Most are used  to speculate on new coins. And it is cheaper to rent for a day or two to try out mining than buying the equipment for the 1st time.

The machine doesn't work.

I've already called, sent emails, wrote a ticket. If it is going to continue like this, I don't want to get store credit or do business with these folks.

to buy the computer they first had to buy more bitcoin, the extra buying offsets dell's selling.
unless someone who was holding it as an investment suddenly decided he doesn't want the investment anymore and happened to want a dell laptop.

ok you are pasting the same dribble everywhere. (well if it aint you on different accounts then you and a few others are worrying about something you probably heard about in trollbox and now shouting apocalypse is near)

but you do realise even if there were a billion merchants. or just 100k merchants. its the bitcoin holders that have the ultimate power..
no one will sell or spend their bitcoin at a loss. unless they are stupid.

for instance bitcoin is $600ish now. if i seen a PC on amazon for $600, i would weigh up the pro's and cons of either using bitcoin of fiat. and right now bitcoin is undervalued, im holding out until atleast $1000.. so ill just use my FIAT.

so spending wont increase as much as you think, not until thre is some bitcoin price profitability to incentive spending. so if the price rises too fast to cause an incentive, the spending will cause the drop.. meaning the price stablises.

now as businesses advertise they are bitcoin friendly or offer discounts to bitcoiners, customer will buy bitcoins to get such discounts. again bitcoin rise due to demand, and fall due to spend..

over all there will be more hoarders of bitcoin than spenders so relax about the daily movements of bitcoin price. over the long term the price will rise. just at a more stable rate..

summary
CALM DOWN