Bitcoin Forum

Other => Off-topic => Topic started by: moocow1452 on March 26, 2012, 07:19:56 PM



Title: How to *help* a small business
Post by: moocow1452 on March 26, 2012, 07:19:56 PM
Hey guys, a new second hand game and electronic shop opened up where I live, and while they have the trickle in of customers, the occasional phone repairs are their bread and butter, as they currently buy back nearly as many items as they sell. So, outside of the "dur, you should take Bitcoin!" concept, how else does one promote a small business?


Title: Re: How to blow up a small business
Post by: Matthew N. Wright on March 26, 2012, 07:36:52 PM
Local? Craigslist.

Global? Bitcoin Magazine classifieds.


Title: Re: How to blow up a small business
Post by: Mousepotato on March 26, 2012, 08:10:30 PM
They could try opening an eBay store too.


Title: Re: How to blow up a small business
Post by: moocow1452 on March 29, 2012, 04:32:30 PM
Anyway, the store is in a bind and being the nice guy I am, (and wanting to work at a used game shop since I was 7) I figured I'd call upon the internet horde to see what can be done for this place. Bases seem to be covered locally and netwise (http://wg-gs.com), but there isn't all that much heat on it right now. I guess Bitcoin is fair game since he has a contact box and is willing to trade non-locally via eBay, but I'm racking my brain on something simple that can change the store dynamic. Square Card Case would be nice if you were just browsing around, or use some trickery with QR post it notes to generate a Shopping Cart on the fly, opening it up to online payments or BTC in store.  Thinking maybe setting Steam Gift & Trading Repository for store credit. Contacted Steam about it and they said they would get back via email, but nothing so far. In the same vein would be a loyalty plan with say Christmas/birthday gifts, and a 100% return margin on purchased items if you turn around and get a different console/games. Maybe even sign up with Ting as a redistributer, (http://opensrs.com/ting) since phone resale and repair is an established niche. But aside from that, I'm tapped.

Anything else that you would like to see done in a meatspace gaming store that would keep you coming back that doesn't smell of gimmick? Suggestions on ideas already on the table would be nice too, since I have no idea what would stick or come back to bite.

EDIT: Speak of the Valve, Steam just got back to me and said it's a no go on instore trades. Will ask if there is anyway Steam could be integrated into a physical location that falls within TOS.


Title: Re: How to *help* a small business
Post by: Tuxavant on March 30, 2012, 01:26:26 PM
lots of ideas have been created for this. but the best I've heard is flashcash/flashcoin. get a bunch of locals together that have bitcoin and let a merchant know you're all going to money bomb the shit out of him on a specific day if he start to accept bitcoin.


Title: Re: How to *help* a small business
Post by: moocow1452 on March 30, 2012, 03:27:44 PM
Anyway, Bitmob, will have to look into that? Anyway I could ask or check who's trading Bitcoin locally?


Title: Re: How to *help* a small business
Post by: John (John K.) on March 30, 2012, 03:38:29 PM
Website has an address, and one of the forumites managed to put a location together before then.

Back OT?
Guess that explains the pic someone posted last time.  :-X

I think there's Bitcoiners in Michigan, just ask around the Currency Exchange subforum to see if anyone is willing to trade?


Title: Re: How to *help* a small business
Post by: Tuxavant on March 30, 2012, 04:06:54 PM
Anyway I could ask or check who's trading Bitcoin locally?

there are several bitcoin social network apps out there... bitcoinlocator.com comes to mind. google is your friend. oh, bitcoin.meetup.com is very good for local resources.