bitcoin machine then?" I was just so surprised by his reaction that I didn't know what to do or think on the spot in front of everyone.

there are some atm for bitcoin around the world, i'm sure he was talking about that

IMHO its perfectly fine to leave the store and


on the other hand Id also stay open for them to change. That why I suggested that you return there and try again. Someone there thought about this and offered accepting bitcoin. Just imagine what this would do if you shop there e.g. once a week. People behind you in line will start to wonder and maybe even ask about Bitcoin. Anything that makes using Bitcoin "normal" is a good thing. Most ppl I talk to still have shady internet markets in their heads and are dumfounded when they hear that you can pay at Dell or Amazon (granted its indirec, still) with BTC.



Or a tablet that is connected to the stores cashiersystem to keep the books in order.

I am in a similar situation with a local gun shop. I had them handle the FFL on a pistol I bought a few weeks ago. The owner said "You should have come to me, I have one in stock".  I explained that I bought it from http://centraltexasgunworks.com/ because they take bitcoin. I further told him that I would be buying my next gun with bitcoin also, and I would buy it from them if possible. Now he wants to have me come in and explain it all to him in exchange for a holster or some ammo or something.
This is how it happens!

This is a sour story, I am really quite dissapointed the store wasn't prepared for a "feature" they offer.

I've spend my BTC at a restaurant, which is a better location to introduce Bitcoin than a busy convenience store. After my meal, I asked to pay in Bitcoin, and which my waitress came back with a tablet with the BitPay app installed.

In the 1950's the first general purpose charge card was Diners Club, which was first accepted in restaurants. It was a few years later when other merchants began accepting them. Based on this pattern, I see the first brick-and-mortar merchants to accept Bitcoin will be restaurants.

The clerk probably didn't know what the OP was talking about and likely though he was referring to some kind of credit card machine. Most business that accept bitcoin will likely have a "we accept bitcoin sticker" on a window and/or a door.

Put yourself in the merchant's shoes for a minute. No need to antagonize the guy.  He probably gets next to no business from Bitcoiners so far, don't make it a bad experience for him when he does!   Did you put your goods back where you found them, or did you leave that for him to do?  

Its going to take some time before merchants get used to it. Im sure you were probably one of the first ones asking so it wasn't a big priority for them. I bet next time they will have a better system in place. I mean its not that hard to have a bitpay or coinbase system ready to go.

That made me wonder as well, unless he was using square or something then all he needed was the phone app extendible to connect to his phone.
It does make me wonder why he sounded so nervous about it.

But indeed good job walking out, as rodeo said voting with your money is important.